IEEE President-Elect Candidates Address Computer Society Concerns
IEEE President-Elect candidates answer questions that impact our Society.
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As the largest IEEE Society, the IEEE Computer Society (CS) serves computing and IT professionals at all levels of their careers, through IEEE’s network of more than 400,000 members in 168 countries. The IEEE president and Board of Directors define a vision for the organization, and therefore, the decisions they make and plans they put in place impact us as IEEE CS members and volunteers.
To ensure IEEE CS members are well informed about the candidates on the IEEE election slate, the CS asked the IEEE president-elect candidates for their responses to four important questions that affect our Society and membership. The questions and candidates’ responses (limited to 250 words each) are provided here.
Please take a few moments to read what these candidates have to say, and be sure to vote in the election, which opens on 15 August 2025 and closes at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time USA/16:00 UTC on 1 October 2025.
For full information on IEEE president-elect candidates, along with their personal statements and lists of accomplishments, please visit www.ieee.org/elections.
In addition, we encourage all eligible IEEE members to participate in this important ballot process. We also remind and encourage you to cast your votes for the Computer Society Election by 12:00 p.m. Noon Eastern Time on Monday, 15 September 2025.
—Grace A. Lewis, IEEE Computer Society President-Elect
IEEE President-Elect Candidates
Below are the candidates for the 2026 IEEE President-Elect. The 2025 President-Elect will become President in 2027.
The sequence of candidates was determined by a lottery process, and indicates no preference.
David Alan Koehler
(Nominated by IEEE Board of Directors)
Director of Oil Lab Analysis (Former)
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
David has served in every Geographic Unit level within IEEE. Starting out as a Section Treasurer and ultimately being the Vice President for Member and Geographic Activities (MGA) in 2022.
He has served on three of IEEE’s six Major Boards, along with the Board of Directors three different years.
David has Chaired, Co-Chaired, or been a member of numerous IEEE Board of Directors Ad Hoc Committees.
He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Indiana University and obtained an M.B.A. David works in the power and energy industry and has close to thirty years of experience in the testing of insulating liquids and management of analytical laboratories. He has provided numerous technical presentations and published technical articles within the power industry.
David is a proud and active member of our Women In Engineering (WIE) affinity group. He is also a member of our honor society: IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN).
Jill I. Gostin
(Nominated by IEEE Board of Directors)
Retired as Principal Research Scientist
Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory
Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Jill Gostin retired in 2025 as a Principal Research Scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and the Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test Lead in her Division. Her work focused on sensor systems and software. Her publications, service and technical awards, large program management, and leadership of groups including industry, government, and academia have contributed to her career success. She has also served IEEE extensively, including as 2023 IEEE Vice President, Member and Geographic Activities, chairing the MGA Board. She served three years on the IEEE Board of Directors, and in multiple IEEE roles including Board roles in two Societies and one technical Council. She has served or led multiple units and Committees across IEEE, including Local to Global roles. Her leadership has been recognized by being named 2016 Woman of the Year by Georgia Women in Technology and receiving the 2025 IEEE Women in Technology Leadership Award.
Question 1
Question 1. It is a delicate balance to strive for “One IEEE” while maintaining independence of Technical Societies/Councils such that they can properly serve their technical communities and their unique needs. How do you propose to achieve this balance?
Koehler’s Response
Koehler. Based on past IEEE Member Segmentation Surveys, the top reasons our members join IEEE are the following: remain technically current, obtain IEEE publications, networking opportunities, and enhance their career opportunities. Each of these areas require contributions and support for all of IEEE’s major organizational units (OUs): Technical Activities (TA), Educational Activities, IEEE-USA, Member and Geographic Activities (MGA), Publication Services and Products, and our Standards Association.
I would have the VP of TA appoint two members of the TAB Committee on Technical Community Outreach, Engagement, and Society Membership to the MGA Chapter Operations Support Committee. This will help to facilitate better collaboration between these two committees of TA and MGA.
The leadership of each major OU should provide a summary of the outcomes from major board meetings held throughout the year. I know that TA does a great job of this typically after each board series. This would help to share what activities and initiatives each of our major OUs are focused on and what their current challenges are. This information can be contained within the member only sections of our website and the IEEE app. Working together as a collective group: “One IEEE” is much more powerful that us continuing to operate in each of our major OU silos.
Every member, volunteer, and staff member play a critical role in our mission of advancing technology for humanity. During my term, I will focus on bridging gaps, improving collaboration, and providing the products and services our volunteers need to lead effectively.
Gostin’s Response
Gostin. Having served on the Boards of Governors of both the Computer Society and the Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, and as a Vice President of the Sensors Council, I understand the importance of maintaining the independence and technical strength of Societies and Councils (S/Cs) while advancing a more collaborative “One IEEE.” Our S/Cs are the foundation of IEEE’s technical excellence, and their ability to serve their communities must remain strong.
At the same time, we face challenges today that don’t neatly fall into a single discipline. Examples include sustainability, AI safety, and cybersecurity. Addressing these challenges effectively means working across boundaries. That’s where IEEE’s broad expertise becomes a real advantage.
To achieve balance, we should maintain the strong technical programs led by each S/C while also creating mechanisms to enable more joint efforts like projects, competitions, and mission-driven collaborations. This ties directly to my priorities to advance multidisciplinary innovation and collaboration and to enhance the member experience, by offering more ways for members to contribute and connect.
The ongoing One IEEE pilot of a matrix organization focused on Technology for a Sustainable Climate is an example of such a mechanism. This could become a model for how we can bring units together around shared goals while still respecting their autonomy.
By supporting both depth and collaboration, we position IEEE to lead across disciplines while staying grounded in what makes each of our communities strong.
Question 2
Question 2. Ethics and integrity violations are greatly increasing, including plagiarism, peer review collusion, AI-generated content, and undeclared conflicts of interest. What is your plan for addressing this problem?
Koehler’s Response
Koehler. The quality of the publications and conferences offered by IEEE must continue to maintain the highest ethical standards. I will invest more in publication and conference content reviewers and processes to make sure that we catch misconduct cases with the ever-increasing use of AI to generate content. I would also invest in and expand our use of plagiarism detection tools, some of which now offer AI detection capabilities. We need to also recruit more members to be involved in the peer review process. Annual training would be provided to reviewers that includes conflict of interest forms that should be filled out and signed prior to each conference or journal peer review cycle.
I would make sure we further educate our members on ethical writing practices. With the ever-increasing changes in available technology, I would support members having to complete a short training session prior to submitting an article or journal. As the article or journal is being submitted, an ethical checklist should be completed reminding the author what is expected of IEEE published content.
In order to reduce peer review collusion, I would implement the use of a blind review process where both the authors and reviewers remain anonymous during the review process. Data would still be tracked so that an audit trail can be reviewed later in the case of alleged misconduct. Any type of conflict of interest(s) must be disclosed prior to the authoring or reviewing process, failure to comply with this will result in disciplinary action.
Gostin’s Response
Gostin. Ethical concerns are on the rise – from AI-generated content and data privacy issues to peer review collusion and conflicts of interest. If we don’t address these issues head-on, the credibility of IEEE’s publications and professional activities is at risk. That’s why one of my key priorities is to lead responsibly by championing ethical excellence.
We must continually update our policies and tools to reflect emerging challenges and ensure transparency. Just as important, we need to invest in training, not only for editors and reviewers, but also for authors and users. Education must focus on more than just policies, tools, and AI; it should emphasize the values that guide ethical behavior. This supports my priority to expand support across the full career lifecycle, by embedding ethics into learning at every stage.
Collaboration across Societies brings valuable field-specific insights while helping us take a more unified approach to these challenges. Collaborations beyond IEEE, such as with publishers, academic institutions, and other professional societies, also need to continue. These partnerships help ensure alignment with widely recognized ethical, technical, and publishing standards, and support the development of effective strategies to address these growing concerns.
