Ten Questions With…Molly McCluskey (sample)

Ten Questions With…is an interview series with the leadership of IEEE Entrepreneurship.

What do you do professionally when you’re not volunteering with IEEE? I’m a journalist, editor, public speaker, entrepreneur and founder of a start-up newsroom.

What do you envision as IEEE Entrepreneurship’s role within IEEE overall? I see IEEE Entrepreneurship being the hub where it happens! Every aspect of the fields IEEE covers has a start-up element to it; I see IEEE Entrepreneurship being incorporated into every Council, Society, conference, and more, whether that be through pitch sessions, mentoring, dedicated sessions/tracks, and more.

Why did you choose to volunteer with IEEE Entrepreneurship? I’m an entrepreneur myself and love working with founders and visionaries seeking pragmatic, field- and market-based solutions.

What has been your most rewarding project to date with IEEE Entrepreneurship? Serving as a judge at the IEEE PES GridEdge conference in San Diego, and seeing firsthand the exciting new companies and projects that will be available in the next few years.

What is one thing you do with IEEE Entrepreneurship that you think could be replicated by other IEEE volunteers/OUs? (This could be a program, workflow, event session topic, or anything!) The manufacturing workshop hosted at RAS took learning from the theoretical to the pragmatic. Attendees walked away with actionable advice.

What advice would you have for new volunteers? Be patient and persistent. It may take a moment to find the right fit where you’ll contribute meaningful and thrive, but it’s there.

What are some of the things you’re looking most forward to?

How/why should people join/get involved? Think outside your comfort zone. There are so many ways to become involved with IEEE, and each offers an opportunity to try or learn something new. Take the chance to really stretch professionally.

Wild card question: What does the future hold? Limitless possibilities.