Tufts hosts student leadership conference

From November 1-3, engineering student leaders descended on Tufts School of Engineering’s Medford and Somerville campus to spend three days networking, participating in leadership training and professional development opportunities, and meeting with fellow students, faculty members, IEEE staff, prospective employers, and more.

Each year, student chapters of IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN), the venerable honor society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), gather to exchange ideas. This year’s Student Leadership Conference was hosted by Tufts School of Engineering, with support from Dean of Graduate Education Karen Panetta – the current president of IEEE-HKN – and the Engineering Graduate Programs Office.

Student leaders from across the globe attended sessions on topics from the Internet of Things and robotics to working with legislators, negotiating at work, communicating effectively, and what skills employers are looking for in employees. Panelists ranged from IEEE-HKN leadership members to Tufts graduate students to corporate leaders and NASA engineers. Students came away with new strategies for the job search and their academic work, and attendees included a number of Tufts students.

IEEE-HKN was founded in 1904. With 263 chapters worldwide, the organization fosters scholarship and character, and provides community and professional development opportunities to electrical and electronics engineers.