10-11 June 2024 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota
IEEE-USA IWRC Dakotas
When: 10-11 June 2024
Where: Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, SD
IEEE-USA IWRC is bringing the CHIPS Act to South Dakota!
Innovation takes more than ideas — it takes partnerships. Small business owners, government officials, academic researchers, financers, and others need to work together for our local innovation ecosystem to thrive, but it is rare for those people to be all in one place — until now.
The 2024 IEEE-USA Innovation, Workforce, and Research Conference (IWRC) consists of an evening reception followed by a day-long workshop, bringing together stakeholders from academia, government, and industry to bridge the gap between research and commercially viable products. Experts from our region and across the country will discuss research grants, technology transfer programs, start-up funding, intellectual property and a host of other topics related to inspiring and empowering true innovation in the Heartland Region.
But most importantly we will bring together the key innovators from the key parts of our local innovation economy in one place to meet, learn, talk, and plan as the CHIPS Act comes to our corner of America.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
Diamond Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Who should attend?
Target Attendees
Industry: C-Level, VP level, engineers, legal staff, R&D, patent/small business attorneys, finance & VC
Academia: Presidents, chancellors, tech transfer & patent offices, VPRs, researchers
Government: Policymakers, Federal funding program officers, economic development professionals, incentive managers, entrepreneurial support orgs
Venues
Preliminary Agenda
Monday, 10 June 2024
| Time (CT) | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 5:30 - 7:30 PM | Opening Reception The District 4521 W Empire Place Sioux Falls, SD 57106 | • Eduardo Palacio, IEEE-USA Past President • Mayor Paul TenHaken |
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Denny Sanford Premier Center – Ballroom A
1201 N. West Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Directions & Parking
| Time (CT) | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM Ballroom A | Breakfast and Registration | |
| 8:30 AM Ballroom A | Welcome & Kickoff | • Eduardo Palacio, IEEE-USA Past President • Virtual Remarks from IEEE President Thomas Coughlin • Vickie Ozburn, IEEE Region 4 Director • Stacy Manni, Ph.D., Director, AFRL Regional Network - Midwest |
| 8:45 AM Ballroom A | Opening Keynote | South Dakota Representative Tyler Tordsen |
| 9:00 AM Ballroom A | EPSCOR, Small Business Administration, and Federal Partnerships | • Joni Ekstrum, Executive Director, South Dakota Biotech (moderator) • Sandra Richardson, Ph.D., Section Head, Research Capacity and Competitiveness Section, NSF Office of Integrated Activities • Bryson Patterson, South Dakota Deputy District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration |
| 9:45 AM Ballroom A | The South Dakota Workforce of the Future | • Dennis Hedge, PharmD., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, South Dakota State University |
| 10:10 AM Ballroom A | Partnering Tactics | • Russell Harrison, Managing Director, IEEE-USA (host) • Abigail Omdahl, Procurement Specialist, Native American Development Corporation APEX Accelerator • Michael Channell, Program Manager, Nebraska Indian Community College |
| 10:30 AM | Networking Break | |
| 11:00 AM | Breakout Sessions | Panel Discussions |
| Room 8-10 | 1) Engaging with the Federal Government, From Gaining Specialized Designations to the Award | • Matt Francis, Ph.D., IEEE Region 5 Director and President, Ozark Integrated Circuits (host) • Jake Droge, Business Development Specialist, South Dakota SBA • Andy Grocott, Associate, Goosmann Law Firm • Marcella Hurley, State Program Director, South Dakota APEX Accelerator • Garth Wadsworth, Senior Public Policy Director, Elevate Rapid City • Brian McJilton, Director, Office of Small Business and Vice Director, Strategic Partnering, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Room 11-12 | 2) Utilizing Federal, State, and Local Resources | • Stoen Mollman, South Dakota SBIR Program Director (host) • Craig Bailey, President, Novum Nano • Michelle Kakacek, Director, South Dakota Manufacturing and Technology Solutions • Mike Kiley, Commercialization Liaison, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office • Ryan Oines, Chief Operating Officer, University of South Dakota Discovery District |
| 12:00 PM Ballroom A | Networking and Keynote Lunch (Hybrid) | Sarah Hughes, Chief of Staff, CHIPS R&D Metrology Program |
| 1:00 PM Ballroom A | Fireside Chat: AI and the Dakotas | • Luke Lindberg, President and CEO, South Dakota Trade • Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University |
| 1:45 PM Ballroom A | How South Dakota can Contribute to CHIPS Workforce (Hybrid) | • Susan Feindt, Senior Vice President of Ecosystem Development, National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology (NATCAST) • Jade Borgeson, Director of Strategic Initiatives, NATCAST |
| 2:15 PM Ballroom A | Small Business and the Federal Government | • Brian McJilton, Director, Office of Small Business and Vice Director, Strategic Partnering, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| 2:30 PM | Networking Break | |
| 3:00 PM | Breakout Sessions | Panel Discussions |
| Room 8-10 | 1) Preparing the Next Generation Workforce | • Jim Stone, Ph.D., Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (host) • Denise Guzzetta, Vice President, Talent and Workforce, Sioux Falls Development Foundation • Antonio de la Serna, Principal Director, Strategic Technology, Siemens EDA • Derek DeGeest, President, DeGeest Corporation • Brian McJilton, Director, Office of Small Business and Vice Director, Strategic Partnering, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Ballroom A | 2) Update from North Dakota Engines (Hybrid) | • Amber Orr, IEEE-USA Vice President, Career and Member Services (host) • Hollie Mackey, Ph.D., Chief Strategy Officer, North Dakota Advanced Agriculture Technology Engine • Cortnee Jensen, Ph.D., Interim CEO of the Northern Front Autonomous Engine and Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships, University of North Dakota |
| 4:00 PM Ballroom A | The CHIPS Act, AI and the Future | • KC Santosh, Ph.D., Professor (AI) and Chair, Department of Computer Science, University of South Dakota |
| 4:15 PM Ballroom A | What’s Next | • Stacy Manni, Ph.D., Director, AFRL Regional Network - Midwest • Brian McJilton, Director, Office of Small Business and Vice Director, Strategic Partnering, Air Force Research Laboratory • Melissa Carl, Director, Business Development, Career and Member Services, IEEE-USA |
| 5:00 PM | Adjourn | |
Meet Our Speakers & Panelists
Registration Information
Registration is managed through IEEE-USA’s Eventbrite account. You may register to attend by visiting https://iwrcdakotas.eventbrite.com
| Tier | Price |
|---|---|
| Full Registration - Non-Member | $300.00 |
| Full Registration - IEEE Member | $250.00 |
| Student - Non-Member | $145.00 |
| Student - IEEE Member | $95.00 |
| IEEE Life Member | $95.00 |
| Speaker/Panelist Registration | $200.00 |
| Reception Ticket (Guest/Extra) | $90.00 |
Exhibitors
