Winds of Change - 2017 National Conference Wrap-Up - 34

AISES ENERGY
CHALLENGE LAUNCH
Led by Roberta Wells, civil engineer
with the Office of Indian Energy and
Economic Development, Division of
Energy and Mineral Development

MY AWESOME LIFE AS AN ENGINEER
Led by Georgia Sandoval, Intel; Richard Johnson, Boeing; and Tony Ferguson,
Sarah Gumina, and Mark Fairbanks, all with 3M (shown above, from left)
This panel session kicked off with five engineers at various stages in their careers introducing
themselves and describing their backgrounds as well as what they do in their current
positions and activities they enjoy while away from the office. Each talked about challenges
they faced along the way, rewarding encounters they experienced, and lessons they learned as
they discovered their calling to the profession. Attendees were then encouraged to ask
questions - Richard Johnson got things started by promising a prize from Boeing to the
first four who were called on to speak. Good communication was cited almost universally as
the most important skill for an engineer. Several on the panel indicated that they had
changed majors once or more on their way to becoming an engineer. They also shared advice
on what aspiring engineers should do to prepare for the profession and listed things they
may have done differently if given the chance, as well as favorite things about their jobs. A
couple even confessed to being homesick after relocating for a new position and discussed
how they managed to build support systems near their new homes.

Presenter Roberta
Wells announced
the exciting
launch of the
2017-2018
Energy Challenge,
a partnership
with AISES that
offers students an
opportunity to
obtain funding to
help build energy
solutions for their
communities.
Wells described the importance of renewable
energy - solar, wind, hydro, biomass - to
tribes. She mentioned the example of the
Fond du Lac Tribe, now in the process of
developing a biomass wood pellet alternative
to propane as a fuel source. The Energy
Challenge functions as a national virtual
science fair for middle and high school
students. This competition is focused on
renewable energy and designed to encourage
students to participate in the scientific
research process and present their results.
Participants, who can compete individually
or on teams of up to four people with an
adult sponsor, identify and assess potential
energy solutions to a problem in their
community. The winners receive funding to
implement their project. Wells reported that
her office now has over 100 projects in
renewable energy underway.

PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE: DEVELOPING
A STRONG PERSONAL BRAND
Led by Deneen L. Garrett (first image on right), lead consultant-
diversity, and Margo Bernath (second image on right), senior quality/
M&P/process manager, at AT&T
Whether you're looking for an internship or a full-time job, in a competitive world it
can be hard to stand out from the crowd. This session focused on how to prepare to do
just that in a way that effectively conveys your authentic self, touching on your social
media presence as well as how you present yourself directly through your resume and
cover letter. The presenters encouraged attendees to research first, and offered the
takeaway "luck is when opportunity meets preparedness." They advised that you should
tailor your resume and cover letter to the job description by pulling key words to make it easy for a recruiter to see the fit. Points to
highlight on your resume are relevant specialized courses, research experience, and leadership roles (including any from high school)
that collectively show you are doing more than getting good grades. The presenters also recommended developing a professionallooking LinkedIn profile, using the summary section to describe your career-related passion and linking to it from your resume. Your
LinkedIn brand should be more conversational - save the bullet points for the resume, they said. In addition to learning how to
create and present their personal brand, attendees came away with information on the AT&T Summer Internship Program.
34 WINDS OF CHANGE * Denver » 2017 National Conference Wrap-Up

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