IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society BYLAWS
November 2023
I. Nominations
1. Nominations Committee
On or before February 1 of each year, the President shall appoint a Nominations Committee which shall consist of the immediate past president as Chair and two or more members of the Society elected by the AdCom. The Chair reports to the President. The Chair of Nominations Committee shall not be eligible to be elected to the governing body during their term of service. If a past president who is an AdCom member-at-large is appointed Chair of the Nominations Committee, the Chair will not have voting rights during the elections for AdCom members, the Executive Vice President and the President. A member of the Nominations Committee may be nominated and run for a position for which the Nominations Committee is responsible for making nominations only on the following conditions: (i) the nomination is not made by a member of the Nominations Committee and (ii) the member resigns from the Nomination Committee prior to its first meeting of the year in which the nomination shall be made.
2. Nominations
The Nominations Committee shall submit to the AdCom at least one name of a member of the Society for each vacancy to occur in the AdCom for terms expiring December 31. In addition, the Chair of the Nominations Committee shall cause to be published and distributed to the entire Society membership a Call for Nominations.
A nominating petition carrying a minimum of 2% of the names of eligible Society members, excluding students, shall automatically place that nominee on the slate. Such nominations must be made at least 28 days before the date of any said election.
Prior to submission of a nomination petition, the petitioner shall have determined that the nominee named in the petition is willing to serve, if elected; evidence of such willingness to serve shall be submitted with the petition.
Petition signatures can be submitted electronically through the Society website, or by signing and mailing a paper petition. The name of each member signing the paper petition shall be clearly printed or typed. For identification purposes of signatures on paper petitions, membership numbers or addresses as listed in the official IEEE membership records shall be included. Only signatures submitted electronically through the Society website or original signatures on paper petitions shall be accepted.
3. Nominations Committee Guidelines
The Nominations Committee, in its nominations, and the Administrative Committee, in its elections, shall be guided in their selection by principles of efficiency, geographical distribution, organizational distribution, non-discrimination, and gender balance. In the interest of continuity in Society affairs, the Executive Vice-President shall normally be included on the slate for President the next year.
II. Elections and Officer Duties
1. AdCom Election
The slate derived by the Nominations Committee shall be presented to the Society membership at large via mail or email ballot prior to September 1, and the three candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected. The AdCom shall hold an Annual Meeting each year after the results of this vote are known at which time elections will be held to fill the remaining vacancies in the AdCom to occur on the succeeding January 1. The AdCom may add nominees if any member thereof sees fit to do so. The process will involve nominations followed by discussion of the candidates, and then voting. When there are more candidates than vacant positions, votes will be taken and the candidate(s) receiving the fewest votes will be dropped. Voting will be repeated successively to eliminate the candidate(s) with the fewest votes until the desired number of candidates have been elected by majority vote of the AdCom.
The AdCom may hold a contingent election, to be effective in case an elected member fails to take office, or a disapproval of an elected member is received from Headquarters. The names of the elected members shall be transmitted by the President to the IEEE Vice President of the Technical Activities Board, who will transmit them to the IEEE Executive Committee. Unless disapproval of such elected members is received within 60 days of such transmittal, the elections shall become final. The AdCom, at its November Meeting, shall also elect the President and Executive Vice-President of the AdCom for the year beginning on the succeeding January 1.
2. New Officers Assumption of Office
Newly elected officers shall assume office on the first day of January, or as soon thereafter as can be conveniently arranged with retiring officers.
3. Secretary
The Secretary, if not an elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom with voting privileges. The Secretary must be a member of IEEE and of the Society. The President shall submit the name of a proposed Secretary to the members of the AdCom for appointment no later than December 1 following the election. If a majority of the members of the Administrative Committee do not object within 30 days from date of oral or electronic submission, the appointment shall become final. If a majority of the members of said AdCom object, a new name must be submitted prior to AdCom February/March meeting. The incumbent Secretary shall remain in office until a successor is appointed and assumes the responsibilities of the office. The Secretary will prepare minutes for all AdCom meetings on a timely basis, maintain AdCom members’ contact information, and keep official records of GRSS Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Agreements.
4. Chief Financial Officer
The Chief Financial Officer, if not an elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom with voting privileges. The Chief Financial Officer must be a member of IEEE and of the Society. The President shall submit the name of a proposed Chief Financial Officer to the members of the AdCom for appointment no later than December 1 following the election. If a majority of the members of the AdCom do not object within 30 days from date of oral or electronic submission, the appointment shall become final. If a majority of the members of said AdCom object, a new name must be submitted prior to AdCom February/March meeting. The incumbent Chief Financial Officer shall remain in office until a successor is appointed and assumes the responsibilities of the office. The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for maintaining the society’s finances, and for providing regular reports to the AdCom on the financial status of the Society. The Chief Financial Officer will prepare draft budgets for review and approval by the President and the AdCom. These budgets will be submitted prior to TAB’s approval. The Chief Financial Officer will also provide regular reports on the investments by the Society and its reserves.
5. Ex-Officio Member
An Ex-Officio Member shall serve on the AdCom as provided for by the Constitution. An Ex-Officio Member has discussion privileges in all matters before the AdCom. Reappointment of Ex-Officio members will be subject to an annual review. An Ex-Officio Member must be a member of the Society and may serve on standing and ad hoc committees.
