Eta Kappa Nu (ΗΚΝ) or IEEE-HKN is the international honor society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Eta Kappa Nu was founded on October 28, 1904[7][8] as the national honor society for electrical engineering students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Their vision for the honor association combined collegiate engagement with a professional community to aid student and alumni members and to support the general profession.

[9] The first century of Eta Kappa Nu began with two of the founders, Maurice L. Carr and Edmund B. Wheeler, serving as the first and second national presidents, respectively.

The national organization developed prominent awards for outstanding chapters, students, teachers, young professionals, and service in electrical engineering.

[citation needed] The second century of Eta Kappa Nu has a continued emphasis on the original vision, but the program and structure have been modified.

It has formalized a relationship within IEEE as an organizational unit in which ΗΚΝ is now IEEE-HKN[6] and it is governed by a Board of Governors that are elected by the chapters.

As a result of the merger, chapters are being chartered internationally and membership eligibility is expanded to all IEEE fields of interest.

A membership analogy is made in which career success is determined when a balance of scholarship, character, and attitude is achieved.

Collegiate chapter activities, including the member election process, are organized around the recognition of academic accomplishment, the promotion of ethical behavior and volunteer service, and the development of leadership and collaborative skills.

These chapters recognize high scholarship through membership and foster a culture of service and volunteerism within their host departments.

They are noted for student-led engagement with peers, faculty, and industry through tutoring, maker-space management, networking events, etc.

IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu membership is an honor society recognition and is earned through qualification, election, and induction.

IEEE-HKN has an annual awards program to honor accomplishments related to the Eta Kappa Nu vision.

Features relate to the technical, historical, and professional interests of the membership, and other content deals with the activities of the organization.

The history of the magazine dates back to the first publication of Eta Kappa Nu which was a short booklet entitled The Electric Field.

The guiding ideals for membership eligibility of scholarship, character, and attitude have remained unchanged since the early years.