<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-smiling-woman-in-a-magenta-suit.jpg?id=56605899&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=0%2C544%2C0%2C545"/> Innovation, expertise, and efficiency often take center stage in the engineering world. Yet engineering’s impact lies not only in technical advancement but also in its ability to serve the greater good. This foundational principle is behind IEEE’s public imperative initiatives which apply our efforts and expertise to support our mission to advance technology for humanity with a direct benefit to society. <h2>Serving society </h2>Public imperative activities and initiatives serve society by promoting understanding, impact for humans and our environment, and responsible use of science and technology. These initiatives encompass a wide range of efforts, including<a href="https://move.ieeeusa.org/about/stem-outreach/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> STEM outreach</a>,<a href="https://ieeeht.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> humanitarian technology deployments</a>,<a href="https://ieeeusa.org/public-policy/priorities/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> public education on emerging technologies</a>, and<a href="https://sustainable-climate.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> sustainability</a>. Unlike many efforts advancing technology, these initiatives are not designed with financial opportunity in mind. Instead, they fulfill IEEE’s designation as a 501(c)(3) public charity engaged in scientific and <a data-linked-post="2674218153" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/microcredentials" target="_blank">educational activities</a> for the benefit of the engineering community and the public.<h3>Building a Better World</h3> Across the globe, IEEE members and volunteers dedicate their time and use their talents, experiences, and expertise to lead, organize, and drive activities to advance technology for humanity. The<a href="https://www.ieee.org/advancing-technology/building-better-world/social-impact-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> IEEE Social Impact</a> report showcases a selection of recent projects and initiatives that support that mission.In my March column, I described my vision for One IEEE, which is aimed at empowering IEEE’s diverse units to work together in ways that magnify their individual and collective impact. Within the framework of One IEEE, public imperative activities are not peripheral; they are central to unifying the organization and amplifying our global relevance. Across IEEE’s varied regions, societies, and technical communities, these activities align efforts around a shared mission. They provide our members from different disciplines and geographies the opportunity to collaborate on projects that transcend boundaries, fostering interdisciplinary innovation and global stewardship.Such activities also offer members opportunities to apply their technical expertise in service of societal needs. Whether<a href="https://ctu.ieee.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> finding innovative solutions to connect the unconnected</a> or developing<a href="https://tryengineering.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> open-source educational tools for students</a>, we are solving real-world problems. The initiatives transform abstract technical knowledge into actionable solutions, reinforcing the idea that technology is not just about building systems—it’s about building futures.For our <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/epics-in-ieee-student-projects" target="_blank">young professionals and students</a>, these activities offer hands-on experiences that connect technical skills with real-world applications, inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in engineering with purpose and passion. These activities also create mentorship opportunities, leadership pathways, and a sense of belonging within the wider IEEE community.<h2>Principled tech leader</h2>In an age when technology influences practically every aspect of life—from health care and energy to communication and transportation—IEEE must, as a leading technical authority, also serve as a socially responsible leader. Public imperative activities include IEEE’s commitment to ethical development, university and pre-university education, and accessible innovation. They help bridge the gap between technical communities and the public, working to ensure that engineering solutions are accessible, equitable, and aligned with societal values.From a strategic standpoint, public imperatives also support IEEE’s long-term sustainability. The organization is redesigning its budget process to emphasize aligning financial resources with mission-driven goals. One of the guiding principles is to publicize IEEE’s public charity status and invest accordingly.That means promoting our public imperatives in funding decisions, integrating them into operational planning, and measuring their outcomes with engineering rigor. By treating these activities as core infrastructure, IEEE ensures that its resources are deployed in ways that maximize public benefit and organizational impact.Public imperatives are vital to the success of One IEEE. They embody the organization’s mission, unify its global membership, and demonstrate the societal relevance of engineering and technology. They offer our members the opportunity to apply their skills in meaningful ways, contribute to public good, and shape the future of technology with integrity.Through our public imperative activities, IEEE is a force for innovation and a driver of meaningful impact.This article appears in the December 2025 print issue as “Engineering With Purpose.”

تؤكد IEEE على أهمية الهندسة التي تخدم الصالح العام، مشددة على مبادراتها ذات الطابع العام التي تهدف إلى تعزيز التكنولوجيا من أجل الإنسانية. تركز هذه المبادرات على تعزيز الفهم والاستخدام المسؤول للعلوم والتكنولوجيا، وتشمل جهودًا مثل التوعية في مجالات العلوم والتكنولوجيا والهندسة والرياضيات.

