Professional
Association Networking Night
was
a first-ever get-acquainted event involving various technical professional
organizations in the community and on the Cal Poly campus. By
learning what we all have in common and what each group contributes
uniquely, our organizations began to discover ways to take advantage
of shared interests and goals and understand how to better serve our
constituents. We
heard informative presentations from the following groups:
-
Softec
(Central Coast Software and Technology Association)
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IEEE-CS
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Cal Poly Computer
Science Chapter)
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SLO
STC (Society for Technical Communication, professional chapter)
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cpSTC
(Society for Technical Communication, Cal Poly Student Chapter)
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SWE
(Society of Women Engineers, Central Coast Professional Section)
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SWE
(Society of Women Engineers, Cal Poly Student Section)
Here
are some highlights from the event:
Joe
Grimes (right),
Special Assistant to the Provost for Faculty & Staff Development,
Relations with Industry, and Academic Computing, and Professor
of Computer Science at Cal Poly, wore two hats in order to
present information about:
-
Softec
(the Central Coast Software & Technology Association),
for which he is on the Board of Directors
- IEEE-CS
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Cal Poly
Computer Science Chapter), for which he is Chapter Advisor
Softec
Softec
comprises a dynamic mix of businesses and individuals involved
or interested in various aspects of technology. Softec serves
the Central Coast's high technology community by:
-
Encouraging
the development and attraction of human resources necessary
for the prosperity of the high technology business community
on the Central Coast
-
Fostering
relationships and efforts that promote capital formation
-
Supporting
the enhancement of the relationship between the high technology
business community and Cal Poly, Cuesta and Allan Hancock
Community Colleges, and other educational institutions
Softec
meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Information about
upcoming Softec meetings and events is available at www.softec.org.
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IEEE-CS
With
nearly 100,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society
is the world's leading organization of computer professionals.
The Computer Society's vision is to be the leading provider of
technical information and services to the world's computing professionals.
The Society is dedicated to advancing the theory, practice, and
application of computer and information processing technology,
and promotes an active exchange of information, ideas, and technological
innovation among its members.
IEEE-CS
is the student professional organization for Computer Engineering,
Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering at Cal Poly, and
is a student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers Computer Society.
The
Cal Poly chapter sponsors the RoboRodentia 2004 design
competition held during Open House. Student design and build robots
that navigate a maze, retrieve racquet balls, and move them to
a specified location.
IEEE-CS
meets Wednesdays during the academic year, assists with student
orientation, and provides information about software, hardware,
and conference opportunities. More information about the Cal Poly
chapter of IEEE-CS can be found at ieee.ee.calpoly.edu/ieee_cs/index.php
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Society
for Technical Communication, Cal Poly Chapter (cpSTC)
Jeff
Wong (left), President of the cpSTC, shared information
about the local student chapter, a fast-growing organization
dedicated to developing students' communication skills in
the fields of designing, developing, editing, and writing.
The
cpSTC goal is to encourage career-advancing relationships
with industry leaders through projects, fundraisers, and events.
The chapter promotes ongoing learning of the industry to enhance
the professionalism of its members.
Regular
meetings are held on the Cal Poly campus every other Thursday.
Send e-mail to events@cpstc.org or visit www.cpstc.org
for information on the next meeting.
For
additional highlights, see the cpSTC's
PDF handout (116K).
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Society
of Women Engineers (SWE)
Heather
Matteson (shown at right with STC member Mike Lujan), is
a recent Cal Poly engineering graduate and was one of the SWE
members singing the praises of this popular organization along
with presenters Rebekah Oulton, Vice President
of the Central Coast Professional SWE Section, and Jaclyn
Stephen, Team Tech Director of the Cal Poly Student SWE
Section.
Central
Coast Professional SWE Section
The Central Coast Section of the Society of Women Engineers
exists to support women in engineering and the Central Coast
community by providing career development, networking, and outreach
activity opportunities. For more information, visit http://www.cc-swe.org/
The
national organization's website is http://www.societyofwomenengineers.org/
Cal
Poly Student SWE Section
The
Cal Poly Student Section of the Society of Women Engineers meets
twice monthly. Company representatives and faculty members speak
on a variety of topics, exposing student members to different
industries and new technologies. General meetings also offer
important opportunities for students to participate in dynamic
group interaction while learning from and sharing ideas with
other SWE members. Other events and networking opportunities
are described at http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~swe/
For
additional highlights on both sections, see the SWE
combined PDF handout (96K).
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Society for Technical Communication, San Luis Obispo Chapter
Adele
Sommers, President of the SLO STC Chapter, gave a quick tour
of the profession as well as the chapter's goals, events, and
professional development opportunities.
For
more information about the chapter, see:
To
learn more about the international organization, see www.stc.org.
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Photography
by Keri Morgret.
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