6. Past President
Past Presidents shall be members-at-large of the AdCom for two years following their term of office as President, provided that membership in good standing is maintained with the Society. During this term, Past Presidents shall retain all rights and fulfill all responsibilities as elected members of the AdCom. The remaining years of a Past President’s term on the AdCom will be vacated, and the Past President will be ineligible for re-election to the AdCom during the two-year period as Past President. The Past President’s vacated Elected Member seat will be filled in accordance with Article VII, Section 3, of the Constitution. Election of a member to fill this forthcoming vacancy shall take place during the meeting of the AdCom at which the annual election of members for the forthcoming year is held.
The Past President shall chair the Nominations Committee, maintain GRSS Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Agreements, and maintain the list of GRSS liaisons.
After serving as Past President for two years with vote, Past Presidents are invited to become Ex-Officio Members of the AdCom without vote, unless re-elected to AdCom, provided that membership in good standing is maintained with the Society and subject to an active and visible role within AdCom.
7. Executive Vice-President
In the President’s absence or incapacity, the Executive Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President. The Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, and the Operations and Procedures Manual Committee, will report to the Executive Vice-President. The Executive Vice-President will also serve as Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.
8. Vice-President of Professional Activities
The Vice-President of Professional Activities is an elected member of AdCom appointed by the President. Reporting to the Vice-President of Professional Activities are: the Chair of the Awards Committee, the Membership Committee Chair, the Distinguished Lecturers Chair, the Young Professionals (YP) Program Chair, the Chair of the Fellows Evaluation Committee, the Chair of the Fellows and Senior Members Search Committee, the Chair of the Inspire, Develop, Empower, and Advance (IDEA) Committee, and the Major Awards Search Committee Chair. The Vice-President of Professional Activities will provide regular reports to the AdCom on the satisfaction of the members with respect to the AdCom meeting their needs.
9. Vice-President of Publications
The Vice-President of Publications is an elected member of AdCom appointed by the President. Reporting to the Vice-President of Publications are: the Editor-in-Chief of the Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing (TGRS), the Editor-in-Chief of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters (GRSL), the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observation and Remote Sensing (J-STARS), the Editor-in-Chief of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine (GRSM), the Book Series Editor, the Journal of Miniaturization for Air and Space Systems (J-MASS) Steering Committee, the Chair of the Future Publications Committee, the GRSS representative at the IEEE TAB Periodicals Committee, and the ad-hoc committee on plagiarism. The Vice-President of Publications will meet with the Editors of GRSS journals and plan for the total number of issues and pages for TGRS, GRSL, and J-STARS for each fiscal year. The Vice-President of Publications will communicate and develop budget plans with the GRSS Chief Financial Officer to achieve sound operation and management of GRSS publications. The Vice-President of Publications will provide regular reports to the AdCom on the Transactions, GRS Letters, J-STARS, the Magazine, the Book Series, the J-MASS, and Future Publications. The President may assign other duties.
10. Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia
The Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia is an elected member of AdCom appointed by the President. Reporting to the Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia are: the Chair of the Conference Advisory Committee, the General Chair(s) of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposia (IGARSS), the Chairs of Specialty Symposia, the Chair of the Conference Publication Committee, and the Technology, Industry, and Education (TIE) Forum Coordinator, who is responsible to coordinate/liaise among the various TIE stakeholders within the AdCom (Industry Relations, Global Activities, Education, YP, etc.) and the relevant IGARSS and other conference organizing committees. The Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia will provide regular reports to the AdCom on the estimated financial status and progress of the international symposia and specialty symposia, and on symposia publications. The Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia will ensure that presentations to the AdCom for new conference locations provide sufficient details with respect to facilities, budgets, scientific program, and organization. The Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia will chair the half-day meeting of symposia chairs, which usually takes place the day before an AdCom meeting. The President may assign other duties.
11. Vice-President of Technical Activities
The Vice-President of Technical Activities is an elected member of AdCom appointed by the President. Reporting to the Vice-President of Technical Activities are the Chairs and Co-Chairs of the Society’s Technical Committees, the Society’s liaisons to IEEE-USA Government Relations Policy Committees (Committee on Communications Policy, Committee on Transportation and Aerospace Policy, Energy Policy Committee and Research and Development Policy Committee), the Society’s representative to the IEEE Standards Committee, any applicable Standards Development Committee, and to the International Organization for Standardization, Technical Committee 211 (ISO TC-211). The Vice-President of Technical Activities will provide regular reports to the AdCom on these committees, including their accomplishments, their membership, and their recommendations to the AdCom. The President may assign other duties.
12. Vice-President of Information Resources
The Vice-President of Information Resources is an elected member of AdCom appointed by the President. Reporting to the Vice-President of Information Resources are: the Social Media Chair, the Web Editor, the Chair of History Committee, the Electronic Newsletter Editor, the GRSS Webinar Coordinator, and the Chair of the Publicity and Public Relations Committee. The Publicity and Public Relations Committee plans, prepares, and implements publicity and public relations for the Society, specifically ensuring that the GRSS booth at IGARSS is prepared and adequately staffed. The Vice-President of Information Resources will provide regular reports to the AdCom on website development, initiatives and infrastructures implemented to support member services and designed to increase Society visibility and public outreach. The Vice-President of Information Resources will also provide recommendations to AdCom on how the Society can more effectively engage with its members through social media.
13. Director of Industry Relations
The Director of Industry Relations, if not an elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom without voting privileges. The Director is nominated and appointed by the President and ratified by the AdCom. The Director of Industry Relations shall normally serve a three-year term, which may be renewed at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Director of Industry Relations cannot fulfill the assigned duties, the President shall appoint an Acting Director of Industry Relations until a replacement is found. The Director of Industry Relations will report to the President. The Director of Industry Relations is responsible for identifying and pursuing suitable private entities involved in geoscience and remote sensing activities for the establishment of technical and business relations, such as sponsorship of conferences and workshops, sponsorship of prizes, and participation as exhibitors in Society’s conferences and workshops, and as advertisers in the society’s publications. The Director of Industry Relations is also responsible for the Industry Column in the GRSS Magazine and will also provide regular reports to the AdCom on activities related to the above responsibilities.
