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2026 Program

Tuesday March 10^th

Keynote address

Daniel Lopez, Penn State University

Technical tutorials on the four areas highlighted in the emerging tech program

Photonics presented by Sam Roberts, CUNY; semiconductors presented by Sam Roberts, CUNY; power electronics presented by Christina Piard, Wolfspeed; bioeconomy presented by Kelly Raymond, Merck.

Speed networking sessions

Students will have the opportunity to meet and interact in small group settings with representatives from a wide variety of career paths and industries

Behind the Scenes with an Industry Recruiter

Presented by Austin Painchaud, Western Digital
Gain insider insights into the real-world recruiting process from a seasoned tech industry recruiter. This session will demystify what happens after you hit “submit” on a job application, explore how recruiters evaluate candidates, and offer actionable strategies to stand out in a competitive job market. Ideal for students and early-career professionals looking to break into emerging tech fields.

Wednesday March 11^th

Student entrepreneurs

Led by Matthew Hull, Virginia Tech, Tim Martin, NC State University and Jacob Jones, NC State University
Attendees will learn about funding opportunities, training and mentorship programs, and infrastructure aimed at inspiring and supporting future hard-tech innovators and entrepreneurs through a dedicated program.

Career Awareness Fair

Building on the first day’s learnings, attendees will have the opportunity to interact directly with industry representatives on the expo floor to learn about different industries and career paths in a relaxed and informal “ask me anything” setting.

Participating organizations include: Western Digital, Wolfspeed, LBNL, Diagmetrics, Micron, Kyma Technologies, Synopsys, SRI International and The Princeton Center for Complex Materials.

MC Commons CLAWS Hub symposium

Dedicated symposium on the ME Commons CLAWS Hub is driving U.S. leadership in wide bandgap (WBG) and ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors that enable next-generation system. Full program listing here.

Thursday March 12^th

Workshop on creating a Digital Twin with AI engines (DTAI): a virtual, lifelike 3D training content that replicates, emulates, and simulates real-world equipment, processes, or workflow. Four sessions include physical object modeling, animation, interaction via no-code logic & state transition scripting, and AI integration. Led by Mercer County Community College.

Virtual Reality demonstrations from organizations creating VR education tools for emerging manufacturing areas.

Back to Top ↑ 2026 Sessions
	Tuesday March 10
10:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Keynote
11:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Technical Tutorials
12:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Group Photo
1:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program
2:15	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Networking Session 1
2:15	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Behind the Scenes with an Industry Recruiter
3:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Networking Session 2
3:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Behind the Scenes with an Industry Recruiter
	Wednesday March 11
9:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Future Innovators – Panel Discussion
10:30	Future Innovators – Opportunities and Student/Postdoc Pitch Contest for Emerging Entrepreneurs
11:30	Future Innovators – Keynote
1:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Awareness Fair
1:30	Accelerating Wide Bandgap Innovation through the ME Commons CLAWS Hub: Technology, Transition, and Talent Development
4:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program- Posters
	Thursday March 12
9:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Supporting Emerging Technology Manufacturing Workforce and Development
10:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Supporting Emerging Technology Manufacturing Workforce and Development
2026 Detailed Program
	Tuesday March 10
10:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Keynote	Marriott State C
	Welcome Remarks M. Dolan, Advanced Technology International (ATI), US
	Chips, Light, and Power: Developing the Workforce for America’s Next Generation Industries D. Lopez, Penn State University, US
11:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Technical Tutorials	Marriott State C
	Photonics S. Roberts, CUNY, US
	Semiconductors S. Roberts, CUNY, US
	Power Electronics C. Piard, Wolfspeed, US
	Bioeconomy K. Raymond, Merck, US
12:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Group Photo	Marriott State C
1:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Paula Kirya, University of California, San Diego
	Tips & Tricks with Grad Student Mentor
2:15	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Networking Session 1	Marriott Chancellor
2:15	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Behind the Scenes with an Industry Recruiter	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Austin Painchaud, ARM
3:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Networking Session 2	Marriott Chancellor
3:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Behind the Scenes with an Industry Recruiter	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Austin Painchaud, ARM
	Wednesday March 11
9:30	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Future Innovators – Panel Discussion	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Matthew Hull, Virginia Tech, Tim Martin, North Carolina State University, & Jacob Jones, North Carolina State University
	M. McKee, UNC innovate Carolina, US
	E. Hornstein, elysia bio, US
	S. Furst, Smart Material Solutions, LLC, US
10:30	Future Innovators – Opportunities and Student/Postdoc Pitch Contest for Emerging Entrepreneurs	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Matthew Hull, Virginia Tech, Tim Martin, North Carolina State University, & Jacob Jones, North Carolina State University
	Nano-Engineered BioFET Neural Probes Enabling Closed-Loop Neurochemical Sensing and Modulation S. van Rijs, Stanford University, US
	Anodeless Battery Electrode Design for Next-generation Transportation Z. Wylie, University of Washington, US
	ExoVerse Solutions (EMPLOY- Engineer Micropillar Platform for Ligand-based Optimized Yield) A. Kumari, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, US
	VitaFilm H. Dahlstrom, Des Moines Area Community College, US
11:30	Future Innovators – Keynote	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Matthew Hull, Virginia Tech, Tim Martin, North Carolina State University, & Jacob Jones, North Carolina State University
	From Lab to Load: Grit, Timing, and the Making of an AI Power Platform H. Inam, DGMatrix, US
1:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program: Career Awareness Fair	Expo Hall AB
	Participating companies: ARM, Wolfspeed, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ithaca Research Labs, Micron, Kyma Technologies, Synopsys, SRI International, The Princeton Center for Complex Materials, Merck, Intel, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), Sandia National Laboratories
1:30	Accelerating Wide Bandgap Innovation through the ME Commons CLAWS Hub: Technology, Transition, and Talent Development	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Fred Kish, North Carolina State University
	From Lab to Fab: An Overview of the ME Commons CLAWS Hub Mission and Ecosystem F. Kish, North Carolina State University, US
	Enabling Solid State Transformer with 3.3kv - 15kV SiC Devices S. Bhattacharya, North Carolina State University, US
	HVPE for High Voltage Power Electronics H. Splawn, Kyma Technologies, US
	The CLAWS Research Foundry: III-Nitride Wide-Bandgap RF and Power Electronics P. Wellenius, CLAWS Hub - NC State University, US
	Microelectronics Workforce Development: Challenges, Strategy and Programs Addressing Semiconductor Manufacturing P. Strader, CLAWS Hub - NC State University, US
4:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program- Posters	Expo Hall AB
	Is it time for Electric Vehicles, or has the Golden Age for Combustion Engines Just Started Y. Musa, O. Tantawi, K. Tantawi, L. Flatt, L. Potter, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, US
	Ti:Sapphire Lasers and Their Role In Pump-Probe Spectroscopy for Semiconductor Research B. Bacon, T. Seaward, C. Schnitzer, R. Adams, G. Taft, Stonehill College, US
	Laser-Induced Thermal Flow Control for Sonic Boom Reduction in Hypersonic Flight D. Ezzat, CSU, San Bernardino, US
	Investigating the Effects of Microgravity on Saccharomyces cerevisiae S. Huang, N. Guillen, E. Andrade, M.K. Ballon, A. Huang, Advanced Technology Technician (AT3) Program, US
	Thursday March 12
9:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Supporting Emerging Technology Manufacturing Workforce and Development	Marriott State C
	Session chair: Jared Ashcroft, Pasadena City College
	Digital Twin and AI (DTAI) Based Training Content Capture, Creation, and Customization Skills Lab for All A. Ahmadi, Mercer County Community College, US
10:00	TechConnect Horizons Workforce Development Program, Supporting Emerging Technology Manufacturing Workforce and Development	Marriott Chancellor
	Session chair: Jared Ashcroft, Pasadena City College
	VR/AR Session for Semiconductor Manufacturing Educational Tools
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