Networking events are crucial for students and entry-level professionals to establish meaningful connections with industry professionals, peers, and potential employers.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference geared towards students, faculty, researchers, industry tech professionals, and companies interested in attracting a diverse talent pool. Every year, the conference celebrates inclusion and innovation within computing and technology, and this year is no different.
Are you still on the fence about whether or not to attend the conference? There are so many reasons to participate, but here are five reasons why you should attend Tapia 2021:
- This year’s conference is VIRTUAL
If you’re concerned about safety protocols, don’t worry, the conference is virtual this year. You’ll be able to participate from the comfort of your home and still connect with industry leaders, peers, and companies. While attending virtually, our organizers have ensured that participants will have an interactive experience, with many opportunities to make connections and learn alongside peers.
2. Learn about the latest trends and innovations
Every year the conference has several industry presenters discuss a variety of computing and technology trends. Our presenters are members of our diverse communities and often leaders in some of the top companies in the industry. In the past, we’ve had presenters from companies like Amazon, Google. Qualcomm, GE, and many others. This year we are proud to include John Herrington, the first member of a federally recognized Native American tribe to travel to space, and Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Chief Accessibility Officer at Microsoft. Check out our social media platforms and website for updates on more of our speakers this year.
3. Connect with technology companies
Connect with potential employers and get ahead of the crowd. At the conference, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with several companies and professionals within the industry. Creating relationships with these organizations may help you in your career now or even in the future. Click here for the full list of all the companies planning to attend the conference, so if you’re looking for a way in you’ve found it!
4. Attend workshops
Get advice on topics ranging from applying to graduate schools to discussing programming trends and everything in between. You’ll be able to pick the brains of industry experts and leaders who are waiting to connect with you on computing and professional topics. A few past topics include humans and bots on social media to integrating bioinformatics data using deep learning. There are plenty of discussions on a variety of critical areas within computing and technology. To get an idea of the types of topics that may be covered at this year’s conference , follow the link to view past program guides! Keep an eye out on the conference website page for this year’s program!
5. Meet peers and industry professionals
Connect with your peers! You’ll be able to meet with like-minded peers across the country and establish connections with others in our industry. Establishing connections with colleagues is a significant part of networking. We’ve included virtual gathering sessions for our programs and separate gathering sessions that you can take advantage of to connect with your peers.
Come and celebrate 20 years of diversity and computing excellence. Sign up to attend this year’s Tapia conference at https://tapiaconference.cmd-it.org/.