14. Director of Government Sector Relations
The Director of Government Sector Relations, if not an elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom without voting privileges. The Director shall be nominated and appointed by the President and ratified by the AdCom. The Director of Government Sector Relations shall normally serve a three year term, which may be renewed at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Director of Government Sector Relations cannot fulfill the assigned duties, the President shall appoint an Acting Director of Government Sector Relations until a replacement is found. The Director of Government Sector Relations will report to the President. The Director of Government Sector Relations is responsible for contacting national and regional Space Agencies, as well as other governmental institutions involved in geoscience and remote sensing activities, for the establishment of technical and business relations, such as sponsorship of conferences and workshops, sponsorship of prizes, and participation as exhibitors in Society’s conferences and workshops, and as advertisers in the society’s publications. The Director of Government Sector Relations is also responsible for the Space Agency column in the GRSS Magazine and will also provide regular reports to the AdCom on activities related to the above responsibilities.
15. Director of Education
The Director of Education is a Society member appointed by and reporting to the President. If not an Elected Member of the AdCom, the Director of Education shall be an Ex-Officio member of AdCom without vote. The Director of Education shall normally serve a three-year term, which may be renewed at the discretion of the President. The Director of Education is responsible for overseeing development and implementation of educational initiatives for the Society, the creation of a directory of remote sensing and geoscience education in all regions, the student paper contest, the GRSS Schools (GR3S), the lectures and tutorials, the travel grants, the Education Committee, and the Education Activities Board (EAB) Outreach Committee. The Director of Education will create such committees as are required to ensure progress in these areas. The Director of Education will provide regular reports to the AdCom on these activities.
16. Director of Global Activities
The Director of Global Activities is a Society member appointed by the President. If not an Elected Member of the AdCom, the Director of Global Activities shall be an Ex-Officio member of AdCom without vote. The Director of Global Activities is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the relationship between GRSS and other technical societies and institutions worldwide involved in geoscience and remote sensing activities to promote the growth of GRSS geographically and in terms of number of members. Reporting to the Director of Global Activities are the Chapters Committee Chair and the Student Chapters Committee Chair. The Director of Global Activities reports to the President and will provide regular reports to the AdCom on these activities.
17. IEEE GRSS Transactions Editor-in-Chief
The Transactions Editor-in-Chief, if not an Elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom with voting privileges and shall be nominated by the Vice-President of Publications, appointed by the President, and ratified by the AdCom. If more than one candidate is nominated, the Transactions Editor-in-Chief shall be selected by majority vote of the AdCom. The Editor-in-Chief shall normally serve a three-year term. The term may be renewed once for an additional two-year term at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Editor-in-Chief cannot fulfill the required duties of the position, the Vice-President of Publications shall appoint an Acting Editor until a replacement is identified. The Editor-in-Chief shall appoint or remove technical area Deputy Editors-in-Chief and Associate Editors as required, subject to ratification by AdCom. The Transactions Editor-in-Chief must be a member of the Society. The Editor-in-Chief is expected to attend AdCom meetings. The Editor-in-Chief will provide regular reports to the Vice President of Publications on such issues as the pages published, delays incurred, page charges recovered, and praise or complaints received.
18. GRS Letters Editor-in-Chief
The Editor-in-Chief of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, if not an Elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom with voting privileges and shall be nominated by the Vice-President of Publications, appointed by the President, and ratified by the AdCom. If more than one candidate is nominated, the GRSL Editor-in-Chief shall be selected by majority vote of the AdCom. The Editor-in-Chief shall normally serve a three-year term. The term may be renewed once for an additional two-year term at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Editor-in-Chief cannot fulfill the required duties of the appointment, the Vice-President of Publications shall appoint an Acting Editor until a replacement is identified. The Editor-in-Chief shall appoint or remove technical area Associate Editors as required, subject to ratification by the AdCom. The GRS Letters Editor-in-Chief must be a member of the Society. The Editor-in-Chief is expected to attend AdCom meetings. The Editor-in-Chief will provide regular reports to the Vice-President of Publications on such issues as the pages published, delays incurred, page charges recovered, and praise or complaints received.
19. Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observation and Remote Sensing (J-STARS) Editor-in-Chief
The Editor-in-Chief of J-STARS, if not an Elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom with voting privileges, and shall be nominated by the Vice-President of Publications, appointed by the President, and ratified by the AdCom. If more than one candidate is nominated, the J-STARS Editor-in-Chief shall be selected by majority vote of the AdCom. The Editor-in-Chief shall normally serve a three-year term. The term may be renewed once for an additional two-year term at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Editor-in-Chief cannot fulfill the required duties of the position, the Vice-President of Publications shall appoint an Acting Editor-in-Chief until a replacement is identified. The Editor-in-Chief shall appoint or remove technical area Associate Editors as required, subject to ratification by AdCom. The Editor-in-Chief is expected to attend AdCom meetings. The Editor-in-Chief will provide regular reports to the Vice-President of Publications on such issues as the pages published, delays incurred, page charges recovered, and praise or complaints received.
