EVENTS

Join us on Tuesday, September 12 to hear from the Boston Dynamics AI Institute.

More details coming soon!

Innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs interested in hearing from Harvard alums that are building startups with the support of The Engine, a Cambridge-based venture firm that invests in tough tech came together on Tuesday, April 11 for a panel discussion and networking event with The Engine founders from Harvard affiliated startups. The event featured the startup stories of Atlantic Quantum and Axoft with insights on what the founders have learned along the way. Founders Tim Menke (Cofounder & COO, Atlantic Quantum) and Tianyang Ye (Cofounder & CTO, Axoft) discussed how their startups are building quantum computers and interfaces between the brain and machines. The panel was moderated by Paul Hayre, Executive Director of the Harvard Grid.

Biospectal is a digital health startup founded on a mission to democratize remote vital signs monitoring worldwide using smartphones and other consumer-friendly connected devices. Members of the Harvard community interested in how to start a company in the healthcare and tech industries came together to hear from the Biospectal team and how their working to make an impact in the global health sector. The discussion was moderated by Paul Hayre, Executive Director of the Harvard Grid. 

Members of the SEAS community interested in using their tech skills for medical applications and for social good convened on Wednesday, March 1 for a virtual Industry Insights event presented by Google Health. During this presentation, Andrew Sellergren ‘08, Software Engineer, Machine Learning at Google Health, discussed using AI for medical imaging and how to get started—even with limited previous experience!

During this Industry Insights event, Tom Soderstrom, Director of Chief Technologists for the Worldwide Public Sector for Amazon Web Services (AWS) discussed the emerging technology trends and innovations at Amazon. Tom Soderstrom leads a team of experienced technology builders/advisors to public sector executive CTOs and to AWS leaders. They identify emerging technology trends and patterns and help solve deep, complex technical problems, including problems at large scale. Tom is currently focused on exploring and evolving emerging business and technology trends, such as The Future Space Economy. From 2006-2020, Tom served as the IT Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where he helped define, support, and implement innovative Space missions, emerging IT trends, and mentor the next generation of IT and Space explorers. 

Industry Insights presented by Ned Cahoon (A.B. '80, Physics), from GlobalFoundries where attendees gained insights on the smart mobile devices and wearables business unit, next generation communication infrastructure, and the future of the semiconductor industry.

A panel from Apple Acoustics provided their insights on November 8, 2022. Their discussion focused on what the Apple Acoustics team's role is at Apple. They provided a deep dive on recent products and technologies, and discussed how interested members of the SEAS community could pursue a career in the field.

Panelists from the Apple Acoustics team included Danielle Davis '21, Drew Hulva, Karla Jauregui, and Kavitha Srinivasan.

This Industry Insights lecture was presented by Nina Sinatra (PhD '19), a Senior Mechanical/Materials Engineer at Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group. At Google, Dr. Sinatra develops next-generation consumer electronic devices and modules. During this event, the SEAS community learned about the product design process, asked questions about the industry, and had the opportunity to connect with a SEAS alum working in Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP). Google ATAP is Google's hardware invention studio. The group includes engineers, scientists, artists, and designers working together to turn new ideas into finished products that change the way we relate to technology.

This event provided the opportunity for SEAS to hear from Pasquale Romano, an experienced entrepreneur, Harvard alum, and current President and Chief Executive Officer of ChargePoint, an electric vehicle infrastructure company with the largest network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in North America and Europe. Pasquale Romano shared advice about the transition from leading smaller-scale projects to leading entire companies, discussed the electric vehicle infrastructure industry, and answered questions from his perspective as a Harvard alum.

Panelists discussed the essential role of scientists and engineers in the design and development of equitable vaccine clinical trials. The panel addressed how specific populations have been historically marginalized in the drug development process, and how critical planning and implementation can help ensure better outcomes for all.

Panelists:
Gilda Barabino, PhD, President and Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Olin College of Engineering
Melanie Ivarsson, PhD, Chief Development Officer, Moderna
Jayne Morgan, MD, Cardiologist and Clinical Director of the Covid Task Force at the Piedmont Healthcare Corporation

This conversation was moderated by Frank Doyle, PhD, John A. Paulson Dean of the Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and John A. & Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor, Harvard University

Parrot is a leader in professional and consumer drones and launched the first consumer drone in 2010. Today, Parrot is working for the professional market, for security, defense and inspection always with the objective of pushing innovation even further. In this Industry Insights presentation, Henri Seydoux, CEO of Parrot shared an overview of technologies used in drones and robotics and his point of view on evolutions expected in the upcoming years. The Head of Partnership at Parrot, Jerome Bouvard, shared insights on today’s drone use in academia and ways for Harvard students to use drones in labs and research. Chloe Tescari, Recruiter at Parrot, discussed opportunities for Harvard students who might want to work in the field.

Unity is a leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content for creators ranging from game developers to artists, architects, automotive designers, filmmakers, and others. Historically, Unity has been used for game development, but a growing interest in 3D applications has led to a number of exciting developments in mixed reality, industrial simulation, AI, and robotics. During this panel discussion, insights were discussed about Unity as a company, trends in the real-time 3D space, new developments in artificial intelligence, and how robotics can be made better with Unity and other 3D engines. Panelists also answered questions about their career paths and experiences in the field. 

Panelists:
Devin Miller - a senior robotics engineer with a background in computer vision, simulation, and robotics development
Amanda Trang - a software engineer with a background in aerospace engineering, game development, and robotics
Sarah Gibson - a senior engineering manager with a background in electrical engineering, machine learning, signal processing, and robotics
Cameron Greene - a senior product manager with a background in industrial IoT, smart manufacturing, and robotics

A panel of Harvard alumni discussed their experiences working on projects and space missions at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). They also shared insights they’ve gathered on their journeys from Harvard students to industry experts at the leading U.S. center for robotic exploration of our solar system. Attendees had the opportunity to hear their perspectives, learn about potential career pathways, and find out how to pursue opportunities in the field.

Panelists: 
Adrian Arteaga Garcia, Systems Engineer
Hayden Burgoyne, Systems Engineer
Matthew Smith, Systems Engineer
Stephanie Smith, Digital & Social Media Supervisor

In the inaugural Industry Insights event, a panel of experienced professionals discussed how engineering and science skill sets are in demand across finance organizations with a specific focus on career opportunities and internships that students may not have considered before.

As we continue to see advances in technology, we also see an evolution in career paths and in the way we work. On Tuesday, October 13 students tuned in to hear from leaders in finance from the Capital Group, Capital One, and Fidelity. The panelists have experience in a variety of roles and discussed the future of technology and data in the finance sector, the various engineering and science pathways into the finance workforce, and advice for students considering a career in finance. Panelists also discussed lessons learned and the challenges they have overcome as leaders in the field. The conversation was moderated by Diana Wagner, Partner and Portfolio Manager at Capital Group.

Panelists:
Celia Edwards Karam – Chief Audit Officer at Capital One
Ramona Persaud – Portfolio Manager at Fidelity
Tyrone Canaday – VP of Product Management in Investment Group Technology at Capital Group