The meaning of group membership

Everyone in electrical and electronic engineering has become aware, in one manner or another, of the rapid pace of technological change. Generally, the relatively small percentage of individuals who are right in the middle of creating this great technological change do keep abreast. They write and read state-of-the-art papers, attend technical sessions, participate in research, and apply the new technology to produce better operating equipment. There is no great need to further encourage these people to participate more fully in IEEE activities. Even though they are relatively few in number, they make major contributions to our Groups, our publications, our committees, and our meetings. I do believe, however, that there is a great need for the vast majority of us in IEEE to move closer to this "cutting edge." The IEEE has been making organizational changes aimed at doing just that-the IEEE Group system allows each of us to move closer to the changes taking place in the area of our particular concern. Yet the basic breadth of IEEE should foster cross-pollination, so that a change that occurs because of research in a supposedly unrelated discipline will not surprise us when it forces its way into an established equipment area.