20. Magazine Editor-in-Chief
The Magazine Editor-in-Chief, if not Elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio member of the AdCom with voting privileges. The Editor-in-Chief shall be nominated by the Vice-President of Publications, appointed by the President and ratified by the AdCom. The Editor-in-Chief shall normally serve a three-year term. The term may be renewed once for an additional two-year term at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Editor-in-Chief cannot fulfill duties of the appointment, the Vice-President of Publications shall appoint an Acting Editor-in- Chief until a replacement is identified. The Editor-in-Chief shall appoint or remove technical area Associate Editors as required, subject to ratification by the AdCom. The Magazine Editor-in-Chief must be a member of the Society. The Editor-in-Chief is expected to attend AdCom meetings. The Editor-in-Chief will provide regular reports to the Vice-President of Publications on the pages published, delays incurred, and praise or complaints received.
21. Electronic Newsletter Editor
The Electronic Newsletter Editor, if not Elected Member of the AdCom, shall be an Ex-Officio member of the AdCom without voting privileges, and shall be nominated by the Vice-President of Information Resources, appointed by the President, and ratified by the AdCom. The Editor shall normally serve a three-year term. The term may be renewed once for an additional two-year term at the discretion of the AdCom. In the event that the Editor cannot fulfill the required duties of the appointment, the Vice-President of Information Resources shall appoint an Acting Editor until a replacement is identified. The Electronic Newsletter Editor must be a member of the Society. The Editor is expected to attend AdCom meetings. The Editor will provide regular reports to the Vice-President of Information Resources on the timeliness, the content, and praise or complaints received.
22. IGARSS General Chair(s)
The General Chair(s) of future, present and immediate past IGARSS Symposia, if not elected members, shall be Ex-Officio members of the AdCom without vote, provided the individuals are members of IEEE. The term of immediate past IGARSS Chair(s) as an Ex-Officio of AdCom shall extend through the calendar year following the symposium.
23. Honorary Life Member
Nomination for Honorary Life Member of the Society may be made by any member of the AdCom, or by a petition signed by at least 50 members of Society. A twothirds affirmative vote by all of the elected members of the AdCom will be required to elect an Honorary Life Member. In the absence of a sufficient number of elected members of the AdCom at a regular meeting election of Honorary Life Member may be conducted by mail or email ballot.
A. Eligibility
The position of Honorary Life Member may be bestowed upon an outstanding member of the profession who fulfills the following minimum requirements:
1. The candidate shall have made significant technical contributions in the field of interest of the Society. 2. The candidate shall have performed outstanding service to the profession and to the IEEE. 3. The candidate shall have been a member of the Society for at least five years. 4. The candidate shall have been an elected member of the AdCom.
The basis for selection are significance, quality, duration, prominence, and sustained leadership.
B. Award
Society fees for Honorary Life Members shall be paid from the Society Treasury. The Secretary shall arrange for this with IEEE Headquarters. The award consists of a certificate and a feature publication in the IEEE Transactions of Geoscience and Remote Sensing prepared by the Awards Committee Chair. The award shall be presented at the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium together with other IEEE GRSS awards.
Eligibility and Selection process shall comply with procedures and regulation established in IEEE and Society/Council governing documents, particularly with IEEE Policy 4.4 on Awards Limitations. Members of the Awards Committee Conflict of Interest concerns shall be disclosed and addressed in accordance with IEEE Policies 9.9 A, B, and C. Any real and perceived conflict of interest (COI) shall be avoided. Anyone with a COI shall recuse themselves from nominating, discussing, and evaluating candidates.
C. Rights and Privileges
An Honorary Life Member shall be an Ex-Officio Member of the AdCom without vote, if not an elected member of the AdCom.
24. Chapter Chair
The Chair of a Chapter of the Society shall be an Ex-officio Member of the AdCom without vote, unless the Chair is an Elected Member.
25. Society Affiliates
A Society Affiliate shall have full group membership rights and privileges. This status shall be granted to all persons paying the prescribed dues who also satisfy any one of the following criteria:
A. Membership in a Designated Professional Society
The list of Designated Professional Societies shall be established by the Secretary and approved by the Society AdCom.
B. Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree
The affiliate must possess a Bachelor’s Degree or a higher degree in geosciences or a related field with a letter of recommendation from a Society member and approval of the Society Membership Committee.
26. Distribution of Minutes
The Secretary shall distribute to each officer and AdCom member, at least one month prior to each AdCom or ExCom meeting, a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting, as well as a report of Society business transacted other than at meetings.
27. Meeting Notices and Lists
Notices of meetings shall be sent electronically. The list of Society members and their respective email addresses shall be restricted to the Secretary, the Web Editor, and the Vice-President of Information Resources.
III. Meetings
1. AdCom Meetings
The AdCom shall hold at least two meetings per year, including one Annual Meeting which shall normally be held in November to conduct the Administrative Committee elections. Meetings of the AdCom may be requested by the President of the Society, or upon request of two other members of the Committee. Between these meetings, the President may request meetings of the ExCom, consisting of the President, the Executive Vice-President, Past Presidents during their two-year terms as member-at-large, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Vice- President of Professional Activities, the Vice-President of Publications, the Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia, the Vice-President of Technical Activities and the Vice-President of Information Resources. The ExCom may conduct business as if the full AdCom were meeting. The exceptions are elections and approval of the Society’s budget. Any AdCom member may attend a meeting of the ExCom.
2. Meeting Notification
No meeting of the AdCom or ExCom shall be held for the purpose of transacting business, unless each member has been sent notice of the time and place of such meeting at least 20 days prior to the scheduled date of the meeting. However, if less than a quorum attends a duly called meeting, discussions may be held but the only action that may be taken is to set a date for a new meeting. Minutes of such meetings shall be sent electronically by the Secretary to each Committee member, who shall register disapproval of any actions taken at such meetings within ten days after receiving the minutes, or the member shall be deemed to have ratified the actions taken during the meeting.
