IEEE Newsletter - University of Peradeniya Volume 2 (March 2019) | Page 19

13)
What is your opinion on the
IEEE platform and its community? 14)
What about your IEEE
career?
IEEE is a network. I think it should do
ac vi es and that's how it survives. I
have been involved with its ac vi es
in Sri Lanka since the beginning of the
IEEE Sri Lanka sec on. I have also
been the Chair of the IEEE Sri Lanka
Sec on in 2010. I think human
resource is the strength in Sri Lanka. If
you Look at the distribu on of human
resources, student community is the
largest, not the members from the
industry. Therefore, if the IEEE can
focus more on humanitarian student
ac vi es based on technology where
engineers can play a role, I think that
will give a more humanis c face for
IEEE. Human flavor should come into
the IEEE. That's my opinion. I started my IEEE career as a student
member when I was a PhD student. My
student membership con nued for 4
years. Then I became a member and
that was the me we collec vely
formed the IEEE Sri Lanka Sec on. In
2009 I was the Treasurer of the IEEE Sri
Lanka Sec on and in the following year,
I became the Sec on Chair. In 2016,
the Industry Applica on Society
chapter was formed and currently I
serve as the IAS UoP student chapter
advisor.
15) What do you think about
the IEEE student branch of
University of Peradeniya and
our journey so far?
Some mes it is very ac ve and
some me it is moderate and
some mes it is in sleep mode. I
also know it is difficult with exams
and all. But if you can maintain
ac vi es at least in a certain
minimum level at all mes, that
will be good.
16) What message would you give to someone who is
hoping to choose their career path in engineering?
Number one is to be punctual. Number two is to op mise
the resources. Don't bother saying I don't have this and I
don't have that, when you are requested to do something.
Remember, all of us were born with nothing in hand. Also try
to work to upli the human quali es of you and your
colleagues. That's my message.
Shan Wijesinghe & Asith Devinda
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Peradeniya
IEEE Newsletter University of Peradeniya
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