The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE is an international non-profit, professional organization for the advancement of technology related to electricity. It has the most members of any technical professional organization in the world, with more than 365,000 members in around 150 countries.

The IEEE is incorporated in the State of New York, United States. It was formed in 1963 by the merger of the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE, founded 1912) and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE, founded 1884).

IEEE’s Constitution defines the purposes of the organization as “scientific and educational, directed toward the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering, as well as computer science, the allied branches of engineering and the related arts and sciences.”

In pursuing these goals, the IEEE serves as a major publisher of scientific journals and a conference organizer. It is also a leading developer of industrial standards (having developed over 900 active industry standards) in a broad range of disciplines, including electric power and energy, biomedical technology and healthcare, information technology, information assurance, telecommunications, consumer electronics, transportation, aerospace, and nanotechnology. IEEE develops and participates in educational activities such as accreditation of electrical engineering programs in institutes of higher learning. It also sponsors or cosponsors more than 850 international technical conferences each year.

The IEEE consists of 39 societies, organized around specialized technical fields, with more than 300 local organizations that hold regular meetings. In this context, the IEEE Standards Association is in charge of the standardization activities of the IEEE.

There are more than 365,000 IEEE members in over 150 countries around the world. IEEE members are engineers, scientists and allied professionals whose technical interests are rooted in electrical and computer sciences, engineering and related disciplines. The highest grade of membership – IEEE fellow – is attained through nomination by peers and approval by the IEEE Board of Directors for distinction in the profession.