Volunteering is the lifeblood {of professional} communities, providing people the possibility to contribute, develop, and collaborate with wonderful folks. Participating with the IEEE neighborhood has been instrumental in shaping my profession since my early days as a scholar member. Through the years, as I transitioned to a full member and later to a senior member, I witnessed firsthand how volunteering can result in private development and foster significant connections in my life and the lives of others.
I’ve had the chance to work alongside many devoted volunteers, and some of them have left an enduring influence on me. One is Walt Downing of San Antonio. An IEEE life senior member, Downing is the manager vice chairman and chief working officer on the Southwest Research Institute, which conducts scientific discovery, expertise growth, unbiased testing, and evaluation for its purchasers. Based mostly in San Antonio, SwRI works on autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity, and space exploration, amongst different initiatives.
Walter D. “Walt” Downing
Employer
Southwest Research Institute, in San Antonio
Title
Government vice chairman and chief working officer
Member grade
Senior member
Alma mater
Southern Methodist College, in Dallas
Collaborating with Walt as an editor and author for the IEEE Systems Council has been a spotlight of my expertise with IEEE. I interviewed him for a video I narrated, “IEEE Systems Council: Charting a Course for the Future on its 20th Anniversary.” I’ve watched him in motion and admired his unwavering dedication to advancing our discipline and supporting others.
As president of the council from 2022 to 2024 and now chair of the IEEE Lone Star Section, which covers central and southern Texas, Walt embodies the spirit of management and collaboration that makes IEEE particular. What conjures up me to share his story is not only his achievements but in addition the profound influence he has made on numerous members of our neighborhood.
I’ve additionally labored with him because the chair of the part’s historical past committee. Regardless of his busy schedule, he persistently dedicates time to mentor and uplift others, showcasing the true essence of neighborhood engagement.
Exploring the historical past of the IEEE Lone Star Part, in Texas, with Walt Downing
Impressed by the Apollo 11 mission to the moon
Rising up in San Antonio, Walt says, he was impressed by expertise from an early age. His father, who labored on the Kelly Air Force Base, now Port San Antonio, allowed him to see plane up shut, sparking his fascination with aviation and aerospace.
It was as a senior in highschool watching the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in 1969 that actually ignited his ardour for engineering, he says. The historic occasion fueled his dream of contributing to important technological achievements and solidified his want to pursue a profession in a discipline that pushed the boundaries of what was attainable.
These early influences mixed to form his journey, he says, and motivated him to comply with a path the place he might make a significant influence by way of engineering.
Early profession success
Walt’s journey as an engineer started along with his involvement in a cooperative schooling program at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, the place he says he gained priceless expertise working half time at Kelly Air Power Base whereas learning electrical engineering. After graduating with a bachelor’s diploma in EE in 1973, he accepted a place as an instrumentation and controls engineer within the petrochemical division of Brown & Root, now a part of KBR, in Houston. After 5 years, he returned to San Antonio to work on the SwRI.
The nonprofit analysis group performed a vital position in shaping his profession, he says. It focuses on superior expertise and scientific analysis for NASA and different government-agency purchasers.
That surroundings, he says, allowed him to embrace challenges when creating microprocessor-based programs and automatic testing applied sciences.
Inside a couple of years, he was managing a bit specializing in automated check tools for avionics. He helped increase the work into avionics analysis and growth, in the end resulting in his promotion to vice chairman. In 1998 he was promoted to govt vice chairman and chief working officer, a task that enabled him to affect a wide range of technical developments, significantly in automated testing. He labored on early functions of microprocessors for testing programs, together with initiatives for the Minuteman missile and avionics upgrades for legacy plane such because the A-10, F-16, and B-52.
As COO, his position permits him to set requirements for reliability and effectivity in engineering, he says.
Reflecting on his profession, Walt identifies pivotal moments that formed his path, similar to his choice to depart Brown & Root for the SwRI.
“Managing a brand new part that grew right into a division was a vital step in my profession,” he says.
Former society president
Walt’s involvement with IEEE started in 1981 by way of his participation in IEEE AutoTestCon, an annual convention for the aerospace and navy computerized check trade. The expertise sparked his ardour for contributing to the engineering neighborhood, he says.
He has held a lot of IEEE volunteer roles over time, together with serving as president of the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, the place he’d beforehand served as secretary and vice chairman of technical operations. Throughout his time period as president, he tailored to modifications introduced on by the COVID-19 pandemic—which led to new methods of connecting with members.
“We began delivering our distinguished lecturers program on-line—which turned immensely well-liked,” he recollects. In this system, specialists of their discipline speak to the society’s chapters about their work.
“Get linked and keep linked to the skilled neighborhood. By no means cease studying about new applied sciences.” —Walt Downing
He’s a previous president of the IEEE Systems Council and a member of its administrative committee. He’s a member of the IEEE–Eta Kappa Nu honor society as nicely.
He additionally has served as a program evaluator for ABET, previously referred to as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Know-how.
“Energetic engagement with IEEE maximizes the worth of my membership,” he says. “My involvement has expanded my community globally, creating alternatives to construct relationships with different professionals and showcase my abilities past my office.”
Inspiring the subsequent era
Walt says his motivation for volunteering within the early levels of his profession was to advance professionally. Now, nonetheless, he says he finds achievement in sustaining the connections he’s made throughout the technical neighborhood. His legacy, he hopes, might be one in every of positively influencing younger engineers and technologists to advance their careers.
He advises younger engineers to get entangled with the important thing conferences of their technical fields of curiosity.
“This engagement not solely enriches your profession but in addition retains you linked to the evolving panorama of engineering,” he says.
“Get linked and keep linked to the skilled neighborhood,” he suggests. “By no means cease studying about new applied sciences.”
That type of mindset, he says, may also help forestall obsolescence whereas opening doorways to new alternatives and technical credentials.
Walt’s experiences with IEEE illustrate the transformative energy of involvement.
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