3. Quorum
The number of AdCom members that constitute a quorum will depend upon the total number of members on the AdCom. A majority of the voting members of the AdCom, ExCom, or any sub-committee who are present at the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
4. Votes on Motions
A majority vote of the AdCom, including voting Ex-Officio members attending a meeting, shall be necessary in the conduct of its business, except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws. The majority can be achieved by physical presence or – in case of justified absence – by remote voting.
5. Business of the Administrative Committee in a Meeting or by means of Telecommunication
Business of the AdCom, the ExCom, or any of its sub-committees may be handled by any means of telecommunication. The normal voting requirements shall apply when action is taken by means of telecommunication equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time.
Electronic Voting
The Administrative Committee or any committee may take action without a meeting if applicable (e.g. email, correspondence, or web site) and an affirmative vote of a majority of all of the voting members shall be required to approve the action.
Any electronic motion being proposed by an AdCom member must first be submitted to the President. The President will (i) put the motion on the website (ii) announce that there is a motion that has been posted on the website, and refer voting AdCom members to the website for details and (iii) state the final date of the ballot.
If in consultation with the ExCom, the motion is considered to be inappropriate for electronic voting, the proposer will be informed, and the motion will be tabled for discussion at the next AdCom meeting. All discussions, following the posting of the motion on the website are to be conducted through the GRSS website and not by open e-mail.
Electronic voting will have three choices: Yes, No, and Hold. If more than 50% of those eligible to vote, indicate “yes”, the motion will carry. If more than 50% of those eligible to vote indicate “no”, the motion will be defeated. If more than 50% of those eligible to vote indicate either “no” or “hold”, the motion shall be scheduled for discussion at the next AdCom meeting.
The results of the vote shall be confirmed promptly in writing or by electronic transmission. The writings and/or electronic transmissions shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the AdCom or any committee thereof. Individuals holding more than one position on the AdCom or any committee thereof shall be limited to one vote on each matter being considered by that committee.
6. President’s Vote
The President shall have no vote on the AdCom, except when the vote is by secret ballot or unless the President’s vote can change the outcome of the vote.
7. Meetings/Conferences Non-Conflict
Meetings, conferences, or conventions of the Society shall be open on an equal basis to all members of the IEEE and to Society affiliates. Separate meetings, conferences, or conventions of the Society shall not be held at a time or place which will conflict with a Sectional, Regional, or National Meeting, Conference, or Convention without approval of the Executive Committee of the IEEE. Since the aim of the IEEE is to disseminate information, inclusion of sessions on governmentally classified material within the framework of the IEEE sponsored conferences and symposia should, as a matter of principle, be avoided. However, it would be permissible for a classified meeting, sponsored by another organization, to be held in conjunction with an IEEE conference, and for publicity on such a meeting to be included in the IEEE mailing, so long as it is made clear that the classified meeting is not sponsored by the IEEE.
8. Alternates
The President shall serve as a member of the Technical Activities Board. The President may be represented by an Alternate, which should be the Past President, or the Executive Vice President. Alternates must be approved in accordance with IEEE policy and the procedures outlined in the TAB Operations Manual.
IV. Committees
1. Executive Committee
The ExCom has the authority to act on behalf of the AdCom with the following proviso: the ExCom may conduct business as if the full AdCom were meeting, with the exception of elections and approval of the Society’s budget. The ExCom may convene at a special meeting or, discuss matters by phone or other means. The ExCom may discuss significant issues and place them on the AdCom agenda for resolution and enactment.
2. Standing Committees
Members of the following standing committees shall be appointed by the President as soon as possible after being elected, and members of such committees shall hold office for one year concurrent with the term of the office of the President, except as otherwise noted in these Bylaws. The President may appoint any Director or any part or all of any standing committee, or, appoint only the Chair of each committee and request that the Chair then appoint additional committee members. The President will seek nominations from the responsible Vice Presidents for the Chairs of the committees or delegate appointment responsibilities to the Vice-Presidents for their areas of responsibility.
3. Awards Committees
The GRSS awards are administered by four Awards Committees. These include 1) Major Awards Committee, 2) Publication Awards Committee, 3) Special Awards Committee, and 4) Symposium Awards Committee. These Awards Committees shall consider and make recommendations for general IEEE awards, and the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society awards. The Chairpersons of the Awards Committees report to the Vice-President of Professional Activities. The Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society awards shall be presented not more than once a year and shall be as follows:
MAJOR AWARDS
The eligibility and selection process of all Major Awards shall comply with procedures and regulation established in IEEE and Society/Council governing documents, particularly with IEEE Policy 4.4 on Awards Limitations. Members of the Awards Committee Conflict of Interest concerns shall be disclosed and addressed in accordance with IEEE Policies 9.9 A, B. and C. Any real and perceived conflict of interest (COI) shall be avoided. Anyone with a COI shall recuse themselves from nominating, discussing, and evaluating. In addition to IEEE eligibility policies, individuals who have received a GRSS Major Award are not eligible to receive another GRSS Major Award within 5 calendar years, with the exception of the IEEE GRSS Golden Florin Award.
