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.

REGISTER NOW

Who should attend?

Target Attendees

Industry: C-Level, VP level, engineers, legal staff, R&D, patent/small business attorneys, finance & VC

Gain access to potential partners in the federal government, information on tech transfer programs, access to federal SBIR and other research programs.

Government officials from the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF) and other agencies are coming to South Dakota looking for partners – like you! Learn about government programs to promote innovation and small business. Meet potential partners at South Dakota Universities. Learn more about the CHIPS Act and how it relates to South Dakota. Last year, Congress allocated billions of dollars for chip manufacturing in the U.S. If you think that’s all going to Texas and California, you are wrong.

Academia:  Presidents, chancellors, tech transfer & patent offices, VPRs, researchers

Gain access to federal grant program officials, information on grant processes, connections with potential business partners, education on tech transfer process.

Come learn about potential government funding! Government grant officials from the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF) and other agencies are coming to South Dakota to meet with the South Dakota tech sector and engineers/ entrepreneurs like you! CHIPS Act requires more resources to flow into states like South Dakota – government needs partners to make that happen. Learn how to partner with local small businesses.

Government: Policymakers, Federal funding program officers, economic development professionals, incentive managers, entrepreneurial support orgs

Gain access to local engineers/ entrepreneurs who are interested in learning more about federal government grants and becoming a part of the South Dakota innovation economy. Help you to promote government programs in rural America while fulfilling Congressional mandates.

Venue

Denny Sanford Premier CenterDenny Sanford Premier Center – Ballroom A
12301 N. West Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Directions & Parking

Tentative Schedule

Download PDF Schedule

Monday, 10 June 2024

The District
4521 W Empire Place
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
(Parking is available on the north of the District in the Empire Mall parking lot and on the southwest side)

Time (CT)SessionSpeaker
5:30 - 8:00 PMOpening Reception• Mayor Paul TenHaken
• Additional Elected Officials (invited)

Tuesday, 11 June 2024

Denny Sanford Premier Center – Ballroom A
12301 N. West Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Directions & Parking

Time (CT)SessionSpeaker
8:00 AMBreakfast and Registration
8:30 AMWelcome & Kickoff• Vickie Ozburn, Region 4 Director
• Stacy Manni, Air Force Research Network - Midwest
8:45 AMOpening KeynoteTBD
9:45 AMThe South Dakota Workforce of the Future• Dennis Hedge, PharmD., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, South Dakota State University
9:00 AMEPSCOR, 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
10:10 AMPartnering with Tribal Colleges• Michael Channell, Nebraska Indian Community College
• Additional panelist (invited)
10:30 AMNetworking Break
11:00 AMBreakout SessionsPanel Discussions
1) Engaging with the Federal Government, including Specialized Designations• Matt Francis, IEEE Region 5 Director and President, Ozark IC (moderator)
• Marcella Hurley, South Dakota APEX Accelerator
• Lisa Claassen, SBA South Dakota Opportunity Specialist
• Additional panelists (invited)
2) Utilizing State and Local Resources • Michelle Kakacek, Center Director, South Dakota Manufacturing and Technology Solutions
• Stoen Mollman, South Dakota SBIR Program Director
• Ryan Oines, University of South Dakota Discovery District
• Additional panelists (invited)
12:00 PMKeynote Lunch: Representative, CHIPS office (invited)
1:00 PMFireside Chat: AI and the Dakotas• Luke Lindberg, President and CEO, South Dakota Trade
• Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University
1:30 PMHow South Dakota can Contribute to CHIPS Workforce• Susan Feindt, National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology (NATCAST) (invited)
2:00 PMNetworking Break
3:00 PMBreakout SessionsPanel Discussions
1) Preparing the CHIPS Act Workforce• Lance Roberts, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• Additional Panelists (invited)
2) Scaling Up Regional Economies• Denise Guzzetta, Vice President, Talent and Workforce, Sioux Falls Development Foundation
• Panelists (invited)
4:15 PMWhat’s Next• Stacy Manni, Air Force Research Network - Midwest
5:00 PMAdjourn

Registration Information

Registration is managed through IEEE-USA’s Eventbrite account. You may register to attend by visiting https://iwrcdakotas.eventbrite.com

TierPrice
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

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Air Force Research Network - Midwest

Diamond  Sponsor

South Dakota Biotech

Exhibitor

South Dakota Mines

Exhibitor