Topic:Discover Engineering: Encouraging School Students to Pursue Technology Careers
Abstract:Each year Discover Engineering ( https://www.centexeweek.org/ ) recruits engineers as role models from the local engineering community to encourage the children of Central Texas to pursue technology careers. Discover Engineering has been active in STEM outreach in the greater Austin area for over a decade. We look for a diverse group of engineers to visit classrooms and lead hands-on activities that demonstrate teamwork and logical processes while discussing their jobs and their enthusiasm for engineering.  John Purvis will tell us more about the Discover Engineering story, and lead us in a hands-on activity like the ones conducted during school visits.
Speaker:John Purvis III of IEEE Central Texas Division
Email: john.purvis@ieee.org
Speaker’s Bio:John Purvis earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston in 1973 and a MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. He has worked at TRW, Texas Instruments, National Instruments, IBM and HostGator. He has also served on the Computer Sciences faculty at St. Edward’s University.

John has been the author or co-author of over 60 articles, papers or technical presentations. His professional experience spans system engineering, programming, product management, college lecturer and Unix/Linux system management.

He has been a member of IEEE for 48 years and an active volunteer with the Central Texas Section since 2000. He served as IEEE Central Texas Section Chair for 2004-5, as Austin IEEE Computer Society Chapter Chair 2008-9 and is currently on the IEEE Region 5 Executive Committee.

John has also served nearly 10 years on the board of Discover Engineering and on the Board, and is currently Vice President, of the Capital Macintosh User’s Group (CapMac).
Date & Time:Wednesday, February 24, 2015 : networking at 6:00 p.m., business and program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location:PoK-e-Jo’s, 2121 W. Parmer Lane at Lamplight Village, Austin, TX 78727
Map:map
Cost:$5.00 minimum charge for the restaurant. Supper is at optional extra cost.
Reservations:Not required. All interested parties are invited to attend.
Registration: https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38089