INCOSE
The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) is an international professional society for systems engineers whose mission is to foster the definition, understanding, and practice of world class systems engineering in industry, academia, and government. INCOSE was formed in 1990 to develop, nurture, and enhance the interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems. Since then, INCOSE has grown dramatically. Today there are over 5,000 member systems engineers, 50 chartered chapters worldwide, and more than 40 Corporate Advisory Board members from government, industry, and academia.
As an INCOSE founding 
chapter
and home to many of the federal departments and independent agencies
acquiring systems for the US Government as well as many leading
high-technology, commercial firms that consider systems engineering
a competitive advantage, the Washington Metropolitan Area
(WMA) Chapter has been a leader in the systems engineering
community. We are the largest chapter with over 380 members. We
are very active and strive to serve our membership by providing
a variety of services and training opportunities. We have monthly
meetings in the Northern Virginia area where we enjoy presentations
on a variety of issues of interest to our membership. In 1993,
the chapter sponsored the second international symposium in Arlington,
Virginia. In 2003, we sponsored the 13th international symposium
in Crystal City, Virginia. Many of the most influential leaders
and thinkers in the systems engineering community participate
in our Chapter. And, so can you!
Our mission is to serve the systems engineering community in Washington, DC and its suburbs. INCOSE is an international professional organization dedicated to advancing the practice of Systems Engineering.
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Benefits of INCOSE Membership
Improve the Practice of Systems Engineering
Many of our members are active on INCOSE technical committees and working groups. As an INCOSE member, you can participate on any of these committees by contacting the technical committee or working group chair.
Our monthly meetings (held the second Tuesday of each month) feature a guest speaker or panel discussion. Read about our next monthly meeting and review the list of past presentations in the WMA on-line library. You'll find included in the past presentations case studies, product discussions, theory, and ways to improve the processes you use.
Many of our companies have had to trim their training budgets. By joining INCOSE and attending the monthly meetings, you can stay current as well as broaden your knowledge of systems engineering. In 1996, we initiated our first tutorials in systems engineering. We now offer between eight and ten tutorials per year. These are all day mini-courses in topics of interest to practicing systems engineers, and address issues ranging from best practices in requirements management to systems engineering tools to enterprise architecture. They are generally held on Saturdays, thus enabling participation by working professionals.
As in any profession, one of the most difficult and complex tasks is to develop your network of associates, people you can turn to for problem solving, sanity checks, and support. At every meeting, we network and dine from 6 to 7 p.m. to give the members an opportunity to renew acquaintances, create new ties, and meet the people who are really practicing good systems engineering.
INCOSE has several products available for systems engineers. These handbooks are products of INCOSE working groups and are available at low cost. The latest publications list with pricing is available on the INCOSE Publications List.
This chapter prides itself on its communications with the membership. We send meeting notices out via our local chapter E-mail list. INCOSE Headquarters announcements are conveniently distributed in the INCOSE quarterly publication, INSIGHT.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter is very active and prides itself in the many endeavors it has undertaken. An organization such as ours relies on the willingness of its membership to put as much effort into it as they receive in return. We enjoy a high membership renewal rate because the members are involved and receive value for their time and money. Consider being part of this thriving organization.
INCOSE Membership Application
INCOSE Washington Metro Area (WMA) Board of Directors:
David Radcliffe, President
Steve Mosier, President-Elect
Jack Welsh,
Past-President
Lindsey Lane, Secretary
Jon Catania, Treasurer
Jim Pearson, Director
Daniel Taliaferro,
Director
Geoff Grogan,
Communications Chair
Courtney Lane,
Membership Chair
Gabriele Belle,
Programs Chair
Gabriele Belle,
Tutorial Chair
Mike Razavi, Webmaster
For more information about the Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter, E-mail our Secretary. Or, contact one of the members of our Board of Directors.
Other Local INCOSE Chapters
- Southern Maryland (Patuxent River, MD)
- Chesapeake (Columbia, MD)
- Central Virginia (Fredericksburg, VA)
- Hampton Roads Area (Hampton Roads, VA)
- George Mason University Student Division
A complete list of INCOSE chapters can be found on the INCOSE web site.
