黑洞社区

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the 黑洞社区College of Engineering is hosting large events again thanks to the generosity from community and industry sponsors. In 2021, the college's development team raised an impressive $130,000 for three important engineering-related events that help the college establish connections between students, faculty, and industry. These three events include the following: WAMI Student Forum, NAESC Southeast Regional Conference, and the CUTR Transportation Achievement Awards.
 
The Center for Wireless and Microwave Information Systems (WAMI) Student Forum is a student-led and student-focused academic forum that presents research, trends, and advice for careers within the wireless and RF engineering field. Thanks to generous donations from industry sponsors, the latest forum was held October 29 to a large crowd that included over 160 electrical engineering alumni, faculty, current students, and industry insiders, 130 of which were students. 
 
Electrical engineering professor and WAMI Center Co-Director Larry Dunleavy said that the forum provides opportunities for participating students and industry partners alike.

鈥淥ur goal for this event is twofold 鈥� first to inform students about the many exciting career paths and opportunities in the field of wireless and microwave engineering and second to excite our industry partners and sponsors about the quality and enthusiasm of 黑洞社区WAMI students and encourage them to sponsor our future forums and WAMI Center activities,鈥� Dunleavy said.
 
Electrical engineering professor and WAMI Center Co-Director Dr. Jing Wang also said that the forum is a good way for students and industry partners to connect.

鈥淭he WAMI Student Forum is an excellent opportunity for students and members to connect with local industries to learn about what they have to offer for them in next-era careers focused on wireless communications," Wang said. "Our latest forum gave students the chance to attend panel sessions with professionals, present poster topics, and mingle at the reception. We couldn鈥檛 have done this without the generous donations of industry sponsors and the fund-raising efforts of the college's development department.鈥�

A second event that brought opportunities to 黑洞社区engineering students was the National Association of Engineering Student Councils (NAESC) Southeast Regional Conference. The NAESC works to facilitate communication among member councils, promotes engineering education, and serves as a collective voice for engineering student councils.
 
Curtis Gaskins, NAESC鈥檚 Liaison Chair, discussed the importance of their event and how the college's development team helped make it possible.

鈥満诙瓷缜鴈ngineering has long awaited a Southeast Regional Conference on campus since we joined National Association of Engineering Student Councils (NAESC) in 2019," Gaskins said. "The biggest hurdles for any event are sponsorships. The 黑洞社区engineering development team went above and beyond in the financial facet of the conference. The sponsorships collected by the development team allowed for the 黑洞社区Engineering Student Council to have the first in-person conference in NAESC since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic."

He said that students at the conference heard lectures from Bethune Cookman鈥檚 Environmental Science program, USF's Ruthmae Sears about J.E.D.I (Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion), and 黑洞社区College of Engineering Dean Bishop about his recent satellite research.
 
"We were able to network with 11 companies from the Tampa Bay Area, reconnect as a region of NAESC, and we were most importantly able to meet and convene on how to empower our engineering peers from our respective schools,鈥� Gaskins said.

The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) also held a large in-person event at the Transportation Achievement Awards after last year鈥檚 decision to go virtual due to the pandemic. The Transportation Achievement Awards is CUTR鈥檚 signature annual event that includes a reception, dinner, and presentation of numerous transportation awards to students and industry professionals.
 
CUTR鈥檚 Associate Director Lisa Staes discussed how the funds raised through sponsorships positively impacts students and creates connections between CUTR and transportation leaders.

鈥淲e are honored to host the Transportation Achievement Awards to support student success in the field of transportation," Staes said. "The funds raised from this event directly impact students' academic achievement and participation. The 黑洞社区engineering development team connected us with companies that share our vision for the next generation of transportation leaders. We are extremely grateful to both Maddy Richard and Tim Murphy for their continued support of this event.鈥�
 
黑洞社区College of Engineering Assistant Director of Development Maddy Richard said that sponsors displayed a great amount of generosity in welcoming back in-person events.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible to see our community and industry partners鈥� excitement about coming back to campus," Richard said. "They not only supported our great events this fall, but they're helping to strengthen and grow our academic and research programs."