A. IEEE GRSS Fawwaz Ulaby Distinguished Achievement Award (FDAA)
A plaque and a certificate may be presented to recognize significant technical contributions to the field of geoscience and remote sensing over a sustained period. The basis for judging are quality, significance, and impact of contribution, and quantity and duration of contributions which may include archival papers, symposia papers, patents, and the general advancement of the profession. The award shall be considered annually and presented if a distinguished candidate is identified. IEEE membership is not required but recommended. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be presented during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.
B. IEEE GRSS Outstanding Service Award (OSA)
A plaque and certificate may be presented to an individual who has given outstanding service for the benefit and advancement of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society. The basis for judging are leadership, innovation, activity, service, duration, breath of participation, and cooperation. The award shall be considered annually and presented if an outstanding candidate is identified. GRSS membership is required. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be presented during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.
C. IEEE GRSS Education Award (EA)
A plaque and certificate may be presented to recognize significant educational contributions to the field of remote sensing. The basis for judging are significance of the educational contribution in terms of the innovation and extent of its overall impact. The contributions can be at any level, including K-12, undergraduate and graduate teaching, professional development, and public outreach. It can also be in any form (e.g. textbooks, curriculum development, and educational program initiatives). The award shall be considered annually but will only be awarded when an outstanding recipient is identified. GRSS membership is required. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be presented during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.
D. IEEE GRSS and CeTeM Golden Florin Award (GFA)
This is a joint Italian Centre for Microwave Remote Sensing (CeTeM) and GRSS award to recognize contributions of eminent GRSS members for their outstanding contributions to passive microwave remote sensing. The award shall be considered every second year. The selection committee includes two members recommended by the Major Awards Committee Chair, and three members recommended by CeTeM. The committee chair is selected among the latter ones. The committee members serve for a one-year term and are nominated by the GRSS President. The award consists of an exact gold reproduction of the old golden florin, the coin first minted in Italy by the Florentine Republic in 1252 and a certificate. The award shall be presented at an awards ceremony during the International Specialist Meeting on Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad). GRSS membership is required.
E. IEEE GRSS Industry Leader Award (ILA)
A plaque and a certificate may be presented to an individual who has made significant contributions over a sustained period of time in industrial and/or commercial remote sensing. The basis for judging are significance, quality, and impact of activities, contributions, and achievements, such as significant contributions to remote sensing system engineering, science and/or technology, significant contributions to dissemination and commercialization of remote sensing products, and demonstrating leadership to promote remote sensing science and technology. The award shall be considered annually and presented if a distinguished candidate is identified. GRSS membership is preferred, but not required. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be presented during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.
SPECIAL AWARDS
The eligibility and selection process of all Special Awards shall comply with procedures and regulation established in IEEE and Society/Council governing documents, particularly with IEEE Policy 4.4 on Awards Limitations. Members of the Awards Committee Conflict of Interest concerns shall be disclosed and addressed in accordance with IEEE Policies 9.9 A, B. and C. Any real and perceived conflict of interest (COI) shall be avoided. Anyone with a COI shall recuse themselves from nominating, discussing, and evaluating.
F. IEEE GRSS Early Career Award
A certificate and USD $1500 honorarium may be presented to recognize a Young Professional (YP) who has shown great potential in their fields of expertise and demonstrated promise for significant contributions in the future. The GRSS Early Career Award was established to promote, recognize and support young scientists and engineers within GRSS. The candidate must be a member of IEEE GRSS for at least 5 years and be less than 35 years old at the time of nomination. The nomination needs to clearly identify candidate’s outstanding contributions in one or more GRSS field(s) of interest. Criteria for the candidate selection are quality, significance and impact of contributions, papers published in archival journals – papers presented at conferences and symposia, patents, demonstration of leadership, and advancement of profession. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be considered annually but will only be awarded when an outstanding recipient is identified. The award shall be presented at an awards ceremony during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium together with other IEEE GRSS awards.
G. IEEE GRSS Regional Leader Award
A certificate and USD $1500 honorarium may be presented to recognize an individual within the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society who has made significant technical, scientific and/or organizational achievements in the areas of interest to the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing community. IEEE GRSS established the Regional Leader Award to promote, recognize, and support members within the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society. The Special Awards Committee may give preference to candidates who (1) are an IEEE GRSS member with the Grade of Senior Member or Fellow, (2) have been a member of GRSS and IEEE for at least 5 years, and (3) are pivotal and have performed significant contributions in a region where the GRSS membership and local activities have substantially increased in recent years. Judging criteria include quality, significance, and impact of the candidate activities, quantity of contributions, duration of significant activity, regional organizational achievements, and presence in the GRSS community. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. The award shall be considered annually and presented if an outstanding candidate is identified. The award shall be presented at an awards ceremony during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium together with other IEEE GRSS awards.
H. IEEE GRSS Chapter Excellence Award
A certificate and a monetary award of USD $1000 may be presented to recognize excellence in a GRSS or Joint Local Chapter, demonstrated by exemplary local GRSS activities during the previous year. For each Chapter to be considered, the respective Chapter Chair is required to submit a copy of the previous year’s annual Chapter Report to the Chapters Committee Chair before January 15. The Chapters Committee Chair then compiles a synopsis of all Chapter Reports received and may provide a recommendation to the Awards Chair before January 31. The Chapters Committee Chair may provide recommendations but does not have a vote in the Awards selection. The Awards Committee shall review all nominations and select a candidate to be recommended to the GRSS AdCom. The award is approved by the GRSS AdCom. The selection is based on the following: quantity, quality, breadth and significance of activities and technical meetings during the previous calendar year, active participation of members in IGARSS and other GRS-S sponsored activities. The award shall be considered annually and presented only when a deserving Chapter is identified. All IEEE GRSS Chapter and combined IEEE Chapters are eligible. Chapters that receive the GRSS Chapter of the Year Award are not eligible to receive it again within 3 calendar years. The certificate shall be presented at an awards ceremony during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium together with other IEEE GRSS awards. The monetary award shall be transferred to the Chapter funds and used only for Chapter activities. The award recipients shall be featured in the Society Transactions and the Magazine.
