January 2025

2025 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo Program Feature

Mentorship and Opportunity: Shaping the Future of ECE

This year's ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo promises to be an inspiring showcase of talent and innovation, featuring a strong contingent of student participants who are the future of ECC. Scheduled for March 20-24, 2025, in Norfolk, Virginia, the conference will host undergraduate and graduate students actively engaged in two student programs: the IEC 2to4 Outreach & Networking Workshop and the iREDEFINE Workshop.

Undergraduate Representation through the IEC 2to4 Outreach & Networking Workshop

The Inclusive Engineering Consortium’s 2to4 Outreach & Networking Workshop will bring undergraduates, many from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), to the conference as part of the IEC 2to4 Scholarship Program. Funded by DoDSTEM, this workshop provides hands-on learning opportunities, networking sessions, and industry engagement activities.

At this workshop, students will collaborate with industry professionals and engineering faculty to design outreach activities that bring foundational ECE concepts to life. These activities will be tailored to engage and inspire others in their communities, particularly at the community college level, to explore ECE. By creating simple, hands-on, and replicable projects, participants will gain the tools and confidence to demonstrate the relevance and accessibility of ECE to prospective students. The workshop aims to not only deepen participants’ understanding of ECE concepts but also empower them to serve as ambassadors for the field, encouraging their peers to commit to pursuing careers in ECE. Through this collaborative experience, students will be equipped to make meaningful contributions to their communities while advancing their own academic and professional journeys.

This year's event is particularly exciting, as it is the first time the IEC 2to4 Scholarship recipients will be able to meet in person.  These activities highlight the IEC's commitment to creating pathways for underrepresented groups to succeed in ECE and beyond. The leaders of this program include Dr. Ken Connor (IEC Board Member), Dr. Miguel Velez-Reyes (University of Texas at El Paso), Dr. Bruk Berhane (Florida International University), and Dr. Mohamed Chouikha (Prairie View A&M University).

Graduate Student Engagement through iREDEFINE

The iREDEFINE program, continues its impactful legacy of preparing women and underrepresented minority graduate students for academic careers. We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Agnieszka Miguel (Seattle University) and Dr. Barbara Marino (Loyola Marymount University) on their new NSF funding to establish Inclusive Mentoring Hubs (i2mHubs) as part of the program. This exciting initiative builds on the success of iREDEFINE by creating a sustainable mentoring ecosystem that extends support for students well beyond the conference. By integrating structured mentoring networks that connect graduate students with junior and senior faculty, as well as ECE department heads, the i2mHubs will ensure ongoing guidance throughout students' academic journeys and into their early careers. The program includes early engagement with academic career planning, an intensive in-person workshop at the ECEDHA Annual Conference, and mentorship networks that continue into students' pre-tenure years.

iREDEFINE's workshop at the conference offers dedicated sessions on navigating academia, presenting research, and preparing for job searches, including mock interviews with department heads. These experiences not only demystify academic career paths but also create a professional network critical to success.

A Legacy of Broadening Participation

Both the IEC 2to4 Scholarship Program and iREDEFINE focus on broadening participation in ECE by empowering underrepresented groups to excel academically and professionally. Over the years, iREDEFINE has inspired hundreds of students, creating a ripple effect that strengthens the diversity and inclusivity of the field. This year, the IEC OuWelcoming Students into the ECEDHA Community. The ECEDHA community has a proud history of leadership in mentoring and engaging students. Faculty and department heads enthusiastically participate in mock interviews, poster sessions, and networking activities, providing invaluable guidance to students. We've seen many success stories, with iREDEFINE students being hired by ECE department heads who attended past conferences. This year, the IEC Workshop adds a new dimension, and we are confident that the ECEDHA community will extend the same warm welcome to IEC 2to4 students. The mission of this workshop is to encourage students to connect with the broader ECE community beyond their home institutions, and we deeply appreciate the mentorship and guidance offered by ECEDHA members to help these students thrive.

For those interested in supporting these initiatives:

To get involved with iREDEFINE, contact Dr. Agnieszka Miguel at amiguel@seattleu.edu.

For the IEC 2to4 Outreach & Networking Workshop, reach out to Ken Connor at kconnor@iec.org.

Join us in Norfolk this March to celebrate and support the future of ECE as we continue building a more inclusive and vibrant community!