Meet the 2027 Vice President Candidates
All Candidate Names are listed in Random Order.
The opinions expressed in the statements are those of the individual candidates and do not necessarily reflect Computer Society positions or policies.
Takako Hashimoto
Position statement
If elected as Vice President of the IEEE Computer Society, I will focus on four priorities: strengthening AI-enabled education, conference quality, student engagement, and collaboration across IEEE communities.
We stand at a defining moment. AI and digital transformation are reshaping computing and society alike. The Computer Society must lead—not only technically, but as a global community ensuring these technologies serve humanity.
Priority 1: AI-Enabled Education and Global Talent Development
Through international programs, including initiatives with IIT Hyderabad, I have helped connect students with real-world computing challenges. As VP, I will create structured pathways linking our conferences, publications, and technical communities so students and early-career professionals can actively contribute, not just attend.
Priority 2: High-Quality, Transparent, and Sustainable Conferences
Conferences define our Society’s reputation. I will establish clear governance frameworks and best practices that protect technical excellence, improve author and reviewer experiences, and ensure long-term sustainability.
Priority 3: Student and Early-Career Engagement
As IEEE Region 10 Director, I have seen firsthand how rapidly growing student communities bring energy and future potential—alongside real challenges in quality and continuity. I will prioritize structured communication, mentorship, and leadership development so that enthusiasm translates into lasting engagement with the Computer Society.
Priority 4: Deeper Collaboration Across Sections, Chapters, and Societies
Too often, Regions, Sections, Chapters, and Societies operate in parallel rather than in partnership. I will align activities, share resources, and strengthen collaboration across IEEE organizational units, while supporting regional realignment with continuity, inclusiveness, and equitable access.
The IEEE Computer Society should be a professional home where computing professionals at every career stage, everywhere in the world, are equipped to shape technology’s future.
I look forward to working with our members to make that vision a reality.
Biography
Takako Hashimoto is Deputy to the President and Professor at Chiba University of Commerce, Japan, and Research Fellow at The University of Tokyo. Her research focuses on data mining, social media analytics, social network analysis, and artificial intelligence applied to large-scale societal data.
She currently serves as IEEE Region 10 Director (2025–2026), representing IEEE’s largest and fastest-growing region across Asia and Pacific. She works with volunteers, societies, and IEEE leadership to strengthen professional communities and promote collaboration. She also serves on the IEEE Board of Directors through Audit, Finance, and Honorary Membership committees.
She previously served as an elected member of the IEEE Computer Society Board of Governors (2021–2023), committed to strengthening connections between technical communities and geographic units while expanding opportunities for students and young professionals.
A strong advocate for global education, she has led collaborative programs integrating AI, data science, and interdisciplinary problem solving, including collaborations with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and other international partners, bringing students together to address real-world challenges through computing and global teamwork.
Outside IEEE, she is an Associate Member of the Science Council of Japan and a Fellow of the Information Processing Society of Japan. She has contributed to national initiatives with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
Dr. Hashimoto holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from the Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba (2005). She has been recognized with the IEEE MGA Larry K. Wilson Transnational Award (2019), the IEEE Women in Engineering Outstanding Volunteer Award (2019), and the IEEE Computer Society Golden Core Member Award (2021).
She is dedicated to advancing computing technologies, strengthening global collaboration, and fostering the next generation of computing professionals.
Website: https://takako.info/index-en/
Nils Aschenbruck
Position statement
The IEEE Computer Society (CS) is one of the leading societies in computing today, built on the hard work and dedication of its members. For over two decades, I have proudly participated in and co-organized CS-sponsored events. These events have been a constant source of inspiration for me — providing invaluable feedback on my research, sparking new ideas, and connecting me with brilliant colleagues from all over the world. It has been a profound honor to serve in various leadership roles to ensure the Computer Society provides these same transformative experiences to all its members.
The mid- and long-term success of the Computer Society relies on our ability to continuously deliver value to our members. By driving technological advancement alongside our strategic partners, we can fulfill our mission on shaping, empowering, and guiding the future enabling new opportunities to better serve our world.
If elected, I will leverage my extensive IEEE CS experience — as a past Vice President, Second Vice President, and Board of Governors member — to accomplish the following objectives:
(1) Advance the State of Knowledge: Maintain and enhance the exceptional scientific quality of our sponsored events, publications, and educational resources.
(2) Strengthen Strategic Partnerships: Deepen our collaborations with industry and academic partners to foster technological innovation that solves real-world problems.
(3) Pioneer New Frontiers: Identify and explore emerging technical domains while maintaining rigorous integrity and addressing ethical implications.
(4) Broaden Participation: Provide equal chances for each member, including measures to improve diversity and inclusion.
(5) Bridge the Gaps: Ensure that our various areas operation jointly fulfill our global mission.
Biography
Nils Aschenbruck is a Full Professor of Computer Science at Osnabrück University, Germany. His research focuses on dependable and robust networked systems, including scenario modeling, traffic engineering, and network security. Dr. Aschenbruck has received over 35 external grants from both government funding agencies and industry, totaling over €6 million in external funding. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and conference proceedings.
Dr. Aschenbruck has served as a grant reviewer for national and international organizations, including the Humboldt Foundation, DFG, BMBF, and NATO. Within the IEEE Computer Society, he served as Chair of the Technical Committee on Computer Communications (TCCC) from 2013 to 2017, Chair of the Technical Activities Committee (TAC) from 2016 to 2017. He was elected as a member of the Board of Governors in 2020 and 2023. He was elected as a member of the Executive Committee serving as the 2nd Vice President in 2024 and Vice President in 2025. He is a Steering Committee member of IEEE-LCN, IEEE-IPCCC, and ACM/IEEE SenSys.
Dr. Aschenbruck received his Diploma (Master’s equivalent) and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Bonn University, Germany, in 2003 and 2008, respectively. He subsequently continued at Bonn University as a senior researcher and Head of the “Tactical Wireless Multi-Hop Networks” research area within the Communication Systems Group. In spring 2010, he spent a term as a visiting scholar at the Colorado School of Mines, USA, co-funded by the DAAD. Since 2012, he has held a full professorship in Distributed Systems at Osnabrück University, endowed by the HARTING Technology Group. He served as the Head of the Computer Science Department and a member of the Dean’s Council from 2017 to March 2026.