After ten years of service as the IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor, I bid farewell. We have seen much growth, change, accomplishments, and achievements in our IEEE WIE community over the last decade. I will always fondly recall meeting Dr. Karen Panetta and Keyana Tennant over ten years ago at a SWE Convention in Nashville, Tennessee that led to me becoming the IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor.

 IEEE WIE was without an Editor due to the unfortunate passing of IEEE WIE Region 8 Member, Clementina Saduwa, at a young age and early in her career. Clementina was described as having a passion for IEEE WIE, and a promising future with Ericsson Computers in Nigeria. I was honored to carry the torch as IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor after Clementina and during this decade.  It has been a wonderful opportunity to lead the development of a publication that our IEEE WIE Community could be proud of, and one that Karen, Keyana and I hoped reflected the excitement and passion that Clementina had for “IEEE WIE”.

As I look back, I recall much that the IEEE WIE can be proud of. We share a sense of camaraderie for the big as well as the small accomplishments of IEEE WIE members across the globe, from: when Dr. Karen Panetta received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 2012 from President Barack Obama; when IEEE WIE teamed with other IEEE organizations to provide Kerala State in India electricity for 30 houses in 2017; when publishing of a special newsletter issue in celebration of IEEE WIE’s 20th Year Anniversary in July 2014; when IEEE WIE member awards and accomplishments in STEM have been reported throughout the years as well as by member profiles highlighted in “IEEE WIE Meet”; to promotion of and coverage of the first IEEE WIE International Leadership Conference  held in 2014; and, the list goes on.

Over the course of the past ten years, the IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor has supported the publishing of 116 newsletters. Many thanks and kind thoughts to the IEEE WIE  staff for supporting me in my role over the years as the IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor; and, special thanks to Keyana Tennant, Dr. Karen Panetta, and Georedna Onyesoh in our partnerships to make the IEEE WIE Newsletter a success over the years.

I have enjoyed being able to tell our story, for each of us. I wish the publication of the IEEE WIE Newsletter much continued success. As an IEEE WIE member myself, I look forward to enjoying the future articles on all of the vibrant activities across all of the IEEE Women in Engineering Communities!

Cheers to IEEE WIE!

Paulette January

IEEE WIE Newsletter Editor

November 2007- November 2017