Description

The IEEE Sri Lanka Section Students | Young Professionals | Women in Engineering (IEEE SL SYW) Congress 2024 marked the 13th installment of the flagship event organized by the IEEE Sri Lanka Section. Held from 14th to 16th September 2024, it brought together 155 delegates including undergraduates, graduates, industry professionals, and academics from across Sri Lanka. The theme for this year's Congress was "Revolutionizing Digital Landscape" This theme highlighted the importance of innovation and leadership in driving progress, especially following the economic challenges the country faced in recent years. The Congress encouraged young professionals and students to adopt creative solutions and take bold steps to overcome obstacles, contributing to societal advancement. The three-day event featured keynote speeches, technical sessions, panel discussions, professional development workshops, and outbound activities aimed at fostering leadership, teamwork, and innovation. The Congress also placed emphasis on celebrating Sri Lankan culture with its signature cultural event, IEEE Hendewa. Day 01: The Congress commenced on 14th September 2024 with the opening ceremony, featuring a welcome speech by Lihini Rajapakshe, Chair of the IEEE Sri Lanka Section Student Activities Committee. This was followed by speeches from Dhammika Marasinghe, Chair of the IEEE Sri Lanka Section, and a virtual session by Srikanth Vasudevan Pillai Chair of Chapters and Membership Department of IEEE IAS Chapter. The evening featured IEEE Hendewa, a cultural program showcasing Sri Lankan traditions and music, where delegates participated in activities to bond with their peers. Day 02: The second day of the Congress began with a group photo and sessions that introduced delegates to various IEEE bodies such as IEEE Young Professionals Sri Lanka (YPSL) and the IEEE Sri Lanka Section SIGHT. A session to brief about Student Branch operations was conducted by Mr Dhammika Marasinghe and several other speakers. The day also included technical sessions by international speakers such as Dr. Keely Roth (Senior Remote Sensing Scientist, Planet Labs, PBC) and Dr. Syed Muzhair Abbas (Lead Antenna Design Engineer, GME), offering insights on remote sensing and RF communications, respectively. Outbound sessions were conducted to increase the interactivity and bond between delegates participating for congress. In the evening, the prestigious IEEE Sri Lanka Section Awards Night took place, where 14 awards were presented to outstanding IEEE volunteers and organizational units in recognition of their contributions over the past year. At this event Dr. Subodha Charles shared his insights about the opportunities in IEEE for volunteers. Day 03: The final day of the Congress featured a panel discussion organized by the IEEE Computer Society Chapter, and a keynote speech by Dr. Aishwarya Bandla, Chair of the IEEE Region 10 Young Professionals Committee, on the latest advancements in cancer treatment and chemotherapy. Delegates also had the opportunity to visit stalls from various IEEE chapters and affinity groups, learning about their initiatives and membership benefits. Speakers: Ms. Lihini Rajapakshe, Chair of IEEE Sri Lanka Section Student Activities Committee Mr. Dhammika Marasinghe, Chair of IEEE Sri Lanka Section Dr. Keely Roth, Senior Remote Sensing Scientist, Planet Labs, PBC Dr. Syed Muzhair Abbas, Lead Antenna Design Engineer, GME Dr. Aishwarya Bandla, Chair of IEEE Region 10 Young Professionals Committee Dr. Subodha Charles, YP Representative, MGA Student Activities Committee Mr. Srikanth Vasudevan Pillai, Chair of IEEE IAS Chapter and Membership Department