Co-Founder of IEEE NL OES Chapter and Former IEEE NL Executive Member, Neil Riggs passes away at 74

The IEEE NL community is grieving the passing of Neil P. Riggs at the age of 74. A pioneering figure in oceanic research and engineering in Newfoundland and Labrador, Neil was part of the beginnings of the Newfoundland Oceans Research and Development Corporation (NORDCO) and an integral part of the development of commercial underwater acoustics projects in Newfoundland.

Neil was a dedicated volunteer of the IEEE NL Section, being one of the two founders of the NL chapter of the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society, serving multiple times as its chair between 2010 and 2019. Neil was also a member of the executive committee in the IEEE International Oceans 2014 conference, held in St. John’s. He was also a keynote speaker in the 2018 edition of the annual Newfoundland Electrical and Computer Engineering Conference (NECEC).

Funeral arrangements and memorial service details can be found at Carnell’s website. The engineering community is invited to pay their respects and share their memories of Neil P. Riggs, a true pioneer and advocate of innovation in oceanic engineering.

Active IEEE student members in term 4 can compete for a one-time $1000 scholarship. Deadline is June 11, 2023.

The Awards committee of the NL Section has released the call for applications to the Term 4 Scholarship for IEEE Student Members. The deadline for applications is 11:59 PM on Sunday, June 11, 2023. For more information on eligibility criteria and application procedures, click here to read the call for applications.

Honourable mention given to intermediate student at St. Bonaventure's College.

Ryan Cullen, a senior student at the Holy Trinity High School, received the IEEE Award in the 2023 Cenovus Energy Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair. The IEEE Award at the Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair is given to the best senior project in an Electrical and Computer Engineering-related field, selected by a judge for the IEEE Newfoundland and Labrador Section.

Ryan’s project, entitled “Equilibrium - it goes both ways. Simulating Le Chatelier’s Principle,” is a software for educational use that demonstrates the Le Chatelier’s Principle, written using Rust, Tauri, and SvelteKit.

Longstanding IEEE NL volunteer and Former Section Chair, Paul Thorburn Passes Away at 76

The IEEE NL Section is deeply saddened to hear the news of passing of Paul Thorburn, at the age of 76. Paul assumed various roles within the IEEE NL section executive over the years, being chair of the IEEE NL Section in 1992 and chair of the Newfoundland Electrical and Computer Engineering Conference (NECEC) in 1995. For his “outstanding and longtime contributions to section and regional activities,” Paul received the J.J. Archambault Eastern Canada Merit Award in 2013.