SHPE (The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), a national organization representing Hispanic professionals and students in STEM, will host its 46th National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Charlotte Convention Center on November 2–6, 2022. The largest gathering of Hispanic STEM talent in the nation, the event is expected to be attended by more than 10,000 students, professionals, academia, and industry leaders.
The four-day gathering will offer attendees professional and leadership development through sessions and workshops, speakers, signature events, networking, competitions, and award ceremonies. The theme of the convention is Racing Towards the Future, celebrating the evolution of SHPE, the empowerment of its members, the community of Familia, and the innovation of Hispanics in STEM, with a nod to the NASCAR influences in the host city. For all attendees, the convention will serve as a catalyst for both personal and professional future growth, which, in turn, will have a powerful impact on the Hispanic community, the U.S. workforce, and our global economy.
According to the Pew Research Center, while nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population is Hispanic, only 8 percent of STEM jobs are filled by Hispanic professionals. In leadership positions, this percentage is even lower. SHPE exists to narrow and eventually close this gap by raising awareness and increasing access. In addition to connecting members with many of the top organizations in STEM, the SHPE National Convention is also one of the most powerful tools to prepare Hispanic students and professionals to be top talent and leaders in their field, driving innovation, the global economy, and a prosperous Hispanic community.
This year, a major highlight of the convention will be Fearless, a new eight-session speaking series designed to inspire the audience to take risks, conquer fears, and lead a life of purpose. Curated by SHPE CEO Dr. Chris Wilkie and sponsored by Rockwell Automation, Fearless speakers will include leading STEM experts and influencers on topics such as leadership, diversity and inclusion, technology, and equity in the workspace. A list of Fearless speakers is here.
Another highlight will be featured speaker Mateo Salvatto, the 23-year old founder of Asteroid Technologies, author, and innovator. He will share his journey transitioning from average high school student into one of Argentina’s most respected tech businessmen through the creation of Háblalo, an app that assists more than 250,000 people globally who have hearing loss and verbal communication disabilities.
Over the four days, attendees will be able to take advantage of technical training, leadership, and professional development and networking opportunities, as well as interact with more than 250 exhibitors and sponsors actively recruiting new talent. The convention is made up of five specialized conferences, with something for everyone, including:
- The Academic Conference hosts students and faculty at all levels of higher education. Participants gain valuable resources and networking opportunities while discovering best practices and career opportunities and learn both the opportunities and challenges Hispanics face while earning STEM degrees and entering the workforce. Tracks include Advisors, Community College, Undergraduate, Graduate, and Diversity & Inclusion.
- The SHPEtinas: Igniting Latinas in STEM Conference strives to accelerate Latina representation at all levels of corporate and academic leadership in STEM while affirming the Latina identity. The theme for this year is ¡Ready, Set, Vamos!
- The Professionals in STEM Conference provides a differentiated learning approach to its attendees, granting them a diverse toolkit of skills, knowledge, and experience to be successful STEM professionals. Either in workshops or networking sessions, professionals get great interactive time to grow their network.
- The SHPETech Conference is designed to shine a spotlight on cutting edge STEM technology for maximum impact. This conference offers Tech Talks, along with four exciting competitions: Cybersecurity Challenge, Extreme Engineering, Design Challenge, and Engineering Science Symposium.
- The Pre-College Conference will take place at five secondary schools in the area, with SHPE staff and volunteers bringing the popular Día de Ciencias hands-on science event to the students along with college readiness sessions for them and their parents.
A popular offering of the event is the two-day Career Fair & Graduate School Expo where thousands of jobs will be offered by companies like Facebook, Boeing, Apple, Google, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, and more than 200 other leading companies in STEM. The full list of exhibitors is here.
SHPE’s National Convention will also include the STAR Awards Celebration. The STAR Awards recognize key individuals, corporations, government agencies, and academic institutions that have contributed significantly to support Hispanics in STEM. The recipients of the 2022 Rubén Hinojosa STEM Awards are U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, California, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Texas, U.S. Congressman Tony Cardenas, California, and U.S. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, Florida. The full list of winners is here.
The Visionary Sponsor of SHPE’s 2022 National Convention is Honeywell.
