Sessions

Saturday Sessions

8:45 A.M. – 9:40 A.M.

Geoscience and Remote Sensing and Our World – with Sidharth Misra from IEEE GRSS

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (IEEE GRSS) is a community of community, in other words, a volunteer group of engineers, scientists who are experts in their fields within geoscience and/or remote sensing.  IEEE GRSS members cover frequencies from microwave to optical, active to passive sensors, oceans to land to planetary, all in pursuit of the benefit of humanity. This talk will focus on how geoscience touches us all. We will cover the amazing discoveries, science, and use coming out of remote sensing and how IEEE GRSS helps foster this.

 Spoiler Alert: Nobody Has It All Figured Out – with Katie Brinker from IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Society, Bruce Strauss from IEEE Council on Superconductivity, and Adam Greenberg from IEEE Solid State Circuit Society

Think you need a perfect plan? Think again. This panel dives into real stories from professionals who faced unexpected twists, changed directions, and found success in the mess. Come for the honesty, stay for the reassurance—you’re not alone in figuring it out as you go.

From Resume to Relationship: Networking That Recruiters Remember with Mary Glavan from Professional Communication Society

You’ve got the skills, the projects, and the resume. Now it’s time to make recruiters remember you. In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to deliver a self-introduction that is more likely to turn a short conversation into a career opportunity. We’ll learn how to research a company effectively, introduce ourselves compellingly, and develop more meaningful networking connections. This is an active learning session, so come ready to practice, get feedback, and have fun. Whether you’re preparing for the expo at this conference or your next career fair, this session will help you navigate networking conversations with more confidence and leave a positive, lasting impression on recruiters. 

Catalyst Conversations: The Value of IEEE Chapters and Societies – with John McDonald


Join IEEE Life Fellow, John McDonald for an honest, practical discussion on the value of IEEE Chapters and Societies. He’ll talk about the concrete benefits: meeting the right people, finding mentors, getting exclusive technical knowledge, and building the leadership skills that open doors. Find out how to get the most out of being an IEEE member.

Join us for a fire-side chat with IEEE Fellow, John McDonald exploring the value that IEEE Chapters and Societies bring to the careers of engineering and technology professionals. In this candid discussion,John will delve into how active participation in these communities can:

This chat will provide insights on maximizing your IEEE membership and leveraging chapters and societies as a lifelong professional home and powerful platform for innovation and collaboration.

9:50 A.M. – 10:40 A.M.

“Building Something for Somebody.” Being a Young Entrepreneur in the Age of AI – with Elliot Soloway from IEEE Computer Society

As you 20-somethings are AI natives, the exploding AI technology presents you with a unique opportunity: solve a problem, create an MVP – Minimally Viable Product – pitch it, garner support, and… the sky’s the limit! Believe in yourself; find a partner or three; believe in the technology; GO!! And when it doesn’t quite work out – try again! NOW is YOUR time!


The Post-Grad Playbook: Skills, Degrees, and Careers – with Carlos Zavala from Qualcomm, Peter Seiler from University of Michigan, and Manuel Castro from IEEE Education Society, Kim Ellwood from Tufts, Drew Lowery IEEE Vice President Elect moderated by John McDonald

Navigating post-graduation options can be overwhelming. “The Post-Grad Playbook” simplifies your choices by breaking down the full menu of opportunities, from master’s programs and professional certificates to specialized industry training, helping you find the format, focus, and flexibility that fits your goals.

Leading as an Engineer: From Technical Contributor to Influencer – with Amy Jones and Daniel Zinnel from John Deere

This session explores the journeys of early-career engineers who have stepped into leadership roles. Through personal stories and practical insights, the session highlights how communication, influence, and decision-making shape the transition from individual contributor to impactful leader—offering students a real-world perspective on engineering leadership paths.

A Year in the Life of an HKN Chapter – with Matteo Alasio

Help chapters in designing their annual activity plans by exploring a sample roadmap that includes key milestones such as inductions, outreach initiatives, and awards. Present useful tools tailored to each stage. Chapters will then build their own timelines and pinpoint areas needing attention.

