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A Message from Ralph Ford, IEEE Foundation President

Today, 16 February  2023, thanks to its unwavering purpose, strong execution, and generous donors and volunteers, the IEEE Foundation celebrates five decades of impact. We are proud of our 50 year partnership with IEEE to deliver opportunity, innovation, and impact across the globe through the power of technology and education and look to the future. 

It is an honor to serve the IEEE community as the IEEE Foundation 23rd President during the 50th anniversary. This milestone offers the opportunity to look back on a half-century of outstanding achievement and look ahead to lay the foundation for the future we envision. 

As we look to the future, we know technology will play an ever critical, central and complex role in people’s lives. Investment in programs that support the scientists, engineers, leaders and technical professionals we need to solve the world’s most pressing problems for the benefit of humanity has never been more important. In celebration of our 50th Anniversary,  a fifth program pillar “Future” has been added. “Future” looks at the years beyond our lifetimes to consider what educational, inspirational and foundational services and programs we want to ensure for generations. 

This occasion also provides the perfect opportunity to say, Thank you. Thank you to the thousands of donors, leaders, volunteers and staff across the decades. To celebrate our honored philanthropists for their investment in our work, we added six new levels to IEEE Heritage Circle named for a diverse set of innovators throughout our history.

We are proud to celebrate our golden anniversary by collaborating with strategically-selected IEEE programs each designed to celebrate the past, lift the present, and build the strong future we all need.  

• IEEE Smart Village (ISV) – Conceived in 2009 and first funded in 2010, ISV carefully vets business development projects that integrate 1) renewable energy, 2) educational opportunities and 3) entrepreneurship development to empower energy-impoverished communities around the world. With close to 200 projects established across 18 sub-Saharan Africa countries, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia countries, ISV benefits more than 1.4 million people, and by uniting engineers, educators, volunteers and donors, guides local entrepreneurs to develop and sustain clean, renewable energy systems, implement education programs and operate new businesses. 

• IEEE History Center – Established in 1979 to prepare IEEE to celebrate its 1984 centennial, today the Center preserves and promotes the history of technology, the profession and IEEE, including nearly 1,000 technology icons’ memories in IEEE Oral Histories, more than 200 IEEE Milestones honoring significant technical achievements worldwide, and more than 5,000 articles on the Engineering and Technology History Wiki (ethw.org).
  
• IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) – Established in 1997, WIE is a global network dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists, and inspiring girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), with 30,000 members in more than 100 countries.
  
• TryEngineering – Focused on empowering the next generation of technology innovators and launched in 2006, the IEEE Foundation has been a frequent investor in TryEngineering, IEEE’s STEM portal providing educators and students with free resources, lesson plans and STEM-centered activities. Programs reach North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. 

Other IEEE Foundation-supported programs include: IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN), the honor society of IEEE with more than 250 student and alumni chapters in 29 countries, IEEE SIGHT, with 18,000 members across more than 130 countries tackling the most urgent problems of local communities, the IEEE Life Members Fund, supporting lifetime and student members, and IEEE scholarships and fellowships.

Join the Celebration

As the IEEE Foundation commemorates its landmark 50^th anniversary throughout 2023, we recognize the indelible contributions to our longevity and success that have been made by you, our committed donors and celebrate our partnership and bright future together.

We welcome your support of the IEEE Foundation 50th Anniversary Celebration! Gifts may be made to provide immediate support today or arrangements can be made through your estate plan to provide support tomorrow. To discuss how you may support important IEEE initiatives, contact the IEEE Foundation or simply make a donation online.  Learn more by exploring our recently launched new IEEE Foundation Website.

Together, we enable IEEE programs to improve access to technology, enhance technological literacy, and support education. Watch our celebration video to learn more about the celebration and what it means to us all.