FAQ

The IEEE Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT) is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) program, instituted by the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC).

IEEE SIGHT is a global network of groups consisting of IEEE members and volunteers who identify and address local problems by applying their technical skills and partnering with their local communities.

To know more about it, Click here.

SIGHT is a committee that is funded by and reports to IEEE’s Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC). The SIGHT Chair is an appointed member of HAC. HAC reports directly to the IEEE Board of Directors.

Membership is free and open to all who want to engage in sustainable development. Individual members receive the monthly SIGHT newsletter, as well as SIGHT announcements. Individual members who belong to a SIGHT group may apply for SIGHT project funding and humanitarian technology-related conference participation support. Individual members can also network with other SIGHT members with similar interests.

It’s up to you. It could be a few hours a month (sharing knowledge with another member, for example) or several days a month or more (leading a SIGHT project, for example).

SIGHT is governed by a committee of members that each lead a subcommittee on topics that enable SIGHT’s growth and collective impact.

SIGHT groups consist of at least six IEEE members who come together to learn about sustainable development, build relationships within their local communities, and implement SIGHT group projects that leverage technology to tackle key problems within the community. Non-IEEE members are welcome and encouraged to join their local SIGHT group.

More than 155 SIGHT groups have been founded in over fifty countries. New SIGHT groups are formed monthly. Our SIGHT group map on the homepage has the latest information on location and quantity of SIGHT groups around the world.

No, you do not need a project idea to start a SIGHT group. However, a SIGHT group is expected to initiate a project within two years of its date of founding to remain active. A SIGHT group which has not initiated a project for two years will be considered a non-active SIGHT group.

A Professional SIGHT Group is started by six or more IEEE members with the approval of a Society, Section, Region, or Council. A University SIGHT group consists of 6 or more IEEE member students, faculty, or staff at a University with approval from a Student Branch Counselor. All University SIGHT Groups require a faculty lead. University SIGHT group activities are not limited to that of students and can also include faculty-led projects.

Six IEEE members are required in the initial formation of a SIGHT group; however IEEE membership is not a requirement to belong to a SIGHT group. In fact, groups are encouraged to seek out members from other disciplines and sectors. All SIGHT group participants are strongly encouraged to register as individual SIGHT members.

Generally, yes. If your project has received funding from SIGHT, there may be a travel allocation in the budget. Check with your project leader.

SIGHT works as a partner with local communities. Please see the SIGHT toolkit for more information on how to build new and existing partnerships with local communities.

SIGHT Projects are selected based on a pre-defined criteria that may be found here in the SIGHT toolkit.

The duration of the SIGHT project depends upon the size and complexity of project. It can vary from few months to several years or more.

SIGHT groups may apply for project funding at the designated times. However, groups are encouraged to apply for additional funds with their IEEE OU, local community, and more. Please see the SIGHT toolkit for useful information on finding resources for your group.

By becoming a SIGHT individual member, you will get the latest information on SIGHT program news and opportunities. You can also reference the homepage SIGHT group map, which is searchable by group type, location, and project focus areas.