Sessions are concurrent.

TRIZ: A FRESH APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING
As our experience grows within a given industry or company, our view of the problems and technology tends to narrow …instead of broaden. Said another way, it becomes more difficult to think “outside the box” for breakthrough solutions. This session will acquaint you with TRIZ, a proven problem solving methodology used by many Fortune 500 companies, that shows you how to generalize problem statements and definitions and identify parallel industries and technologies that may offer new approaches and solutions. Industry examples will be demonstrated and participants will do actual parallel universe activities to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Jack Hipple
Innovation and Chemical Engineering Consultant

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY: THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE GLOBAL COMMUNICATION AND NEGOTIATION
When working and interacting with others in cross-cultural situations, the lack of understanding with respect to cultural differences – language, attitudes towards time, degrees of formality -- can create major communication barriers. This can negatively impact your ability to do business … often leading to misunderstandings, hurt feelings or missed opportunities. This session will provide participants an understanding of how to develop cultural sensitivity … as well as the personal communication and negotiation skills to deal effectively with colleagues and partners from around the globe.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Dennis R. Briscoe, Ph.D.
Professor of International Human Resource Management
University of San Diego

EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING
Engineers are often faced with making decisions that push the limits of professional responsibility. The implications of how these decisions reflect on their company and co-workers are often overlooked. This session will equip you with tools to identify and analyze ethical components of business decisions, and aid you in making the right decisions while maintaining the integrity of your company and colleagues. You will also view an instructional film entitled Ethicana, which will demonstrate how you can use these techniques in everyday business practice.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Steven P. Nichols, Ph.D.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Director, Advanced Manufacturing Center
Director, Chair of Free Enterprise
Cockrell School of Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin

Sessions are concurrent.

USING PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO MAKE GLOBAL TEAMS MORE EFFECTIVE
A global company’s ability to align resources and information spread across different geographical locations is a major component of their competitive advantage. Corporations rely heavily on global teams to integrate their dispersed operations and accomplish global objectives. But global teams often fail when team leaders don’t consider how personality and cultural differences of the group can result in intra-team friction which uses up valuable time and resources. This workshop will train you, as a team leader, in the use of psychological assessment tools to enhance team productivity and team member selection against team goals.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Jack Hipple
Innovation and Chemical Engineering Consultant

 

THE “INS AND OUTS” OF MANAGING A GLOBAL WORKFORCE
Managing a workforce that is spread across the globe is a complex endeavor but absolutely critical to the success of an organization. This session is designed to educate participants about the current issues that engineers and managers face when dealing with a global workforce – from recruiting, motivating and retaining the best possible talent to developing a global mind-set for dealing more effectively with global problems; from managing issues related to global compensation to setting a strategy for global knowledge management and organizational learning; to understanding the various human resource issues in home country versus foreign subsidiary.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Dennis R. Briscoe, Ph.D.
Professor of International Human Resource Management
University of San Diego

 

MANAGING YOUR TIME IN A GLOBAL WORKPLACE
Setting realistic goals, focusing on tasks that matter most, and eliminating unnecessary work have always been the elements of successful time management. But when working on projects and interacting with people across different continents, it becomes essential to have a clear understanding how various cultures view the concept of goal setting and time management in order to successfully collaborate with your global colleagues. This session will explore proven techniques to maximize your output, successfully adapt your time management styles to these different cultures and measurably improve your effectiveness and productivity in the global workplace.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Rita Rizzo
Associate
Training Systems, Inc
Principal
Rizzo & Associates, LLC

Sessions are concurrent.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENGINEERS – PART ONE
The definition of professional responsibility goes beyond obeying the law and avoiding conflicts of interest. It includes putting the interests of your clients and the public ahead of your own. This first of two sessions on professional responsibility is designed to provide you with an overview and awareness of legal issues that could present themselves during your career. Topics include laws that regulate the various engineering disciplines, negligent activities, contractual obligations and intellectual property rights.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Terry Trimper Jones, Esquire
Owner
J2 Consulting, LLC

HARNESSING THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF PEOPLE
The engineer who can harness the collective power of people will be the most sought after in any company. In this session, you will get familiar with several “people power methods” -- how to use motivation, a diverse workforce and conflict resolution techniques to get the people you need to work together successfully. You’ll come away with ideas for discovering what motivates individuals to perform, tapping individual strengths of a diverse group for maximum contribution, understanding the causes of conflicts and creating a management style that brings it all together.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Rita Rizzo
Associate
Training Systems, Inc
Principal
Rizzo & Associates, LLC

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM): A GLOBAL APPROACH
For companies to succeed in managing their TQM programs, leaders must understand the essential elements of TQM and be able to integrate them into their organization's cultural makeup. When companies source their parts from international suppliers to keep costs down, it is important for them to be aware of how material quality differs from country to country. After walking you through the basics of TQM, this seminar will illustrate these differences and give you tools for identifying them so the integrity of your TQM model can be effectively maintained.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Lynn Hauser
Training Designer
Training Systems, Inc.

Sessions are concurrent.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENGINEERS – PART TWO
The definition of professional responsibility goes beyond obeying the law and avoiding conflicts of interest. It includes putting the interests of your clients and the public ahead of your own. This second of two sessions on professional responsibility will provide guidance for ensuring that industry and corporate standards and codes are effective at your workplace.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Terry Trimper Jones, Esquire
Owner
J2 Consulting, LLC

CHANGE SKILLS FOR THE 2009 AND BEYOND ENGINEER
Want to be a successful engineer? Gaining and using technical expertise is absolutely necessary – but not enough! Understanding and applying change management techniques and adjustment strategies will position you to excel and operate far more effectively. In this session you’ll learn immediately applicable methods to prevent resistance to change and help yourself and others work through the political issues involved in large or small scale changes.

1.5 PDHs

SPEAKER:
Rita Rizzo
Associate
Training Systems, Inc
Principal
Rizzo & Associates, LLC