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In the shoes of Daniel Daems, new president of the Belgian mirror TC 48B and TC 215

29.04.2021

At the latest SMB-meeting, held on the 15th of February, Daniel Daems was endorsed as new president of the Belgian mirror TC’s 48B and 215. The scope of the TC 48B is to prepare standards for electrical connectors and connecting devices, for electrical connector test methods and for solderless connection technologies. The scope of the TC215 is to prepare standards in the field of electrotechnical aspects of telecommunication equipment and associated infrastructures and liaise with other standardization bodies as appropriate. - To prepare harmonized standards (EN, TS or TR) covering all aspects of generic and application-specific telecommunications cabling (e.g. ISDN, LAN and others) within all types of premises.

Daniel's professional side…

Daniel received his master’s degree in electro-mechanical engineering at the VUB (University of Brussels) in 1982. For more than 35 years he was and still is involved in optical fiber technology.

Today he is Engineering Fellow in optical fiber technology and global standards at CommScope. His specialties are: Product development of optical fiber and cable interconnection products (splice protectors, closures, optical distribution frames, fiber management systems). Scouting and integration of fiber optic technology (fiber, cable, connectors, components, and testing) in modules that fit in these optical interconnection products.

Daniel was chairman of IEC SC86B from 2009 till 2018. Today he is an active member in IEC SC86B, SC48B, SC48D, ITU-T SG15 and CENELEC TC86BXA.

Daniel Daems 1

The man behind the president in a few questions…

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
I really have problems to start reading a book and I even cannot remember the last one that I have read. But a book that I really enjoyed reading when I was young was “Waren de goden kosmonauten?” van Erich von Däniken. I often think about it when travelling around the world and visiting places that were mentioned in this book.

2. What animal would you consider your spirit animal?
I assume a cat. I remain silent, observe, prepare a plan and come in action when the moment is right. Besides that, I take (power) naps on the sofa.

3. What’s your favorite food?
Lobster (In fact all kinds of seafood).

4. What’s your favorite movie?
The Matrix.

5. Who inspires you?
The person who inspired me the most was my father. He taught me the skills of making electrical installations and supported my interest in electronics. Other people in my professional life like Professor Jean Renneboog (VUB) and John Nolf (Director R&D Raychem) inspired me by the way they approached technical problems and their working methodology. Many of the skills I learned from them I still use today.

6. Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
I have not much time at this moment for hobbies. I love to travel and to work in the garden. When I was young, my hobby was to collect insects. Today I regret that I killed so many beautiful butterflies for that collection…

7. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
When I was studying, I wanted to use my engineering skills in the medical world. I received a master’s degree in biomedical and clinical engineering, but one article about measuring the oxygen level in blood by optical fiber pushed me into the telecom world.

8. What’s your biggest fear?
Losing my physical and mental abilities by getting old or sick.

9. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
I get most satisfaction by the compliments from people (family, friends, customers) for the help or support that I gave. Professionally I am very proud that I received a key innovator award for creating optical cable connection products that I find back on many places all over the world when I am travelling.

10. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
My goal was to become an electronics engineer… and I succeeded!