MOMENTUM - April 2024 - 15

STUDENT GENERATION
also involved in automotive and SAE
competitions at the beginning of our careers,
and how impactful the experiences can be for
young engineers, " Chung said. " We have the
unique opportunity to encourage them to
pursue careers in mobility, and I know many
students from past GIMs have found career
opportunities with attendees and their
companies in the past. "
By day, Chung serves as manager of
accessories development at Volkswagen of
America; this year was the first time Chung
played a role in planning the GIM event,
something that begins a full eight or nine months
in advance. " The pre-work that goes into
planning, organizing, and having experts come
and speak at the sessions is really impressive, "
Chung said. " I was humbled by the caliber of
people involved behind the scenes. "
Joining an SAE Section is a great way for
mobility professionals to connect with fellow
experts in their area. Not only does Section
participation foster local peer-to-peer
collaboration, but it gives volunteers a chance
to promote industry growth and excellence,
which Chung described as " very rewarding. "
Aside from helping to organize the GIM,
the D.C. Section hosts an annual charity golf
outing, which raises funds to support the
Section's activities and area students. They
also plan three or four additional events
throughout the year, many of which include
student participation. Past events have featured
networking happy hours, virtual car shows, local
company tours, virtual car crash events with
IIHS, trivia nights, and top golf outings. This
month, they are collaborating with Volkswagen
at its D.C. office to have a hands-on look at the
new VW ID. Buzz electric minivan, which arrives
at U.S. dealers later this year.
In addition to professional programming and
events, the D.C. Section works closely with SAE
Collegiate Chapters and University Program
teams in the area, organizing showcase events
where students have a chance to share their
projects with industry.
Chung himself is involved in local high
school science fairs as a special category judge.
At these fairs, the D.C. Section offers first- and
second-place prizes to support the area's STEM
programs and encourage the development of
future engineers. In a similar vein, Section
members also hold on-campus panel discussion
events and provide support during local SAE
Collegiate Chapter meetings.
" We have a unique perspective of the
" I know many students from past GIMs have found career opportunities with attendees and
their companies in the past, " said Roger Chung.
industry because of the diversity of our members, " Chung said. The D.C.
Section's 800+ members represent a wide spectrum of professional
experience, ranging from public policy to cybersecurity to military and
beyond. Still, there's always room for growth.
" Even though we have many active members, we continue to look for more
people to get involved and welcome all SAE members in the NOVA and
Washington, D.C., area to look us up on the SAE website and come out to
some of our events. " Recent graduates are particularly welcome, as joining an
SAE Section is a fantastic way to foster local connections and bolster an
entrance into the world of professional engineering.
By Gretchen Uhrinek, Editor.
MOMENTUM
April 2024 15
SAE International

https://www.sae.org/participate/membership/sections https://www.sae.org/servlets/sectionInfo?SECTION_CODE=MS085&OBJECT_TYPE=sectionInfo&PAGE=getSectionMainPage https://sae-washington.perfectgolfevent.com/ https://sae-washington.perfectgolfevent.com/ https://sae.to/tomorrowtodayApril2024 https://www.sae.org/participate/membership/collegiate-chapters https://www.sae.org/attend/student-events

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