IEEE enfatiza la importancia de una ingeniería que sirva al bien común, destacando sus iniciativas de imperativo público destinadas a avanzar en la tecnología para la humanidad. Estas iniciativas se centran en promover la comprensión y el uso responsable de la ciencia y la tecnología, abarcando esfuerzos como la divulgación en STEM.

L'IEEE souligne l'importance d'une ingénierie au service du bien commun, mettant en avant ses initiatives d'impératif public visant à faire progresser la technologie pour l'humanité. Ces initiatives se concentrent sur la promotion de la compréhension et de l'utilisation responsable de la science et de la technologie, englobant des efforts tels que la sensibilisation aux STEM.

IEEE emphasizes the importance of engineering that serves the greater good, highlighting its public imperative initiatives aimed at advancing technology for humanity. These initiatives focus on promoting understanding and responsible use of science and technology, encompassing efforts like STEM outreach.

IEEE President’s Note: Engineering With Purpose

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/rtds-technologies-logo-in-blue-with-stylized-vertical-bars-on-the-left.png?id=62267376&width=980"/> Learn how hardware-in-the-loop testing validates protection schemes, renewable integration, and HVDC systems before deployment. Download this introduction to real-time power system simulation.In this white paper, you’ll learn:<ul><li>Why phasor-domain simulation can’t capture transient phenomena in inverter-dominated grids</li><li>How real-time EMT simulation enables closed-loop testing with actual hardware</li><li>Key components of a hardware-in-the-loop testbed</li><li>Applications across renewable energy, HVDC systems, microgrids, and protection schemes</li><li>Real-world examples from multi-terminal HVDC links to traveling wave protection</li><li>How HIL testing reduces risk, accelerates commissioning, and validates multi-vendor interoperability</li></ul><div><a href="https://content.knowledgehub.wiley.com/de-risk-the-energy-transition-with-hardware-in-the-loop-testing/" target="_blank">Download this free whitepaper now!</a></div>

يتم تسليط الضوء على اختبار الأجهزة في الحلقة (HIL) كطريقة حاسمة للتحقق من مخططات الحماية، ودمج الطاقة المتجددة، وأنظمة التيار المباشر عالي الجهد (HVDC) قبل نشرها. يناقش الورقة البيضاء قيود محاكاة مجال الطور في التقاط الظواهر العابرة في الشبكات التي تهيمن عليها العواكس ويؤكد على مزايا محاكاة الانتقال الكهرومغناطيسي (EMT) في الوقت الحقيقي للاختبار في حلقة مغلقة مع الأجهزة الفعلية.

Se destaca la prueba hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) como un método crucial para validar esquemas de protección, la integración de energías renovables y sistemas de corriente continua de alta tensión (HVDC) antes de su implementación. El documento blanco discute las limitaciones de la simulación en el dominio de fasores para capturar fenómenos transitorios en redes dominadas por inversores y enfatiza las ventajas de la simulación electromagnética transitoria (EMT) en tiempo real para pruebas en bucle cerrado con hardware real.

Les tests hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) sont mis en avant comme une méthode cruciale pour valider les schémas de protection, l'intégration des énergies renouvelables et les systèmes de courant continu haute tension (HVDC) avant leur déploiement. Le livre blanc aborde les limites de la simulation en domaine de phasor pour capturer les phénomènes transitoires dans les réseaux dominés par des onduleurs et souligne les avantages de la simulation électromagnétique transitoire (EMT) en temps réel pour les tests en boucle fermée avec du matériel réel.

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing is being highlighted as a crucial method for validating protection schemes, renewable energy integration, and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems prior to their deployment. The white paper discusses the limitations of phasor-domain simulation in capturing transient phenomena in inverter-dominated grids and emphasizes the advantages of real-time electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation for closed-loop testing with actual hardware.

