Associations

 

Professional Associations

Leadership and member of professional associations include:

IEEE SMCS Enterprise Architecture and Engineering Technical Committee (TC): TC Chair

Prof Aurona Gerber and Alta van der Merwe have proposed a new IEEE SMCS TC on Enterprise Architecture and Engineering. The purpose of this TC is to enhance the field of Enterprise Architecture and Engineering. Prof Gerber and Van der Merwe acts as TC chairs for this TC.

IEEE Systems, Man & Cybernetics Society (SMCS) Chapter, IEEE South African Section

The IEEE South Africa Section saw an increased number of activities relating to technical committees (TCs) associated with IEEE SMCS, the activities were somewhat different to those fostered by the IEEE Computer Society Chapter (IEEE South Africa Section). In view of the increased number of activities, I discussed the options with the 2009 IEEE South Africa Section president, Dr Saurabh Sinha, and with his help started the process to form an independent SMCS chapter in 2009. The approach was sanctioned by IEEE MGA a few weeks later, due to an accelerated appraisal received from the SMCS President and the 2009/2010 IEEE Region 8 Director.

In 2009 the new IEEE SMCS Executive Committee (ExCom) was formed, with four female IEEE elected to serve in leading positions of the Executive Committee. This is a rarity for chapters in the South African Section, which are male dominant. The first selected ExCom consisted of:

      • Chapter Chair: Alta van der Merwe
      • Co-Chair: Aurona Gerber
      • Secretary: Hanlie Smuts
      • Tresurer: Marijke Coetzee

In 2012 the second IEEE SMCS Executive Committee (ExCom) was selected, with the following members elected:

      • Chapter Chair: Aurona Gerber
      • Co-Chair: Jan Mentz
      • Secretary: Alta van der Merwe
      • Tresurer: Sonja Gilliland
Support was also provided by the IEEE SMCS South African ExCom to elevate deserving members to the IEEE Senior Member grade.

Since 2009 the IEEE SMCS Chapter (IEEE South Africa Section) have hosted a numerous talks, including:
      • Presentations by Prof. Bill Gruver, a past SMCS President, a past candidate for IEEE Vice President: Technical Activities, and a distinguished lecturer and leader of IEEE SMCS;
      • A presentation by the world-renowned researcher in Ontologies, Barry Smith;
      • An on-line skype presentation by Hugh Dubberly, well known modelling expert;
      • A series of Systems Engineering talks with speakers such as Dr Jorg Lalk and Duarte Goncalves

Enterprise Architecture Research Forum (EARF)

The idea of an Enterprise Architecture Research Forum was formed in November 2008 over a cup of coffee with Jan Mentz when we discussed the idea of creating a forum that focus on research issues related to Enterprise Architecture. This idea was supported by Prof Paula Kotze, the research group leader of the then Human Factors and Enterprise Engineering (HUFFEE) research group at Meraka, CSIR. Regular meetings were held with participants from academia, research and practitioners. I was the first chair of the forum, and Louw Labuschagne was selected as the new chair in 2011.

From the inception of the group, we have hosted several speakers including: John Zachman, Mauritz Klopper, Howard Hamilton, Len de Villiers, Chris van Zyl, Aurona Gerber, Jan Dietz, Jan Hoogenvorst, Willie Needham, Jorg Lark and Duarte Goncalves.

Journals and Conferences

Involvement in Journals: