Wednesday, 25 February
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
12:05-12:15 P.M.
Welcome from Jim Jefferies, 2026 IEEE-HKN President
12:15-1:05 P.M.
KEYNOTE: Entrepreneurship: Concept to Commercialization with John Cioffi
Successful wide use of innovation requires significant effort well above the research and development required to develop new ideas into commercial promise. This talk relates the author’s experiences in broadband internet access and advances to continuing wide expanding commercial use over the past few decades. Attempts are made to generalize the experience into a few suggestions that may prove helpful to others considering such endeavors, particularly those emanating from an academic origin but entering commercialization through a small company’s founding.
1:15 – 2:50 PM
The Confidence Kit with Melody Richardson and LaRhonda Julien
From crafting a strong elevator pitch to navigating job fairs and following up with confidence, this session gives you the tools to communicate who you are, what you bring, and where you’re headed. Learn simple, repeatable strategies you can use immediately—whether you’re introducing yourself, meeting recruiters, or taking your next step forward.
3:00 – 3:50 PM
Adding Value in an AI-Powered World (or What Gregorian Monks and Modern Engineers Have In Common) with Barry Tilton and Dave Bart
Work has been revolutionized throughout history. The printing press replaced scribes. Digital computers replaced human calculators. Word processing replaced typists. Yet with each revolution, new opportunities to add value arose. Hear from professionals who see AI being incorporated into engineering workflows, and learn strategies for adding value and managing your career.
4:00 – 4:50 P.M.
Career Acceleration at the Intersection of Tech and Law with Matthew Weirich
Intellectual property (IP) law plays a critical role in transforming engineering innovation into real-world impact, yet many engineers are unfamiliar with how this field operates or how they can enter it. In this talk, a patent agent from Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP will share a personal pathway into IP law and provide a clear, engineer-focused overview of the profession. The session will introduce the fundamentals of IP law, including patent prosecution versus litigation, and explain the variety of roles available to engineers—both with and without a law degree. Attendees will learn how technical backgrounds are leveraged in legal practice, what day-to-day work looks like, and the skills that translate well from engineering to IP law. The talk will also highlight the benefits of an IP law career, including its fast-paced nature, intellectual challenge, and strong compensation potential. This session is designed to help engineers and engineering students evaluate IP law as a viable and rewarding career path at the intersection of technology, business, and law.
5:00 – 6:00 P.M.
CAREER LABS
Get up close and personal with these exclusive networking sessions that give you the opportunity to speak directly with industry professionals on a variety of topics including: Resume Reviews, Practice Your Interview Skills, Working Remotely, Leveraging Internships/Co-op, New Grad. Schools Program, etc. Join one conversation or visit several and build your career toolkit!
WEDNESDAY CAREER LABS INCLUDE:
Resume Review
Interview Practice
Pitch Practice
Remote Work
Leaveraging Internship/Co-Ops
Grad School
Thursday, 26 February
9:00 – 9:50 A.M.
CAREER LABS
Get up close and personal with these exclusive networking sessions that give you the opportunity to speak directly with industry professionals on a variety of topics including: Resume Reviews, Practice Your Interview Skills, Working Remotely, Leveraging Internships/Co-op, New Grad. Schools Program, etc. Join one conversation or visit several and build your career toolkit!
THURSDAY CAREER LABS INCLUDE:
Resume Review
Volunteering with HKN
Mapping Your Career
New Careers
Pitch Practice
10:00 A.M. – 10:10 A.M.
Welcome
10:15 A.M. – 11:05 A.M.
Surviving Corporate America 101 with Logan Wilcox and Christian Winingar
Learn about the transition from college to industry from HKN alumni. Panelists will share insights on best practices and how to navigate the transition from college student to young professional. They will share personal stories, lessons learned, and general advice to equip attendees with practical advice on how to enter the next chapter of their career journey.
11:15 – 12:05 P.M.
From Passion to Profession: How Technical Hobbies Propel Career Growth with Daniel Smith
Engineers often tinker with technical projects at home, such as home automation, car restoration, or amateur radio. The skills honed by such hobbies can often be used professionally. This session presents a first-hand account of how pet projects can shape a career and lead to unexpected opportunities.
