UCLA Engineering's annual Tech Forum to focus on future of engineering research

The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science(Link is external) presents its annual Tech Forum(Link is external). This year's free daylong conference, "The Future of Engineering Research in the United States," brings together many of the top engineering minds in California.

 

Event highlights include a keynote address by Neil Siegel, vice president and chief engineer of Northrop Grumman Information Systems; a panel discussion with industry experts forecasting research trends; and more than 40 talks by distinguished engineers, entrepreneurs and UCLA Engineering faculty on their cutting-edge research. Talks will cover such areas as the use of nanotechnology in the fields of health care, renewable energy and mobile devices; the development of sustainable fuels, better drinking water supplies and treatments for toxic groundwater; and new materials for construction, aviation and space exploration. 

 

In addition, UCLA Engineering students will host a poster session, displaying information and answering questions about ongoing research in their laboratories.

 

Sponsors of the Tech Forum include satellite communications firm ViaSat, networking equipment manufacturer Cisco Systems and intellectual property law firm Cislo & Thomas.

 

To register for the free event; find detailed information about the schedule, speakers and topics; or get directions and parking information for the conference site at UCLA's Covel Commons, visit the Tech Forum page at www.engineer.ucla.edu/techforum/index.html(Link is external). 

 

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8

 

(A wine-and-cheese reception will follow, where guests can talk with faculty, students, guest speakers and industry leaders.)

 

Covel Commons, on the UCLA campus (map(Link is external))

WHO:
Forum speakers will include:

 

Vijay K. Dhir (welcoming remarks)

Dhir is the dean of the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

 

Neil Siegel (keynote address)

Siegel is vice president and chief engineer of Northrop Grumman Information Systems and an adjunct professor of engineering at UCLA. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he oversees research programs at Northrop Grumman and leads a team of more than 14,000 engineering and technology professionals working with industrial, intelligence, military and other clients.

 

The following experts from top engineering firms will participate in a panel discussion titled "The Future of Engineering Research in the United States":

 

Dwight Streit (moderator)

Streit, the chair of the 2013 Tech Forum, is a professor at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Conilee Kirkpatrick (panelist)

Kirkpatrick is vice president of HRL Laboratories, a Malibu-based aviation, aerospace and automotive engineering firm.

 

Cary Nachenberg (panelist)

Nachenberg is a fellow at the Mountain View–based security software firm Symantec Corp. and chief architect of Symantec's office of the chief technology officer.

 

Muddu Sudhakar (panelist)

Sudhakar is vice president of VMware Inc., a Palo Alto–based cloud computing information technology firm.

 

Rachel Vandenberg (panelist)

Vandenberg is vice president of intermodal practice for the global engineering and design firm AECOM.

 

 

Bill Kisliuk | 310-206-0540 | bkisliuk@support.ucla.edu