Sessions

Wednesday Sessions

All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time

12:05 P.M. – 12:10 P.M.

Welcome from Sean Bentley, 2025 IEEE-HKN President

12:15 P.M. – 1:05 P.M.

KEYNOTE- Pixar and Beyond! Creativity, Technology, & RenderMan – with Dylan Sisson

Step into the world of Pixar with Dylan Sisson as he explores the intersection of creativity and technology in computer graphics. Discover how Pixar’s key innovations, such as Pixar’s core rendering technology, RenderMan, have shaped the world of animation and visual effects. Through case studies from Pixar, Dylan will explore the latest advances in rendering technologies and how they open new horizons for digital imagery. This talk will illuminate the future of digital creativity in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

3:00 P.M. – 3:50 P.M.

Integrating AI into Engineering Education – Preparing Students for the Future – with Candice Bauer, Ann-Marie Vollstedt, Gabrielle Bachand, Ryan Schoenfeld, Erin Keith, Jamie Gutual, and Kelly Keselica

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape our educational institutions and industries, engineering educators face the critical challenges of equipping students with the skills, tools, and ethical frameworks necessary to navigate an AI-driven world. This panel session, featuring engineering faculty from the University of Nevada, Reno, will explore how AI is being integrated into their classrooms and how faculty members can help prepare students for careers where AI plays an increasingly significant role. This session will offer valuable insights for students, educators, and professionals, providing a roadmap for leveraging AI responsibly in engineering and beyond. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping education, research, and industry, and how they can prepare for an AI-driven future with both confidence and integrity.

The discussion will center around three key questions: 1) AI in the Curriculum: How are educators embedding AI into engineering curricula to ensure students gain both technical expertise and critical thinking skills? 2)AI Skills & Career Readiness: What specific skills and tools should students focus on to successfully integrate AI into their future careers? 3) Ethics & Governance in AI: From the classroom to the boardroom, how can individuals and organizations ensure that AI is developed, used, and governed responsibly?

4:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.

IEEE Resources for Young Professionals with Robby Robson, Saaveethya Sivakumar, Matt Scott, and Wrick Talukdar

This session will introduce the work that the IEEE Industry Engagement Committee (IEC) in collaboration with IEEE Young Professionals is undertaking to provide pathways into industry for IEEE Young Professionals (IEEE members within 15 years of their first degree). The focus will be on AI-enabled offerings, including a Career Guidance Counselor that leverages IEEE resources and a platform that transforms highly technical papers into shorter industry versions that are appropriate for practitioners. This will be an interactive session with ample time for feedback and discussion.

5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

Networking & Resume Review

Learn from industry experts how to best characterize your skills and experience to land you a perfect job. This small group session will include best practices to stand out among your peers, what resume mistakes to avoid, job search strategies, and individualized advice to help you launch you into your dream career.

Thursday Sessions

All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time

9:00 A.M. – 9:50 A.M.

Networking – Table Topics

Join in small group discussions with IEEE-HKN leaders on topics such as starting and sustaining Chapters, grad students issues, student activities, and the Ask Me Anything tables!

10:00 A.M. – 10:05 A.M.

Welcome from Ryan Bales, 2025 IEEE-HKN Past President

10:15 A.M. – 11:05 A.M.

Build Meaningful Industry Connections with ComSoc Connector – with Regan Pickett, Jeff Egan

Learn about ComSoc Connector and its ability to enter professional profiles so that ComSoc Corporate Partners (Industry) can access the information for collaboration/recruitment. This will be followed by a Q&A session between ReganPickett and Jeff Egan, Principal Recruiter with Amazon who will highlight what industry partners are looking for when hiring in the tech sector.

11:15 A.M. – 12:05 P.M.

What I Wish I had Known When I was Younger – with Nehad El-Sherif

A reflection on his professional journey, highlighting the challenges he encountered while moving from undergraduate to graduate studies and then embarking on a career in the industry. Throughout the talk, he will share some of the significant peaks and troughs of his career, underscoring a few of the key lessons learned along the way. You will leave the audience with food for thought on nurturing yourpersonal and professional development.

12:15 P.M. – 1:05 P.M.

KEYNOTE- Engineer Your Career – with Wendy Anderson Cocke

“Ask for what you want” is the advice people usually get when it comes to succeeding in the corporate world, but that’s only half the advice, and why most people fail at getting what they want. The other half is phrasing your needs in a way that gives your company what they need. It’s not as tricky as it sounds if you are willing to put on your business hat while you are thinking about yourself. As an employee, you can improve your odds of success by bringing the business case with you to the first and every subsequent discussion.

1:15 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.

Expo Booths and Recruitment Fair

Dedicated time to visit our sponsors virtual booths to learn of their unique opportunities and to increase your professional contacts.

3:00 P.M – 3:50 P.M.

Unlocking Innovation: Navigating the World of Intellectual Property and Patents – with Lance Sherlock

Join us as we delve into the fascinating realm of intellectual property, exploring the various types and their significance in today’s innovative landscape. Discover the personal journey and best practices of one of Deere’s most prolific inventors as we uncover the secrets to successful innovation. Gain valuable insights and inspiration to ignite your own creative spark and navigate the intricate world of patents with confidence.

4:00 P.M. – 4:50 P.M.

Industry vs. Academia: Which is right for you? – with Lina Karam, Rabab Ward, Jason Yao, Bruce Strauss, and Glen Abousleman

Join us for an engaging panel session, “Industry vs. Academia,” where we will dive into the crucial decision that many engineers face: choosing between a career in industry or academia. For some, this decision may be clear-cut, but for many, it’s a tough choice with plenty of doubts and confusion. If you’ve been grappling with the question of what path to take after your education, you’re not alone – this discussion is for you!