1:50 P.M. – 2:40 P.M.

What’s Going On In Washington – with Russ Harrison from IEEE-USA

The intersection between technology and government policy has never been more stark.  From research grants to AI regulation, decisions made in Washington affect technology and technologists.  Join IEEE’s top representative in Washington for a discussion about government policy and what we can do about it.

Engineering Intelligence: AI, Computing, and the Future of Innovation – with Al Hero from IEEE Signal Processing Society, Peng Zhang from IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society & Rabab Haider from IEEE Power & Energy Society moderated by Sean Bentley


From smart grids to autonomous systems, the future of engineering is being shaped by artificial intelligence and computing. This forward-looking panel brings together experts from IEEE societies and alongside industry leaders from companies to explore how AI is transforming engineering disciplines, share insights into emerging technologies, and discuss the ethical and societal implications of intelligent systems. 

Rising to the Challenge: Empowering Modern Power Grids to Withstand Extreme Events – with Payman Dehghnanian from IEEE Industry Applications Society

With increasing dependence on electricity for most daily activities and vital services (e.g., transportation, commerce, communications, health care, etc.), an urgent need exists to enhance the resilience of the electricity delivery infrastructure to reduce the impact and risk from natural and human-triggered events. In this talk, I describe how planning and operational strategies can be designed, implemented, and used in practice in coordination with efficient decision-making support tools to achieve an improved survivability and resilience in power grids. The results and findings from four past and ongoing research projects at GW SmartGrid Laboratory around power grid resilience to extreme events (e.g., wildfires) will be presented. The talk also introduces the IEEE IAS society and the variety of resources and professional development opportunities that it offers to students and young professionals.

Beyond the Free Pizza: Communicating the Real Value of Joining HKN – with Serena Canavero and Matteo Alasio

Learn how to recruit effectively, engage your department, and communicate HKN’s value. This hands-on workshop guides you through crafting a winning pitch, practicing real scenarios, and discovering strategies to retain and empower new members.

2:50 P.M. – 3:40 P.M.

Unlock Career Path opportunities with the ComSoc Corporate Program and ComSoc Education – with Regan Pickett and Tara McNally from IEEE Comsoc

Ready to level up your career in communications technology? Join us on an exploration of how the ComSoc Connector and ComSoc Education Programs can help to guide you on your career path.

Meet your typical communications engineering student standing at the crossroads of academic achievement and professional ambition. The student is overwhelmed by the sheer number of career paths: research, industry, entrepreneurship, or further study. That’s where ComSoc Connector and ComSoc Education Programs step in as a compass to navigate the process leading to the perfect opportunity!

Engineering Your Future: Leadership, Innovation, and Impact with Chad Kidder from IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society, Milos Manic from IEEE Industry Electronics Society, and Sean Yang from Qualcomm, moderated by Ryan Bales

Ready to shape the world with your ideas? This panel discussion brings together trailblazers from leading IEEE societies and top companies. Join us to explore how engineers are driving change across industries, communities, and technologies. Panelists will share personal journeys, lessons learned, and actionable insights on leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and leveraging your engineering skills to create meaningful impact.

 Building and Leading a Volunteer Organization – with John McDonald

 People working for a company feel obligated to do what their manager asks them to do, since they are being paid by the company. However, it is different for a volunteer organization, such as the IEEE PES. It is challenging to convince volunteers to do the things you want them to do. First, you must effectively engage with them. Second, you must have a strong value proposition for them. This talk will show you how to build and lead a group of volunteers, based on my 54 years of IEEE membership with many leadership positions on the local, national and international levels.

Chapter Support Grant Workshop – with Sylvie Leal and Michael Benson

Discover how the Chapter Support Grant can empower your HKN chapter to launch impactful initiatives. In this hands-on workshop, students will learn what the Chapter Support Grant Program is, explore the types of activities it can fund, from outreach events to professional development, and walk through the application process step by step. Leave with the tools and confidence to secure funding that fuels your Chapter’s growth.