Sydney, Australia IEEE SMC Celebration Lecture Series (CLS)

The first Sydney-Australia IEEE SMC (Systems, Man and Cybernetics) Celebration Lecture Series (CLS) was held on April 17, 2014 at the University of Sydney. CLS aims to provide expert insights, advice and professional training, as well as an academic forum and networking opportunity to PhD students and early career researchers in their future academic career. In 2013, the CLS was hosted in Northern Ireland, UK and in China in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The topic of the series was “the Making of an Academic” and was attended by well over 130 delegates from universities across Australia.

Welcome address from University of Sydney Deputy VC

Welcoming the delegates, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Sydney, Professor Jill Trewhella, said “as one of the leading research and teaching universities in the world, we are delighted to host this important event and to support the work of the IEEE in providing a rich educational environment and guidance to our next generation of researchers and teachers whose work will develop new methodologies of technologies that can improve our quality of life. On behalf of SMC, President Professor Ljiljana Trajkovic gave her warm welcome address to the delegates.

Welcome address from SMC President Trajkovic

The IEEE delegation was chaired by Professor Loi Lei Lai, Director of Energy Strategy, Planning, Policy Support, and R&D Centre of State Grid Energy Research Institute, Beijing, China.

Six IEEE distinguished lecturers from universities and research institutions in Canada, China, Hong Kong, and the United States, together with the University of Sydney’s Director of Research, Dr Andrew Black shared their time, experience and expertise with the delegates. Professor Lai said, “The support from the University of Sydney made a real positive difference to the success of the first Australia IEEE SMC Society CLS. It was a very successful event and the impact would be long lasting in particular through new membership recruitment and student branch chapter establishment. Our appreciation is beyond description.”

Speakers, Organizers and Chapter Chairs in CLS Sydney

The one-day workshop featured key lectures on “preparing a successful research grant proposal, the quest for creative research, the preparation of a manuscript, building and maintaining a strong, professional network and excellence and innovation in teaching.”

Co-host of the event, Professor David Feng, said that the School of Information Technologies was delighted to be partnering with Professor Joe Dong and the School of Electrical and Information Engineering. “This partnership reflects our respective Schools’ long-term strategy to provide talented students with an opportunity to develop the skills that current and future generations of academic leaders will need if they are to meet the challenges facing Australian industry and the wider community,” Professor Feng said.

Details and updated information about the workshop are available at the University of Sydney website.