SAE International Convergence 2012 to Highlight Innovative Leadership Roles in Electronic Innovation

WARRENDALE, Pa., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Don't ask the organizers of the SAE International Convergence 2012 - Electronic Innovation Through Leadership what's new.

You'll be listening for a long time.

The lineup for Convergence 2012 is loaded with new, exciting and interactive programs designed to appeal to young engineers and keep veteran engineers engaged.

"We are really looking forward to Convergence 2012 because it is going to have a new look and be much more interactive than previous events," said John Calabrese, Vice President of Global Vehicle Engineering for General Motors, who will serve as general chair for Convergence 2012. "It's critical that we have programs that will attract younger engineers to SAE, and also keep our long time members engaged, excited and enthused."

When Convergence 2012 opens its doors Oct. 16-17 at Cobo Center in Detroit, the new program that will be unveiled includes:

• Future Leader Program: This program is designed to attract younger engineers to SAE and geared for those within the first five years of their chosen careers. The ultimate goal of the Future Leader Program is to assist young engineers in the management of their careers, which includes mentoring opportunities with executives and peer-to-peer networking.
• Innovation Start-Up Marketplace: This new addition to the show floor is designed for small companies trying to get established in the mobility electronics industry. The Marketplace offers up-and-coming entrepreneurs high visibility and access to leaders of the mobility industry.
• Mega Trends and Their Effect on Automotive Electronics: This session will explore mega trends in the marketplace, technology, urbanization and leadership that will affect automotive architecture in 2020 and beyond. Norimasa Kishi of Nissan will deliver the opening remarks, followed by an opening presentation by Thilo Koslowski of the Gartner Group, who will deliver a talk on The Dawn of a New Automotive Era - Key Trends and Innovations That Will Impact the Automotive Industry. This will be followed by a series of presentation and panel discussions. For a complete rundown of Mega Trends, click here.
• New Business Models and Disruptive Technology: To meet customer expectations in the future, the mobility industry must evolve and incorporate many new disruptive technologies. This session looks at what new business models are currently being explored to meet those customer needs. The session concludes with a panel discussion titled: How do Disruptive Technologies Make it into Vehicle Platforms within an OEM? For a complete rundown on Disruptive Technology, click here.
• EcoCAR2 - Plugging in to the Future: Hear from the engineers working on the EcoCAR2 competition. EcoCAR2 - Plugging in to the Future is a three-year collegiate engineering competition in which 15 universities across North America are competing to reduce the environmental impact of a Chevrolet Malibu. The competition has just completed its first year. Presentations will be made Oct. 16, 12:15-1:15 p.m. on the show floor.
• Exhibit Only Registration Access: For the first time, attendees can attend Convergence and purchase a show floor pass, only.
• Understanding the Next Generation of Employees: This session is designed for executives and managers and focuses on how to turn new talent into a competitive advantage.

Convergence 2012 also will host a career fair, which is free to engineering attendees. Unemployed engineers will receive complimentary entrance to Convergence.

Convergence 2012 will have more than 70 exhibitors on the show floor.

For more information or to register for the event, contact SAE International at 1-877-606-7323 (U.S. and Canada only) or 1-724-776-4970 (outside U.S. and Canada) or email [email protected].

For additional information on sessions, topics and speakers at the SAE Convergence 2012, visit http://www.sae.org/events/convergence/. To request press credentials, e-mail [email protected].

SAE International is a global association of more than 133,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.

- www.sae.org -

Contact: Shawn Andreassi of SAE International, 1-724-772-8522 or [email protected]

SOURCE SAE International