I. IEEE GRSS Student Branch Chapter Excellence Award
A certificate and a monetary award of USD $1000 may be presented to recognize excellence in a Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Student Branch Chapter or Joint IEEE Student Branch Chapter demonstrated by exemplary local GRSS activities during the previous calendar year with respect to the date of application. The award shall be considered annually and presented only when a deserving Chapter is identified. The selection is based on the following: quantity, quality, breadth and significance of activities and technical meetings during the previous calendar year, active participation of members in IGARSS and other GRS-S sponsored activities. The award shall be considered annually and presented only when a deserving Chapter is identified. All IEEE GRSS Student Branch Chapter and Joint IEEE Student Branch Chapters are eligible. Student Branch Chapters are deemed ineligible for the award if they have won it in the previous 3 years. The certificate shall be presented at an awards ceremony during the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium together with other IEEE GRSS awards. The monetary award shall be transferred to the Student Branch Chapter funds and used only for Chapter activities.
J. David Landgrebe Award
The IEEE GRSS David Landgrebe Award is a GRSS career award, which is awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of remote sensing image analysis. The contributions shall be related to at least one of the following fields: classification, image analysis, feature extraction, change detection, data fusion, or data mining. The Special Awards Committee may give preference to candidates who (1) are an IEEE GRSS member, (2) are pivotal and have performed significant contributions to the analysis of remote sensing images in recent years, and (3) published their results in IEEE GRSS journals or conferences. Judging criterial include quality, significance, and impact of the candidate activities, quantity of contributions, duration of significant activity, and presence in the GRSS community. Previous winners of this award are ineligible. A certificate will be presented to the awardee at
IGARSS or a GRSS co-sponsored Specialty Symposium in the field of analysis of remote sensing images such as Whispers, Multitemp, or JURSE.
PUBLICATIONS AWARDS
K. Highest Impact Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented to the authors who have published in an IEEE GRSS Journal the paper that has received the highest number of citations and impact over the past 5 years as measured collectively by the Thomson Reuters Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar citation indices. A previously selected paper shall not be eligible for this award in the following years. Papers published in a GRSS journal are ineligible if a co- author has served as the Editor-in-Chief of that journal during any year of the five-year evaluation period.
L. Transactions Prize Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented for a paper published in the Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing for the prior calendar year which is judged to be exceptional in terms of content and impact on the GRSS. If the paper has more than one author, the honorarium shall be shared. Papers with the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing as a co-author are not eligible.
M. Letters Prize Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented for a paper published in the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters for the prior calendar year which is judged to be exceptional in terms of content and impact on the GRSS. If the paper has more than one author, the honorarium shall be shared. Papers with the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters as a co-author are not eligible.
N. J-STARS Prize Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented for a paper published in the Journal of Special Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing for the prior calendar year which is judged to be exceptional in terms of content and impact on the GRSS. If the paper has more than one author, the honorarium shall be shared. Papers with the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Earth Observation and Applied Remote Sensing as a co-author are not eligible.
SYMPOSIUM AWARDS:
O. Symposium Prize Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented for an oral paper presented at the prior year’s IGARSS Symposium which is judged to be exceptional in terms of content and impact on the GRSS. If the paper has more than one author, the honorarium shall be shared.
P. Symposium Interactive Prize Paper Award
A certificate and honorarium may be presented for an interactive or a poster paper at the prior year’s IGARSS Symposium which is judged to be exceptional in terms of content and impact on the GRSS. If the interactive paper has more than one author, the honorarium shall be shared.
Q. Student Prize Paper Award
first authors of oral papers presented at the current year’s IGARSS Symposium in the student paper competition and are judged to be among the best three of all student papers entering the competition. First, Second, and Third Student Paper Prizes will be awarded. The First Student Prize Paper Award will be the Mikio Takagi Student Prize.
4. Chapters Committee
This Committee shall promote the organization of Society Chapters in such Sections that have a sufficient number of Society members. This committee shall carry out this organization under the long-established principle that meetings in any Section come under the sole jurisdiction of the Section officer. This Committee shall appoint a Society representative in such Sections. The Chair of this Committee reports to the Director of Global Activities.
5. Membership Committee
This Committee shall encourage membership in the Society by all members of the IEEE and Affiliates of accredited societies who are interested in the field of interest of the Society. The committee shall consider and make recommendation to the AdCom as to the inclusion of other societies as affiliates. The Chair of this Committee reports to the Vice-President of Professional Activities.
6. Constitution and Bylaws Committee
This committee shall report to the Executive Vice-President and have the following duties:
A. Review and make recommendations on all proposals of the membership with regard to the Constitution and Bylaws;
B. Write, review, or prepare any other action concerning the Constitution and Bylaws, as directed by the AdCom;
C. Guide the President and AdCom in the procedure at each meeting, and as otherwise required, when business of the Society is being conducted.
7. Operations and Procedures Manual Committee
This Committee reports to the Executive Vice-President and is responsible for maintaining at least annually the accuracy of the Operations and Procedures Manual for efficient Society operations and any changes in committee membership.
8. History Committee
This Committee reports to the Vice-President of Information Resources and is responsible for collecting historical information and maintaining the records of Society activities. The updating should be undertaken annually.
