Dr. Payman Dehghanian, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at GW Engineering and founder of GW’s IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES)-Industry Applications Society (IAS) Student Branch Chapter, was invited to attend and participate in the IEEE-HKN 2024 Student Leadership Conference (SLC) held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from November 15 to 17, 2024.
As a recognized researcher in electric power engineering, Dehghanian served as a panelist for the session "Green Energy: Engineering a Cleaner Future," where he shared his expertise on advancing sustainable energy solutions to address global climate challenges.
The conference brought together students, academics, and professionals from across the nation, focusing on fostering leadership, collaboration, and the principles of scholarship, character, and service. This year’s event provided an exceptional platform for meaningful dialogue about the future of engineering in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
Nazneen Ahmed, a PhD student and the secretary of GW’s IEEE IAS Student Branch Chapter, also represented GW Engineering at the conference. As an IEEE IAS representative at the recruitment fair, she actively engaged with students and professionals, promoting IEEE IAS initiatives and exploring avenues for collaboration. Her efforts highlighted the chapter's commitment to empowering the next generation of engineers through mentorship and community outreach.
IEEE-HKN SLC emphasized the importance of building connections among participants, opening doors for potential interdisciplinary and international collaborations. Both Dehghanian and Ahmed significantly contributed to advancing these goals by exchanging knowledge and fostering relationships with peers, industry pioneers, and thought leaders.
“The most memorable part of this experience was connecting with leaders from other societies and exchanging ideas about chapter development, leadership, fostering growth, and member retention. It was inspiring to share my insights and also learn strategies from other chapter leaders to strengthen our IAS chapter at GW,” said Ahmed.
The conference serves as a cornerstone for leadership and professional development within the IEEE community, and GW Engineering's active involvement underscores its commitment to excellence in engineering education and research. In the future, the school’s IEEE IAS team anticipates continuing its impactful work at future IEEE-HKN events and expanding its role as a leader in engineering innovation.