On December 5, 2022, the ComSoc Panama chapter received the 2022 Chapter Achievement Award (CAA) from IEEE ComSoc for the Latin America Region (R9), acknowledging Chapter activities throughout 2021. Upon receiving the CAA, the ComSoc Panama chapter was also granted with the 2022 ComSoc Chapter of the Year Award (CoYA), which honors the highest ranked ComSoc chapter among the Regional Chapter Achievement Award recipients. Dr. Yessica Sáez was present at the ComSoc Awards Luncheon held within Globecom 2022, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she accepted both awards on behalf of the ComSoc Panama chapter.

Dr. Sáez mentioned that the ComSoc Panama chapter feels honored to receive these awards and that both awards belong to all the ComSoc Panama volunteers, the IEEE Panama section, and the entire technical community of Panama.

During 2021, ComSoc Panama actively promoted the presentation and exchange of information among its members and the technical community in the country. The chapter organized discussion panels, technical dinners, workshops, webinars, and hosted two virtual DLTs. The pandemic was not an impediment for restructuring the format of the activities and the chapter carried them out virtually and free of charge. An activity that this chapter can highlight that had a great impact on the recruitment of members was ComSoc Panama Awards for Outstanding Telecommunications Professionals in Panama during COVID-19, to distinguish Panamanians, both young and those more experienced, who made outstanding contributions in the field of telecommunications in relation to COVID-19 during 2020. Another important activity was the creation of the Awards to “The Best Three Telecommunications-related Projects of the National Jornada de Iniciación Científica (JIC) 2021”. The JIC is an initiative that seeks to promote research among undergraduate students at the national level. It is based on the professor guiding a research project related to the course he/she is teaching. It is important to mention that these two awards were carried out thanks to the funds received during the regular 1Q 2020 and the Special 4Q 2020 Chapter Funding Program. These awards helped the chapter to have a better engagement to both the professional and student community and helped to strengthen ties of collaboration and support with companies and public and private institutions...

Also, virtuality was used to promote discounts on ComSoc memberships on social networks. As a result of this and many other efforts, the membership grew by 59.61% compared to 2020. Something that can be highlighted from these data is that graduate student member also grew exponentially. Also, undergraduate student membership grew by an astonishing 94%. Regarding professional membership, the percentage of growth was 42.1% and that of senior members grew by 33%.

ComSoc Panama chapter also organized many collaborative events with other societies and affinity groups, including YP, PES, and WIE. The ComSoc Panama’s chair participated of the Regional Chapter Chairs Congress 2021, where the chapter achievements, activities, challenges, and plans for 2022 were presented. The chapter also attended the monthly Executive Meeting of the IEEE Panama section, and the chapter chair and treasurer are also member of the Board of Directors of ComSoc Latin America. ComSoc Panamá has at least one formal meetings per month and informal meetings every week. Other information supporting the chapter’s exceptional achievements are the following:

• IEEE ComSoc Young Professional (YP)- Latin America Regionl 2021. (Yessica Sáez)

• IEEE Panamá Section Oustanding Chapter of the Year 2021.

• IEEE Panamá Section Manuel López Spla to Oustanding Volunteer (Yessica Sáez)