1:15 P.M. – 2:50
Exposition Time
Dedicated time to visit our sponsors virtual booths to learn of their unique opportunities and to increase your professional contacts.
3:00 – 3:50 P.M.
Career Paths in Quantum Technology with Nate Gostin
This section will discuss the emerging and maturing aspects of quantum technologies such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum networking. We’ll talk about how we can apply these technologies to achieve measurable gains in the various fields in which we work. We will be specifically diving into what skills you can develop now to help you on your path to a career in quantum technologies, as well as the various career paths that exist within the field.
4:00 – 4:50 P.M.
Session 4
Friday, 27 February
9:45 A.M. – 9:55 A.M.
Welcome
10:00 – 10:50 A.M.
The New Engineering Landscape with Simay Akar Koehler and Katie Brinker
A grounded look at today’s engineering job market—what’s real, what’s noise, and how students can confidently evaluate roles, companies, and early‑career paths. Panelists will unpack how engineering work is shifting with AI, hybrid collaboration, and new expectations, and highlight a range of emerging and alternative careers students may not have explored.
11:00 A.M. – 11:50 A.M.
Smaller can be Better: Small Business Opportunities for Engineers with Matt Scott, Ravikiran Annaswamy, Andre Bisso, Matt Francis, moderated by Celia Desmond
While large engineering firms often dominate headlines and job searches, small businesses and startups offer unique and rewarding career paths. Join a panel of engineers from several small companies as they share their journeys, what drew them to these lesser-known organizations, and the surprising benefits they’ve uncovered along the way. Discover how smaller workplaces can lead to big opportunities for growth, learning, and innovation.
12:00 – 12:50 P.M.
KEYNOTE: The Evolution of Modern Communication: Inspiration and Vision for the Future with Victor B. Lawrence
Dr. Victor B. Lawrence, recipient of the Radio Club of America Lifetime Achievement Award, and recently the White House National Medal of Technology and Innovation, will share his reflections on the evolution of modern communication and his vision for a future where technology continues to unite and uplift humanity.
Drawing from his pioneering career at Bell Labs and Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Lawrence will discuss the remarkable innovations that transformed the field from analog to digital communication, the development of digital signal processing and modems that opened the path to the Internet era, and the advancement of global connectivity through submarine cable systems. He will also explore his leadership in standards, innovation, and humanitarian initiatives connecting the unconnected that extended communication access to developing regions, particularly across Africa, and his work on transforming accessibility for everyone including advancing lifelong STEM education for the blind, those with hearing loss, and mobility challenged carrying on the traditions of Alexander Graham and Mabel Bell in this, the 150th Anniversary Year of the Alexander Graham Bell Patent for the Telephone, with Lewis H Latimer, Patent Draftsman. The impact of that one patent ignited a technological legacy whose impact extends far beyond any single invention or narrative. The companies founded by Bell, and the diverse technologies developed within them, have profoundly shaped the modern world, guided by an enduring commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
Through stories of research breakthroughs, collaboration, and mentorship, Dr. Lawrence will highlight how inspiration, persistence, and teamwork have driven progress in telecommunications — from high-definition television and secure communications to today’s interconnected digital world to the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (XR), and Quantum Communication.
With his characteristic humility and forward-looking perspective, Dr. Lawrence will close by reflecting on the next generation of innovators and the vital role of engineering in building a more inclusive, connected, and hopeful world.
1:00 – 1:50 P.M.
HKN GradLab: From the Labbook to the Rulebook: Exploring Careers in Policy with Adam Navara, Joe Greene, and Mariel Borowitz
HKN’s GradLab returns to demystify non-traditional paths engineers take post-graduation to highlight avenues post-grads follow to influence technology. With Pathways to Industry, we will hold a special panel entitled From the Labbook to the Rulebook: Exploring Careers in Policy to discuss with professionals spanning high visibility fields to learn how their technical training shapes standards and regulations to promote the ethical growth of technology. This session will investigate:
*what these careers look like in practice,
*how graduate training translates into insight,
*and how students can prepare for these roles while fostering their technical foundation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about your next career inspiration!
2:00 – 2:50 P.M.
Networking
