Peter Reid, OAM was one of the foundational members of the IEEE Society for Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) Standards Committee, and served as Secretary and Chair of Standards Working Group IEEE P7011 from 2017 – 2024. We are saddened to report on his recent passing, but would like to take the opportunity to highlight his illustrious career and his specific contributions to the IEEE SSIT Standards Committee.
Peter lived in Ballarat, a thriving town in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia, with his wife Dolores. He was dedicated to his adult children Kelle, Leesa and Daniel, his adored grandchildren, and to making the world a better place for them.
Peter was deeply committed to volunteering. He did so both within his local community, for the Australian and the global Engineering community, and across a broad set of organizations dedicated to society, the environment, education, soccer, unionism, and community.
Peter called himself a “greenie engineer.” He had a deep background in Australia’s telecommunications sector as a communications engineer at Telstra and as a lecturer at Federation University–in addition to consulting work. However, it was after retiring from the formal workforce that Peter embraced his ethical values and higher ideals by leading and extensively contributing to various volunteer committees, including six years as Treasurer of Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions (BREAZE). This initiative raised money to install solar panels for community buildings in Ballarat, by assisting students in the Damascus College Sustainable Racing Team to build and race energy efficient racing trikes, and by establishing the Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility with its eco-friendly design. Peter was also a past President of Ballarat Trades & Labour Council and a Fellow of The Institution of Engineers, Australia.
In special recognition of his contributions to the local community, Peter received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.
Commitment and significant contribution to IEEE SSIT Standards Committee
In 2017, Peter identified that he would like to be involved in the initiation of the IEEE SSIT Standards Committee and that the development of its standards was a cause he would like to contribute to. Thus, Peter became one of the founding members and Secretary of the Standards Committee, assuming the role of Chair of the IEEE P7011 Standard for the Process of Identifying and Rating the Trustworthiness of News Sources.
In these roles, Peter injected his dry wit and Aussie sense of humour, as well as his patience and incredible organizational skills, in all that he did. Importantly, he set and maintained the proper protocols and best practices for IEEE Standards proposals and our published work. This had a foundational and tremendous impact on each and every one of the Standards Committee and Working Group volunteers with whom he worked, playing a crucial role in advancing the Society’s mission and enhancing awareness of the social implications of technology. With his unwavering dedication and inspiring leadership, Peter has left a lasting impact on our global members and the entire IEEE community.
Peter was thoughtful, yet diligent, in his representation of the SSIT Standards Committee and its growing importance. He exhibited the ethical practices the Committee represents. His presence inspired all of us to do our best and actively contribute to the knowledge and standards of our Committee. A positive, but humorous, memory was his organization of our Working Group articles to contribute to the SSIT newsletter. He was “relentless” in his assignments and follow-through; you did not dare tell him NO! But as a result, we were all motivated to contribute to the excellent work of our SSIT Committee, as an extension of our various Working Groups, to a wider audience.
Peter was an exceptional individual who made significant contributions to the SSIT Standards Committee and to each of the Working Group projects. His kindness, pragmatism, and responsiveness inspired us all. His energy and spirit, his kind heart and impactful presence will continue to be felt within our SSIT Committee and our projects. We grant his family and friends the strength to cope with his absence.
Authored by Ruth Lewis, Karen Bennet, Deborah Hagar and Arsalan Abtahi
Published by Miriam Cunningham
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