De-Risk the Energy Transition with Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/bomb-with-binary-code-fuse-igniting-symbolizing-digital-or-information-explosion.jpg?id=62233724&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=0%2C250%2C0%2C250"/> Talking to Robert N. Charette can be pretty depressing. Charette, who has been writing about software failures for this magazine for the past 20 years, is a renowned risk analyst and systems expert who over the course of a 50-year career has seen more than his share of delusional thinking among IT professionals, government officials, and corporate executives, before, during, and after massive software failures.In 2005’s “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/why-software-fails" target="_self">Why Software Fails</a>,” in IEEE Spectrum, a seminal article documenting the causes behind large-scale software failures, Charette noted, “The biggest tragedy is that <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/software-failure" target="_self">software failure</a> is for the most part predictable and avoidable. Unfortunately, most organizations don’t see preventing failure as an urgent matter, even though that view risks harming the organization and maybe even destroying it. Understanding why this attitude persists is not just an academic exercise; it has tremendous implications for business and society.”Two decades and several trillion wasted dollars later, he finds that <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/it-management-software-failures" target="_blank">people are making the same mistakes</a>. They claim their project is unique, so past lessons don’t apply. They underestimate complexity. Managers come out of the gate with unrealistic budgets and timelines. Testing is inadequate or skipped entirely. Vendor promises that are too good to be true are taken at face value. Newer development approaches like DevOps or AI copilots are implemented without proper training or the organizational change necessary to make the most of them.What’s worse, the huge impacts of these missteps on end users aren’t fully accounted for. When the Canadian government’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aurO_LK6DEI" target="_blank">Phoenix paycheck system</a> initially failed, for instance, the developers glossed over the protracted financial and emotional distress inflicted on tens of thousands of employees receiving erroneous paychecks; problems persist today, nine years later. Perhaps that’s because, as Charette told me recently, IT project managers don’t have professional licensing requirements and are rarely, if ever, held legally liable for software debacles.While medical devices may seem a far cry from giant IT projects, they have a few things in common. As Special Projects Editor Stephen Cass uncovered in this month’s <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/medical-device-recalls" target="_blank">The Data</a>, the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-safety/medical-device-recalls-and-early-alerts" target="_blank">U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls</a> on average 20 medical devices per month due to software issues.“Software is as significant as electricity. We would never put up with electricity going out every other day, but we sure as hell have no problem having AWS go down.” —Robert N. CharetteLike IT projects, medical devices face fundamental challenges posed by software complexity. Which means that testing, though rigorous and regulated in the medical domain, can’t possibly cover every scenario or every line of code. The major difference between failed medical devices and failed IT projects is that a huge amount of liability attaches to the former.“When you’re building software for medical devices, there are a lot more standards that have to be met and a lot more concern about the consequences of failure,” Charette observes. “Because when those things don’t work, there’s tort law available, which means manufacturers are on the hook. It’s much harder to bring a case and win when you’re talking about an electronic payroll system.”Whether a software failure is hyperlocal, as when a medical device fails inside your body, or spread across an entire region, like when an airline’s ticketing system crashes, organizations need to dig into the root causes and apply those lessons to the next device or IT project if they hope to stop history from repeating itself.“Software is as significant as electricity,” Charette says. “We would never put up with electricity going out every other day, but we sure as hell have no problem accepting AWS going down or telcos or banks going out.” He lets out a heavy sigh worthy of A.A. Milne’s Eeyore. “People just kind of shrug their shoulders.”

يسلط روبرت ن. شاريت، محلل المخاطر المعروف، الضوء على المشكلة المستمرة لفشل البرمجيات في مناقشاته، مؤكدًا على التفكير الوهمي السائد بين محترفي تكنولوجيا المعلومات والتنفيذيين. تكشف رؤاه، المستمدة من عقود من الخبرة، أنه على الرغم من الاستثمارات الكبيرة، لا تزال صناعة البرمجيات تواجه فشلاً كبيرًا، كما يتضح من نظام دفع الرواتب في كندا ومشاريع بارزة أخرى.

Robert N. Charette, un reconocido analista de riesgos, destaca el problema persistente de los fracasos de software en sus discusiones, enfatizando el pensamiento ilusorio que prevalece entre los profesionales de TI y los ejecutivos. Sus ideas, extraídas de décadas de experiencia, revelan que a pesar de las inversiones significativas, la industria del software sigue lidiando con grandes fracasos, como lo demuestra el sistema de nómina Phoenix del gobierno canadiense y otros proyectos de alto perfil.

Robert N. Charette, un analyste des risques de renom, met en lumière le problème persistant des échecs logiciels dans ses discussions, soulignant la pensée illusoire répandue parmi les professionnels de l'informatique et les dirigeants. Ses réflexions, tirées de décennies d'expérience, révèlent qu'en dépit d'investissements significatifs, l'industrie du logiciel continue de lutter contre d'importants échecs, comme en témoigne le système de paie Phoenix du gouvernement canadien et d'autres projets de grande envergure.

Robert N. Charette, a prominent risk analyst, highlights the persistent issue of software failures in his discussions, emphasizing the delusional thinking prevalent among IT professionals and executives. His insights, drawn from decades of experience, reveal that despite significant investments, the software industry continues to grapple with major failures, as evidenced by the Canadian government's Phoenix paycheck system and other high-profile projects.

IEEE President’s Note: Engineering With Purpose

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