IEEE can remain a trusted leader in ethical, high-quality publications and activities by staying current, leveraging technology, and building a culture of responsibility through education and collaboration.
Question 3
Question 3. Our industry and government memberships are lower in comparison to academic memberships overall as in most societies. What is your plan to attract and provide value to industry members?
Koehler’s Response
Koehler. I would expand our Industry Engagement Committee to include representatives from each of our regions and technical societies.
I would have the IEEE Industry Advisory Board meet more than once a year and expand the advisory board membership to include more global representation from leaders in industry. IEEE needs to increase the use of surveys to truly understand the needs of our current and potential future members from industry.
I will expand and promote the current offerings of our PREMIER corporate membership program. According to the PREMIER membership website, IEEE currently only has five corporate PREMIER members! It is clear that what we are currently offering via our corporate PREMIER membership is not working. We need to survey HR, executive leadership, and our members from industry to truly know how we can better meet the ever evolving needs of this important membership segment for IEEE.
IEEE needs more conferences and events focused on providing curated content on the latest technical trends facing practicing technologists. These conferences and events can provide networking opportunities, career fairs, and soft skills training. I would expand the offerings on our IEEE Learning Network (ILN) platform that would provide certificates and accreditations that would be valued by employers. We need to also make sure that the course content is kept current. For example, one of the recommended ILN courses: Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Design was published in 2018! AI is evolving at an unprecedented rate that is impacting our lives on a daily basis.
Gostin’s Response
Gostin. Industry professionals are looking for technical relevance, applied learning, and real-world impact. To grow and retain their membership, we need to meet their needs and make the value of IEEE clear. Two of my key priorities that address this are to expand support across the full career lifecycle and to broaden public outreach.
To do this, we must offer customized learning pathways, technical and essential skills-based credentials, and continuing education that supports professional licensure and corporate training goals. We should also highlight how IEEE’s standards, technology roadmaps, and thought leadership actively shape industry practice.
We can further add value by providing tailored webinars and on-demand learning modules that address industry needs with case studies using IEEE resources like IEEE DataPort. We must also make it easier for industry professionals to engage with IEEE, for example through micro-volunteering, standards development, support of competitions and initiatives, and collaborations with academia and government on policy and innovation.
Recognition matters. IEEE must recognize industry volunteers through awards, keynote opportunities, letters of recognition, and leadership pathways.
Stronger industry engagement aligns with my key priority to enhance the member experience. Local sections can co-sponsor events with industry, enabling better networking, highlighting workforce needs, and connecting members with employers. That’s a win-win for members, industry, and IEEE.
By addressing the needs of industry professionals and offering relevant, flexible opportunities for growth and engagement, IEEE strengthens its value proposition and builds lasting relationships. This will ensure IEEE remains essential to industry professionals throughout their careers.
Question 4
Question 4. One of the challenges that many Societies face is retaining student members after they graduate. What is your plan for solving this problem?
Koehler’s Response
Koehler. Student retention is an IEEE wide issue. Based on our May 2025 Membership Development Report, our current retention rate for students is only 31%!
I will make sure each student member provides a separate email address from their academic institutions, along with a separate permanent mailing address when they renew or join IEEE so that we can continue to communicate and reach out to student members after they graduate.
I will make sure that we provide our young professional members with various volunteering opportunities. These would include micro-volunteering opportunities such as simply working at a registration desk for a local conference.
I will expand our current young professional liaison roles within our technical societies. Our technical societies are comprised of various committees and working groups. Each of these committees and working groups should have a young professional liaison position so that the needs and voices of our young professionals are loudly heard!
Technical societies can provide additional value by making sure that early career individuals remain technical current in their field of work. We will further support our young professionals by providing additional job placement and networking opportunities within their technical society(s).
At our technical conferences and events, I will make sure that we provide additional volunteering opportunities for our young professionals. It is imperative that after our young professionals volunteer we provide them with proper recognition This will occur via awards, certificates, and travel grants. This aids our early career members to build visibility and credibility within their network.
