Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Hosts 41st National Conference In Kansas City, MO November 1-5, 2017
Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) October 05, 2017 -- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), a national organization representing professional engineers in the Hispanic community, will host the 2017 SHPE National Conference, the nation’s largest gathering of Hispanic student and professional STEM talent in the nation.
More than 6,000 professionals, students, and industry leaders will gather in Kansas City, MO at the Kansas City Convention Center, November 1-5, 2017 for four days of networking, workshops, guest speakers, award ceremonies, and competitions under the theme of Illuminate & Innovate, inspired by the night lights and lively bustle of Kansas City, and the increasing recognition of the role Hispanics play as part of America's 21st century economy.
“According to the Census Bureau, Hispanics in the U.S. represent 15% of the workforce, but only 8% of the STEM workforce. SHPE’s mission is to improve on those numbers and to empower Hispanics as leading innovators, scientists, mathematicians and engineers,” said SHPE CEO, Raquel Tamez. “The SHPE National Conference is our chance each year to renew that mission and engage with the membership we serve to ensure progress is made. Students and professionals from around the country come together to create opportunities for their careers. This year’s attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders from some of the largest STEM employers in the world, learn from some of the brightest minds in the field, and test their skills alongside their colleagues.”
Attendees will have the chance to interact with over 200 exhibitors actively recruiting over five days packed with professional development and networking opportunities, including:
Career Fair & Graduate School Expo
The SHPE Career Fair & Graduate School Expo is the largest Hispanic-focused STEM career fair in the world, providing Hispanic students and professionals with the opportunity to meet representatives from sponsoring corporations, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and graduate schools to learn about the latest technologies and career options in STEM fields.
Competitions
The National Conference competitions offer undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to showcase their talents to recruiters and peers. This year’s competitions include the Hackathon, Extreme Engineering Challenge, MAES Intern Tournament, and the Nissan Design Competition where participants will compete for the $10,000 grand prize and an internship at Nissan Motor Company.
Pre-College Program
The Pre-College Program brings middle and high school students for a day and a half of STEM engagement and awareness. This event will feature several hands-on activities presented by professional SHPE committee members and corporate sponsors. Furthermore, students can participate in workshops in various STEM subjects and gain exposure to STEM degrees and careers.
Graduate Institute
The Graduate Institute offers a series of workshops for current and prospective graduate students to learn more about how to succeed within their graduate school program, recommendations for securing post-graduate placements, and advice for those considering graduate school as their next step, including what to expect and how to choose a program.
Professional Summit
SHPE offers offers a 3-day career development workshop track for its professional members including Project Management Bootcamp, Presenting Outside the Box, Charting Your Career, and the Entrepreneurship Session. Attendees take new skills back to their workplaces, making them more valuable employees and more effective leaders in their organizations and communities.
Distinguished Lecture Series
This year’s Distinguished Lecture series includes:
~ “Window to the Brain: What should we be looking for, literally and metaphorically?” presented by Prof. Guillermo Aguilar (University of California, Riverside)
~ “Graphene: The thinnest, strongest and fastest” from Prof. Oscar Vazquez-Mena (University of California, San Diego)
~ “Advances in Catalysis for Air Quality Engineering” from Prof. Jean Andino (Arizona State University)
~ “High-Speed Acoustic Bridge Deck Scanning: A Journey” from Prof. Brian Mazzeo (Brigham Young University).
Empowering Latinas in STEM Program
One of the most popular conference tracks is the one put on by the SHPEtinas - and this year will be no different with their theme of Finding Your Super Powers. Aimed at female STEM students and professionals, the workshops include: Cracking the Work-Life Balance Conundrum, Leveraging your Latina Spark - A Male Perspective, 5 Super Latina STEM Leaders - Where Are They Now, Unlock Your Super Powers, Leadership: Your Hidden Superpower, and Next Generation Engineers. Presented by The Boeing Company and Exxon Mobil Corporation.
STAR Awards
Exclusive to SHPE's conference is the STAR Awards Gala, which recognizes key individuals and corporations who have contributed significantly to support Hispanics in STEM. The full list of honorees can be viewed here – https://shpeconference.shpe.org/star/. Presented by John Deere.
Faculty Development Institute
The SHPE Faculty Development Institute aims to help mentor and support pre-tenure engineering faculty for success in the engineering professoriate. This one-day workshop designed to provide skills and resources needed to obtain tenure and successfully transition to tenured faculty appointments. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
New this year, the 2017 SHPE National Conference will be joined by MAES – Latinos in Science and Engineering, as a joint collaboration of the two organizations in their efforts to promote Hispanic students and professionals in STEM fields. This unique collaboration offers members expanded training and networking opportunities, broader professional development, and a richer overall experience.
To see the full program for the 2017 SHPE National Conference, please visit https://shpeconference.shpe.org.
About SHPE -
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is comprised of a national network of more than 300 chapters. SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support and development. SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, and resources including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM conference in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.
Emily Fonda, Pisco Media Group LLC, http://www.piscomedia.com, +1 310-529-0380, [email protected]
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