James M. Tien

Biography

Dr. Tien has left a lasting imprint on IEEE during his more than 25 years of volunteer service. He has been involved with over 60 committees and boards, especially the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB), Publication Services and Products Board (PSPB) and Education Activities Board (EAB). He was instrumental in establishing important policies for IEEE journals and magazines. Serving IEEE’s PSPB as both chairman and vice president, Dr. Tien helped lead the migration of IEEE publications to an all-electronic-based subscription product called the IEEE/IET Electronic Library (IEL). He worked closely with IEEE marketing and sales staffs to initiate a pricing model based on usage for corporations subscribing to IEL, which became the IEEE Enterprise product. These important accomplishments not only made IEEE publications more accessible but provided new revenue sources. Dr. Tien led efforts to improve the quality and readability of IEEE’s flagship publication, IEEE Spectrum that resulted in readership beyond IEEE members. Dr. Tien was also instrumental in EAB efforts in the development of the Thomson-IEEE Expert Now online resource to provide convenient access to the best cutting-edge short courses from IEEE conferences. He also established the EAB Public Awareness Committee to promote understanding and awareness of how engineers play a vital role in the world economy and how their contributions enhance quality of life.

An IEEE Fellow and a member of the U. S. National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Tien is currently a Distinguished Professor at the University of Miami, Florida, and Dean of its College of Engineering.