The Largest Gathering of Hispanics in STEM! #SHPE2019

The Academic Conference hosts students and faculty at all levels of higher education. Participants include community college students, undergraduate students, graduate students, advisors, and educators in academia. This conference provides participants with the necessary resources and networking opportunities to discover best-practices, find career opportunities, discover funding resources, and address the disparity of Hispanics earning STEM degrees and entering the STEM workforce. Each of our five unique tracks is tailored to address the particular needs of its respective audience as well as highlight innovative teaching and learning.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRACK

SHPE recognizes that Community College needs are unique. Participants are provided with resources specific to community college participants. Sessions include Rapid Change – Personal Roadmap Development with a panel of experts who address questions about what you need to do to go from where you are now to accepting a job and surviving the early years. Learn about recruitment and retention strategies that lead to a targeted recruitment as well as how to build a Chapter retention marketing plan in Rapid Change – Marketing and Retention. Transformational learning opportunities are provided by subject matter experts offer career ideas in the Rapid Change- Dream Big session. Finally learn about the successes of and opportunities for Community College students in the Rapid Change – Unique Opportunities session.

All sessions focus on the distinctive position and needs of community college students and preparing them to function in today’s transformation driven culture.

Highlights are shared on the work with the 50K Coalition to graduate 50 thousand diverse engineering students annually by 2025. Learn how this work is related to your chapter. The work focuses on increasing students who are emotionally, socially, and academically prepared to enter into and successfully complete engineering degree programs with necessary supports and are representative of the diversity of the U.S. population.

UNDERGRADUATE TRACK

The Undergraduate Track provides participants with hands-on learning experiences to help prepare them for a successful transition into the STEM workforce. The track will be organized into interactive sessions that will deepen the undergraduate’s knowledge and understanding of STEM. Participants are offered sessions in key leadership, technical skills, professional career development, cultural awareness, academic excellence, and SHPE chapter development that serve as the foundation for launching their careers. In addition, there will be opportunities to develop and increase interpersonal skills and competencies through engaging professional development.

GRADUATE TRACK

The Graduate Track ensures that current and incoming graduate students are made aware of the vast array of industry and research opportunities. Sessions include effective research techniques, grant writing tips, and enhancing presentation skills. Participants have multiple opportunities to network in order to find postdoctoral positions and learn about funding opportunities to support their research. The Graduate Writing Review Room offers critical support to the participants. Subject matter experts such as National GEM Consortium are joining us to promote the participation and successful graduation of underrepresented minorities at the graduate level in science and engineering. The Conference is kicked off with the Honorary Distinguished Lecture Breakfast.

LGBTQ Track

This track strives to foster connections and to improve understanding of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community. Sessions include:

Coming Out and Crucial Conversations: An Interactive Panel Discussion
Understanding the Scientific and Social Constructs of Gender
How LGBTQ Inclusion and Allyship can Transform STEM Workplaces into Better Spaces for All

And be sure to join us at the networking event on Thursday evening at 7:30!

ADVISORS TRACK

The academic advisor plays a critical role in supporting Hispanic STEM students. This track focuses on developing mentoring skills, empowering advisors’ career development goals, and improving advisor-student interaction. The Advisor Engagement session helps to close gaps and barriers that exist between advisors and students to help build stronger relationships. This track includes the Career Development session which brings valuable topics that aid in the career development goals of advisors and career paths for both faculty and institutional advisors. The Advisor Roundtable session allows advisors to share best-practices and current research to enhance their instructional practices. Highlights are shared of the work with the 50K Coalition to graduate 50,000 diverse engineering students annually by 2025.

ACADEMIA TRACK

For postdoctoral scholars, non-tenured faculty, and deans, the Academia Track is designed to support members’ academic journeys and ensure their successful completion of STEM degrees. Participants gain valuable exposure as they build networks across the universities to share best-practices and innovative resources as well as discover new job opportunities.

Deans Roundtable

The Deans Roundtable is strategically designed for Deans to collectively share national strategies for recruitment and retention of Hispanics in academia. Dr. Theresa Maldonado, Dean & Riter Professor of Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso and Dr. Javier A. Kypuros, Dean & Brazzel Professor of Engineering at The University of Texas at Tyler will lead the learning. There will be multiple networking opportunities with Deans from across the nation. This event is a platform to showcase their respective institution’s work on diversity. Our sponsor the National Security Agency will focus on early career workforce perspective.

The Deans Roundtable is scheduled on Friday, November 1, 2019, from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. Your registration includes breakfast, lunch, and a networking reception. This year’s Deans’ Roundtable agenda topics include: (1) NSA Keynote on How NSA Programs Work with Universities; (2) Industry / Government Panel; (3) Transformation through Transfers: Linking Universities and Community Colleges to Power Hispanic STEM Success; (4) Sarita Brown President from Excelencia in Education along with a panel of universities/colleges recently recognized for supporting diversity; and (5) Academic Partnership Council Launch.

Faculty Development Symposium

We are excited to continue with the 2019 Faculty Development Symposium (FDS), on Thursday, Oct 31st. The FDS workshops are focused on holistic professional development with special guests from the National Science Foundation who focus on funding, teaching strategies, and career planning. Participants will connect with tenured faculty role models from diverse backgrounds to walk away with skills and resources to help obtain and successfully transition to tenured faculty positions. The FDS builds a diverse community of engineering faculty and pre-faculty to promote opportunities for faculty positions, postdoctoral positions, and research collaborations. Annual scholarships to approved applicants in support of housing, travel expenses, and registration will be provided.

Distinguished Lecture Series

Each year, SHPE hosts renowned educators, researchers, scientists, and engineers for its Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS). These professionals are selected for making a significant impact in broadening access in the STEM field for the Hispanic community. Their presentations not only feature cutting-edge research, but also communicate life lessons that inspire greater achievement among the next generation of STEM leaders. The Honorary Lecture takes place during the Graduate Breakfast. The additional DLS include the Graduate Luncheon, Educator of the Year Award, and the Young Investigator Award.