2015 Outstanding Large Chapter Award – San Francisco Chapter

Outstanding Large Chapter Award

San Francisco Chapter

Jack Lin, Chair

The San Francisco Chapter is recognized as winner of the 2015 Outstanding Large Chapter Award for its outstanding performance under the leadership of Chapter Chair Jack Lin and the Chapter Administrative Committee (AdCom).

In 2013, the leadership of this chapter set a clear objective to revitalize this historically active, yet recently diminished chapter. Key members recruited volunteers from local regulatory, utility, consultant, vendor and university organizations to reinvigorate interest and provide a wide range of activities and services to PES members and the power community in the San Francisco bay area.

Some significant 2015 highlights include:

• 10 technical meetings covering a wide range of topics including digital substations, transformer efficiency, grounding, electric vehicles, microgrids, gas insulated substations, smart grid, arc-flash and cable failure. Technical meetings were promoted through the website and with very informative meeting notices.
• Educational Programs including Motor Protection, Transformer Protection, Arc Flash Mitigation, Micro-synchrophasors, Protection and Grounding of Medium Voltage Generators, and Large‐Scale Microgrids Design and Deployment. The PES chapter partnered with other PES, IAS and offered CEU/PDH credit.
• Promotion of PES and the engineering profession through the use of social media and in collaboration with other chapters in the bay area. Chapter officers also participated in a presentation to WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and Engineering Clubs at City College of San Francisco
• Various activities focusing on students and student chapters, including a Saturday substation field trip and regular outreach to the local PES Student Chapter. The chapter also supports the Scholarship Plus initiative, both financially and with a local student candidate.
• Member recognition efforts, including the Chapter Outstanding Engineer Award and a volunteer appreciation lunch.
• Membership Advancement efforts are a regular part of meeting and monthly newsletters.
• Consistent membership growth for several years, with a 6.8% increase in 2015.
• A comprehensive web site that is broadly utilized to keep members and others up to date and aware of chapter and other related activities. Excellent utilization to promote upcoming events, an extensive library of several years of past presentations, an area providing AdCom meeting minutes, social media links, and a wide array of other useful information and access to other helpful sites.

RUNNERS-UP IN THIS CATEGORY WERE

Bangalore (R10), Malaysia (R10), North Jersey (R1) and Queensland (R10)

Outstanding Small Chapter Award

Thailand Chapter

Boonmarg Smitthileela, Chair

The Thailand Chapter is recognized as winner of the 2015 Outstanding Small Chapter Award for its outstanding performance under the leadership of Chapter Chair Boonmarg Smitthileela and the other Chapter officers.

The Thailand PES Chapter continued a solid array of technical, educational, professional, social and membership activities throughout 2015. The Chair, chapter officers and other volunteers provided leadership and wide ranging service for the benefit of the local PES members, students and others in the local power industry.

Some examples of 2015 activities include:

• 5 Technical programs on a variety of topics including Advanced Technology in Power Systems, Smart Grid/FACTS/HVDC/Submarine Cable, power generation from renewable energy, substation automation, and Superconducting Fault Current Limiters.
• Significant chapter participation by chapter membership in the IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Asia 2015 International Conference held in Bangkok
• A multi-day technical tutorial session on renewable energy design, installation, operation and maintenance.
• Promotion of PES, IEEE and the engineering profession via lectures and a booth at the ISGT conference.
• Student members are significantly involved in a number of the chapter’s activities.
• Membership recognition was achieved by utilizing the Outstanding Chapter Engineer Award.
• A focus on membership growth across the entire power sector in the region which has resulted an increase of 24%.
• A chapter web site and a Facebook page in existence since 2013 are used to promote upcoming activities and provide other information for members
• Support of the Region 10 Chapter Chairs meeting held in Bangkok
• Although a small chapter of 53 members, it reached out across the country and region to provide support and service to its members and others in the power community

RUNNER-UP IN THIS CATEGORY WAS Boise (R6)