IEEE SIGHT DAY 2021 – CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF IEEE SIGHT

In 2011, the SIGHT program was conceptualized and inaugurated in Kerala, India. Ten years later, we have many reasons to celebrate the outstanding work accomplished by SIGHT volunteers. IEEE SIGHT Day 2021 will be held on Wednesday 28 April, to foster a spirit of community for the global SIGHT network, increase awareness of IEEE SIGHT within IEEE, promote the opportunity to support SIGHT financially, and celebrate the impact SIGHT volunteers and groups are making. Activities are being planned from 25 April – 1 May, so there will be multiple opportunities to take part. 

HOST A VIRTUAL EVENT WITH YOUR SIGHT GROUP

Due to the current global health situation and related complications caused by COVID-19, we strongly encourage our members to plan virtual activities unless local restrictions allow for in-person gatherings. Build your SIGHT group’s capacity through a workshop, webinar viewing, or online course! If you would like to host a virtual event but lack a platform to do so, please write to us at sight@ieee.org with your request. Feel free to host a SIGHT Day event all through April! Here are some ideas for virtual events:

ATTEND A VIRTUAL WEBINAR, PANEL, OR ASK THE CHAIR SESSION

SIGHT Day 2021 Opening Session: Celebrating 10 Years of IEEE SIGHT

The session will highlight why humanitarian activities are important for IEEE, the vision of the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC), the genesis of SIGHT Day, recent achievements of HAC and IEEE SIGHT, and more.

Date & Time: 26 April, 12:00pm – 1:00pm EDT

Presenters: Ms. S. Kathy Land, 2021 IEEE President & CEO, Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan, 2021 Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC) Chair, and Lwanga Herbert, 2021 SIGHT Chair

IEEE SIGHT Day 2021 Panel: IEEE HAC/SIGHT Project Leaders Face the COVID-19 Pandemic pt. 1

Date & Time: 28 April, 8:30am – 9:30am EDT

Panelists:

  • Engineers Assisting Ventilator Maintenance – Gidy Florez
  • Web-based Application for Tracing COVID-19 in East Java Province, Indonesia – Diana Purwitasari
  • The Hands Free Opening Door System – Eunice Namugenyi

This panel will highlight three different instances of how IEEE HAC/SIGHT funded project leaders responded to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in their local communities. Panelists from Brazil, Indonesia, and Uganda will share about their projects, how they addressed a challenge in their local communities, steps that were critical to the project’s success, challenges faced, advice for others who are either implementing their own projects, or interested in doing so.

IEEE SIGHT Day 2021 Panel: IEEE HAC/SIGHT Project Leaders Face the COVID-19 Pandemic pt. 2

Date & Time: 28 April, 10:00am – 11:00am EDT

Panelists:

  • Tele-operated wheelchair with negative pressure isolation hood – Dr. Rajesh Kannan Megalingam
  • Code with WIE – Let’s Rise Together – Dr. Akila Wijethunge
  • Milo Grogan 365 Fresh Produce Farm – Mr. Carl Lee
  • Dental Aerosol Containment Equipment for the Prevention of COVID-19 in Malaysia – Dr. Fatanah Mohamad Suhaimi

This panel will highlight four different instances of how IEEE HAC/SIGHT funded project leaders responded to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in their local communities. Panelists from India, Sri Lanka, the United States, and Malaysia will share about their projects, how they addressed a challenge in their local communities, steps that were critical to the project’s success, challenges faced, advice for others who are either implementing their own projects, or interested in doing so.

IEEE HAC Panel: Delivering Impactful Member Experience Through Collaboration

Date & Time: 30 April, 9:00am EDT – 10:00am EDT

Panelists:

  • IEEE EDS & HAC – Dr. Fernando Guarin, IEEE EDS Jr. Past President
  • IEEE APS & HAC – Dr. Jawad Siddiqui
  • IEEE MTTS & HAC – Dr. Jose Rayas Sanchez, IEEE MTTS SIGHT Co-Chair
  • IEEE Entrepreneurship & HAC – Mr. Ken Stauffer, Member of the IEEE Entrepreneurship Steering Committee

This panel that will showcase the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC)’s past and ongoing collaborations with IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (APS), IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTTS), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Entrepreneurship. The panel will highlight potential avenues for collaboration with HAC, and how partnerships across IEEE can enrich the member experience.

PARTICIPATE IN THE SIGHT DAY 2021 TRIVIA CHALLENGE!

How much do you know about IEEE HAC/SIGHT? Test your knowledge on the history, structure, offerings, and recent activities of both the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC) and IEEE SIGHT with the SIGHT Day 2021 Trivia Challenge. Those who answer all questions correctly will be recognized as a IEEE SIGHT Day Champion, and entered into a raffle to win an IEEE SIGHT prize! (P.S. answers to all questions can be found on either hac.ieee.org or sight.ieee.org)

The Trivia Challenge will be held from Sunday, 25 April – Saturday 1 May. 

SHARE YOUR SIGHT MEMORY

This year, we celebrate 10 years of IEEE SIGHT. How did you first learn about IEEE SIGHT? Share your memory with the global network of SIGHT volunteers. Send us a short video with how you first learned about IEEE SIGHT, how you have volunteered for SIGHT, one thing you have learned by participating in SIGHT activities, and why would you encourage others to get involved.

All videos should be no longer than 30 seconds and recorded in good lighting with minimum background noise. Send in to sight@ieee.org along with your Facebook profile link (if you would like to be tagged when it is posted).

DONATE TO IEEE SIGHT

Another way to celebrate SIGHT Day is by donating to IEEE SIGHT through the IEEE Foundation. Make your donation of US$10 to celebrate the 10 years of IEEE SIGHT! With your support, SIGHT can better meet the growing interest among IEEE members to conduct projects that address challenges in underserved communities around the globe. 

Be sure to follow SIGHT on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on daily activities and opportunities to celebrate. Contribute to our online community celebration by posting with the hashtag #SIGHTDay2021.