Gostin’s Response
Gostin. The transition from student member to professional member is a challenge we’ve been working on for years. Many students see IEEE as just a student organization. If they don’t understand the post-graduation career relevance of IEEE before they graduate, we risk losing them. This challenge aligns directly with my priorities to expand support across the full career lifecycle and enhance the member experience.
We must support this transition with job-seeking guidance, mentoring, and early-career resources. Tailored learning pathways that include both technical and essential skill-building are vital. We should also offer leadership training tied to volunteer roles and provide credentials for essential skills gained and demonstrated.
The Computer Society can expand its student outreach to help address retention through programs such as career-focused bootcamps based on your current Build Your Career articles, industry-supported competitions, and virtual networking that connects students with professionals. These will reinforce the students’ understanding of IEEE’s value beyond graduation.
A related issue is loss of contact after graduation. We can address this by offering graduation gifts or IEEE graduation cords or stoles (where permitted) to active student members who provide post-graduation contact information. This will provide a tangible reminder of IEEE and a sense of pride.
We need students to see IEEE not just as a campus group, but as a long-term career partner. If we deliver that message and the support to match, more students will stay with IEEE and thrive as members.
Question 5
Question 5. We typically measure a chapter’s health and vitality with quantitative metrics: How many members, how many student chapters, how many events held, etc. What could be some qualitative measurements or alternative approaches to create a new measure of chapter health?
Koehler’s Response
Koehler. I would add the following qualitative metrics as a means to gauge chapter health and vitality:
Social Impact: Capture and promote information about our member experiences and their individual stories.
Strategic Vision: Ask how well chapter leadership has communicated IEEE and TA strategic initiatives.
Roundtable Feedback: Obtain perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of a chapter, while also allowing brainstorming activities focused on areas for improvement.
Society Member Surveys: Ask open ended questions to obtain feedback on chapter operations. Since IEEE survey responses are typically very low, I would provide financial resources so that we can offer gift cards to members that respond.
Chapter Member Interviews: Randomly select chapter volunteers and members to obtain feedback on the chapter’s activities, while allowing for the feedback to be provided anonymously.
360 Degree Feedback: Focused on how effective the current chapter volunteer leadership is performing relative to carrying out the mission of our technical chapters, while allowing for the feedback to be provided anonymously.
Exit Interviews: Reach out to members that do not renew their society membership(s) and find out why. This can lead to some very revealing feedback.
New Product and Services Feedback: Survey society members after new products and services are launched via open-ended questions to gauge the effectiveness of the new offerings.
Ethics: Ask chapter members if they have at any time had concerns about fairness and nonethical practices within the chapter. Seek detailed information on what the concern(s) entail, while allowing for the feedback to be provided anonymously.
Gostin’s Response
Gostin. The quantitative data we have tells us what is happening, but not how well it’s working. To assess and improve chapter health, we need qualitative insights that align with two of my key priorities: enhance the member experience and broaden public outreach.
Healthy chapters engage members, but also, engaged members strengthen chapter vitality. It’s a reinforcing cycle that we can better support by using qualitative feedback to determine the needed tools, resources, and training.
One of the most effective ways to gather qualitative feedback is through short surveys of volunteers and attendees immediately after events. Questions might address satisfaction, relevance, perceived value, ease of registration, accessibility, and whether the chapter offers a good mix of events, such as technical talks, social gatherings, and site tours.
We can also gain broader insight through feedback from the chapter’s Section and Society. This could include responsiveness, timely reporting, participation in Section or Society meetings, appropriate election practices, and collaboration with other chapters or units.
Finally, chapters should be encouraged to share best practices and report success stories that demonstrate impact, not just focus on event counts.
By moving beyond basic metrics to consider quality, collaboration, and responsiveness, we will gain a more complete picture of chapter health and will identify ways to strengthen member engagement in the process.
