Suggested Topics
We expect speaking slots will be organized by format. Therefore, keywords are used to identify the topic area, instead of tracks. The 2023 suggested topics are:
- Executive Leadership
- Program Management for Emerging Technology
- Managing Integration of Business and Technology
- Emotional Intelligence
- Entrepreneurship
- Emergence
- Rethinking Work
- The Future of Remote/Hybrid Work
- Career Challenges for Underrepresented Individuals
- Career Transitions
- Returning to the Workplace
- Upscaling Your Certifications/Education
- Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
- 5G
- Internet of Things
- Biotechnology & Health/Wellness Technology
- FinTech (Financial Technology & Crypto technology)
- Sustainable Technology
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
- Neurodiversity in the Workforce
- Intersectional Workplaces
- Beyond (Just) Women in Engineering
- Rethinking work; Flexibility, and Engagement
- Self Care
- Setting Boundaries in a Work-From-Home World
- Other
A full description of each of these topics can be found here. The form allows for the proposal to cover multiple topic areas. We encourage submitters to the “other” category, if their proposal does not fall directly in these categories.
What Are We Looking for in Speakers and Talks?
We want our speakers to be as diverse and inclusive as our audience, so that our attendees can see themselves in the program and can see themselves as future WIE ILC speakers. Therefore, we want speakers that represent a diversity of genders, sexual orientations, races/ethnicities, nationalities, religions, ages and abilities. While this conference is focused on women, we expect to see all genders represented as both speakers and attendees. We ask the speakers to self-declare their gender and if they are an under-represented minority as part of their submission. This information will help the committee develop an inclusive program of speakers.
We want the talks to reflect information or skills that our attendees need to improve their lives, whether that improvement is a new technical, management, or organizational skill. Our attendees are mid-to senior level professional women in technology seeking to advance their leadership skills and network with other professionals. Less than 10% of our attendees are students, and 60% have 10+ years of experience as practicing engineers, researchers and/or managers. The content should reflect that skill level. Technical talks should assume the attendees have the basic information about the new technology, and are interested in how to apply this new technology to their workplace. Management talks are often focused on advanced or executive leadership skills. Our attendees are often under-represented minorities in their workplaces, and are interested in talks about diversity issues in the workplace. Due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, our attendees are interested in how to manage the new workplace, how the new workstyle affects work/life balance, and how to reframe the work world.
In addition, we will include Birds of a Feather networking session proposals. These sessions will bring together individuals who are like-minded to network, share strategies, best practices, and experiences within the group. The sessions will be organized with an agenda. Strategies to continue communication after the conference are welcome.
Potential speakers should be aware that we are unable to pay for speakers fees. Speakers will be given a one-day registration to the conference valid for the day that they are scheduled to speak. If potential speakers would like to attend the second day of the conference, they will need to pay for the second day at registration.
Questions?
If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].
