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Arkansas Section Meeting: Connecting Faculty, Students, and Industry Professionals
September 21, 2024 @ 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
About
Join us on September 21st as we gather industry leaders, professional engineers, engineering faculty, and students from across the state for an IEEE Arkansas Section meeting. Admission is free for students and faculty. Professional engineers will receive one professional development hour (PDH). All proceeds from sponsorships are paid to the Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) of the attending schools. The meeting will be held at the University of Central Arkansas on the first floor of the Conway Corporation Center for Sciences building.
Registration
Meeting registration is handled through IEEE via the following link. Please make reservations by Monday, September 16th so we have an accurate headcount for catering lunch.
Agenda
| Time | Event | Description |
| 8:30 AM | Check-in | |
| 9:00 AM | Welcome to IEEE: Membership Resources for Career Advancement | Brad Gentry, IEEE Arkansas Section Chair, Arkansas Academy of Electrical Engineering President. Discusses the benefits of IEEE membership and how to make the most of its vast resources. Enhance your technical knowledge, build global connections through IEEE’s worldwide network, and take advantage of professional development opportunities that keep you ahead in your career. |
| 9:30 AM | Keynote Address: Engineering Ethics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence | Dr Jesse Butler, Dept of Philosophy & Religious Studies. Eligible for one (1) Professional Development Hour (PDH). |
| 10:30 AM | Career Preparation: Skills and Strategies for Future Engineers | Industry Panel: Provides practical advice for university students on how to prepare for the engineering workforce. Includes the importance of interdisciplinary skills, such as project management, the value of internships and co-op programs, and strategies for building a professional network through mentorship and industry connections. |
| 11:00 AM | Guest Speaker | Stacy Gunderman, Director of Administration at FutureFuel Chemical Company. |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch
Student Resume and Interview Workshop |
Concurrently with lunch, an interactive workshop helps students perfect resumes and sharpen interview skills. Industry professionals and career experts provide insider tips on crafting an impressive resume tailored for engineering roles, while guiding students through mock interviews so they feel confident and prepared. |
| 1:00 PM | NIST Manufacturing USA Initiatives | Brad R. Conrad, PhD discusses collaboration across education and workforce development initiatives for Manufacturing USA and participating U.S. government agencies to expand awareness and engagement with industry stakeholders, educators, workers, and students. |
| 2:00 PM | The Future of Engineering: Harnessing Emerging Technologies | Industry Panel: Discusses how advancements in AI, automation, and renewable energy are reshaping industries in Arkansas. Career opportunities for engineers and the essential skills, such as coding, data analysis, and energy systems, needed to stay competitive in the job market. |
| 2:30 PM | Empowering Tech Entrepreneurs with Game-Changing Resources | Grace Rains, Executive Director at The Conductor, Adjunct Professor UCA. ARISE Arkansas: Provides coaching, consulting, and capital access for tech startups, connecting entrepreneurs with industry networks, subject matter experts, and ecosystem resources to scale their ventures. |
| 3:00 PM | Spectrum Analysis 101 and Campus-wide “Fox Hunt” Sponsored by Keysight Technologies | Keith Dowsett, Solutions Engineer at Keysight Technologies (BSEE + MSEE from Georgia Institute of Technology). The day’s events are capped off with a fun and educational hands-on activity known as a ‘Fox Hunt.’ We will start this session with a presentation on Spectrum Analysis fundamentals and a crash course on using Keysight’s handheld FieldFox Microwave Analyzers. These handheld analyzers will be placed in the hands of small teams of 3 to 5 participants, who will be tasked with searching the UCA campus (within designated limits) for hidden radio/microwave frequency transmitters using direction-finding techniques. This is a practical way for students to learn about RF principles, signal propagation, and the use of radio equipment in a hands-on, competitive environment. |
| 5:00 PM | End |