Declan Lordan - District 12 VP message

Hello, my name is Declan Lordan, and I am Vice-President of District 12.

I would like to open my comments in this edition on Euroxchange by stating that it may take twenty five years, but many of you will look back at your educational years with a sense of nostalgia, possibly reliving what will seem like your carefree years. Yes the pains of examinations fade and dull, but the friendships you build will strengthen and grow.

You are a network of over 2,700 people in Europe with a common interest. We have a vibrant growing industry with great opportunities for students because technology is changing every two to three years. You will be the leaders and experts in your field within 15 years of graduating. I have only just started to understand the opportunities that as ISA members we can use in our day to day work and education.

As District 12 Vice President, I can say that the ISA has never been working harder at providing a strong future for practitioners in the Instrumentation Systems and Automation Field. As many of you are aware, the name change in August of this year demonstrated a vote in favor of the International structure of ISA Globally. The name has been changed from The Instrument Society of America to "ISA, the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society.

We have in District 12 been working recently on the launch of Knowledge Centers for Student sections to be sited in Universities across Europe. We hope to put copies of ISA Standards, training courses and periodicals into the Library's of each Student sections University or College before the end of 2002.

As will already have been reported in this edition, we have recently welcomed a new student section in Spain at the University of Valladolid and they were presented with their charter at the First District 12 meeting in Milan. I would also like to welcome the formative student section at Silesian University in Poland.

I hope that you will get a chance to browse the ISA web site from time to time and see the articles and information on a range of new and existing technologies and how they will help your industry.

The future of ISA especially in District 12 look very bright and with the continued globalization of the Instrumentation and Control industry the ISA is position to keep you informed and up to date with new technologies as they are developed and released. ISA is, and has long been more far reaching than just a U.S. society. With members and customers in more than 110 countries, ISA is truly global.

Great credit is due to the Student Team Angelo Corsaro (CU), Italy, Marco Lorefice (CU), Italy, Salvatore Argentino (CU), Italy, Sergey Kot (SUAI) and Russia ALTERNATE Andrew Ovchinnikov (SUAI), Russia and the Orazio Mirabella (CU), Italy and Alex Bobovitch (SUAI), Russia. They represented Europe in the International student competition at acheived a bronze medal in August 2000 at New Orleans, USA.

This competition was held in English under strict time pressure, no other languages were covered and they deserve tremendous credit as no member of the team spoke English as their first language.

In twenty-five years time, I hope that you will be able to look back on your friendship with ISA as one that you valued then and still will in the future.

I would like to wish you every success in your examinations and in your chosen career.

Regards,
Declan Lordan, DVP District 12.