9. Strategic Planning Committee
This Committee is chaired by the Executive Vice-President and is responsible for long range strategic planning to help the Society define and achieve its goals. The Strategic Planning Committee is also responsible for selecting and recommending GRSS pilot and strategic initiatives.
10. Conference Advisory Committee
This committee shall report to the Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia and have the following duties.
A. Advise the Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia and the AdCom in planning for co-sponsored symposia and the annual IGARSS.
B. Promote successful execution of the annual IGARSS.
11. Fellows Evaluation Committee
The Fellows Evaluation Committee shall consider, review and make recommendations regarding nomination of candidates to Fellow grade membership. The chairperson and members of this committee may not serve on both this committee and the Fellows and Senior Member Search Committee, simultaneously. The Chair of this committee must be an IEEE Fellow and reports to the Vice-President of Professional Activities.
12. Fellows and Senior Member Search Committee
The Fellows and Senior Member Search Committee shall identify suitable candidates for upgrade to Senior Member, and nomination to IEEE Fellow. The chair and members of this committee may not serve on both this committee and the Fellows Evaluation Committee, simultaneously. The Chair of this committee must be an IEEE Fellow and reports to the Vice- President of Professional Activities.
13. IDEA Committee
The Underrepresented Program Committee shall Inspire, Develop, Empower, and Advance (IDEA) all GRSS members and Affiliates of accredited societies who are interested in the fields of interest of the Society. The Committee is responsible for planning and organizing activities across regions, chapters, and conferences to develop, empower and advance engineers and scientists from diverse backgrounds (technical, regional, gender, etc.), and inspire members around the world to follow their technical interests to a career in geoscience and remote sensing. The Chairperson of the Underrepresented Program Committee reports to the Vice President for Professional Activities.
14. GRSS YP Committee
The GRSS Young Professionals (YP) Committee represents all graduate student members and early career professional members of the Society. The Chair of GRSS Young Professionals Committee serves as a Liaison to various IEEE organizational units to serve the needs of the members. The Chair of GRSS YP Committee reports to the Vice President for Professional Activities.
15. GRSS Student Chapters Committee
The GRSS Student Chapter Committee represents all student chapters of the Society. The Chair of GRSS Student Chapters Committee also serves as a liaison to various IEEE organizational units, including the student activities committee, to serve the needs of the members. The Chair of GRSS Student Chapter Committee reports to the Director of Global Activities and acts in conjunction with the Chapters Committee Chair.
16. GRSS Major Awards Search Committee
The Major Awards Search Committee shall help identify suitable candidates for each of the GRSS Major Awards (FDAA, OSA, EA, and ILA). Committee members are appointed to serve one-year terms that may be extended by agreement on a yearly basis. The chair and members of this committee may not serve on both this committee and the Major Awards Evaluation Committee, simultaneously.
17. GRSS Social Media Committee
The GRSS Social Media Committee is responsible for communicating GRSS events and activities to the geoscience and remote sensing community at large and oversees the social media strategy of GRSS. The Chair of GRSS Social Media Committee reports to the Vice President for Information Resources and oversees the Social Media Ambassadors, who execute the day-to-day operations of the GRSS social media strategy.
18. Other Committees
In addition to the above committees, the President has discretionary authority to appoint any temporary, ad hoc, or special committees required to carry out special assignments conducive to the effectiveness of the Society.
V. Definitions
1. The Administrative Committee
The Administrative Committee consists of 15 to 18 members elected in accordance with the GRSS Constitution Sections VI.1 and VI.3, as well as the Past-Presidents and Ex-Officio members. The Administrative Committee is also referred to as the AdCom.
2. The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee consists of the following AdCom members: the President, the Executive Vice-President, Past Presidents during their term as member-at-large, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Vice-President of Professional Activities, the Vice-President of Publications, the Vice-President of Meetings and Symposia, the Vice-President of Technical Activities and the Vice-President of Information Resources, in accordance with the GRSS Constitution Section VI.4.
VI. Amendments
1. Amendment Procedure
Amendments to these Bylaws may be made by a two-thirds vote of the AdCom while assembled in a meeting, provided that notice of the proposed change has been sent to each member of the AdCom at least one week prior to such a meeting; or a Bylaw, or amendment may be adopted by a two-thirds mail vote of the members of the AdCom, provided a 30-day period is provided for such responses. In either event, the proposed Bylaw or amendment shall be sent to the Vice President, Technical Activities Board for approval. Upon such approval, it shall be published to the Society Transactions or Electronic Newsletter. No Bylaw, or amendment, shall take effect until all of these requirements have been met.
2. Bylaw Amendment History
Bylaws Originally Approved October 16, 1962
Amended September 10, 1968
Amended March 24, 1970
Amended November 29, 1976
Amended December 6, 1979
Amended February 22, 1982
Amended April 6, 1984
Amended September 15, 1986
Amended October 24, 1987
Amended June 15, 1989
Amended November 16, 1989
Amended September 6, 1994
Amended November 15, 1994
Amended November 29, 1994
Amended April 28, 1995
Amended July 5, 1998
Amended November 15, 1998
Amended July 23, 2000
Amended November 19, 2000
Amended October 25, 2003
Amended July 21, 2007
Amended July 5, 2008
Amended November 11, 2008
Amended November 7, 2009
Amended March 31, 2010
Amended November 6, 2010
Amended November 4, 2011
Amended November 2012
Amended July 2013
Amended July 2015
Amended March 2016
Amended November 2016
Amended November 2017
Amended September 2019
Amended November 2019
Amended November 2023