TechTalk Speaker Series
Our TechTalk Speaker Series aims to allow students and faculty to hear from established and up-and-coming leaders in engineering and technology fields. It offers a networking environment for internships, careers, and research opportunities at the College.
Upcoming Speakers
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - Mycah Slade, Asset Management Overhead Transmission Line – Associate Engineer, ITC Holdings Corp.
Mycah Slade, Asset Management Overhead Transmission Line – Associate Engineer, ITC Holdings Corp.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Ever wonder where the energy comes from that powers your laptop? Your phone? Maybe your car? If you answered NO, then you’re not alone – and that’s how we like it! Because that’s how it should be. Yet we have a rapidly changing energy landscape – with hopes for a greener, more electrified future. But what does it really take to get there? And will the power you rely on every day remain a given?
Mycah Slade will be sharing her career journey with ITC – the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission provider, along with the changing state of our energy landscape.
ITC builds, operates and maintains the electrical infrastructure that sustains our way of life. As a company, ITC specializes in owning and operating electricity transmission systems, moving energy across long distances, at high voltages from generation to distribution providers to service our homes and business.
Past Speakers
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - Zach Wigal, Founder, Gamers Outreach
Zach Wigal, Founder, Gamers Outreach
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill HallEMU alum Zach Wigal will share his career journey, highlighting key lessons learned along the way and offering invaluable advice to current students. Attendees can expect an engaging discussion on topics ranging from entrepreneurship in the tech industry and how founders can identify opportunities to create lasting impact.
Wigal is a 5x founder, most known for creating Gamers Outreach, a charity that provides activities to children in hospitals through the power of video games and the gaming community.
To date, Gamers Outreach programs enable more than 5 million gaming experiences for hospitalized families across 400+ healthcare facilities each year. The organization also hosts one of the largest LAN parties in North America - Gamers for Giving - which brings together gamers and esports enthusiasts to support patients receiving care.
Wigal has been recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero (2019) and named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list (2017) for his work in the games-for-health space.
Recently, Wigal has launched Portal Health, an investor-backed software venture that powers entertainment experiences across healthcare facilities.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - John Bodary, President and Owner, Woods Construction & Interiors
John Bodary, President and Owner, Woods Construction & Interiors
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
John Bodary, president and owner of Woods Construction & Interiors will be delivering a presentation titled, “Identifying Your Unique Niche In The Dynamic Construction Industry,” during 'Careers in Construction Month'.Woods Construction and Interiors is a nationwide contractor with more than 71 years of experience in General Contracting. The firm specializes in retail construction and serves national brands including Target, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Meijer, Dick’s Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx, PNC Bank, and others.
Bodary has held various positions in the company starting from project monitor in 1984 to chief estimator and vice president of operations in 1988. Bodary became the president and owner in 1989.
Bodary graduated from EMU in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in construction management. He serves on the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology Dean's Advisory Board and as an EMU Foundation Board Emeritus Trustee.
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - Mark Stanislav, VP of Security Engineering & GRC, FullStory
Mark Stanislav, VP of Security Engineering & GRC, FullStory
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
I’m a Broken Man on a Halifax Pier: Security Hot Takes in the Maritimes
Mark Stanislav, alumnus ('07, '11) and VP of Security Engineering & GRC for FullStory will be presenting a series of rebuttals to common security industry topics, "best practices/focuses" and where the industry is headed.
Information security stands on platitudes of what are a "best practice" or "industry standard" in many cases. But what if that guidance is actually ill-informed and/or less valuable than projected? This talk will explore numerous dogmatic statements about how to keep your organization secure and share insights that may help you reconsider where people, time, and money should be spent instead. Whether you're a security practitioner or leader, this presentation will help you take a fresh look at topics you thought you knew the answer to.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - Kiana Wenzell, Co-Executive Director, Design Core Detroit
Kiana Wenzell, Co-Executive Director, Design Core Detroit
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 | 5 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
EMU alumna, Kiana Wenzell has 19 years of experience researching, planning, and executing design projects in metropolitan Detroit. In her current role, Kiana is Co-Executive Director of Design Core Detroit, a non-profit economic development organization housed within the College for Creative Studies.
She also serves as Director of Detroit Month of Design, Drinks x Design, and manages other key Design Core public programming.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 - Brigadier General Brian Vile, 5th Chief of Cyber Commandant, U.S. Army Cyber and Electromagnetic Warfare School Expand dropdown
Brigadier General Brian Vile, 5th Chief of Cyber Commandant, U.S. Army Cyber and Electromagnetic Warfare School
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Building the Nation’s Cyber Soldiers: Our Role in National Defense
Brigadier General Brian Vile’s talk will focus on the offensive and defensive cyberspace operations forces, U.S. Army Cyber Command’s cyber capability development efforts, and how our university and governmental agencies coincide together for our Nation's defense.
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - Matthew Wagner, Manager, Renewable Energy Development at DTE Energy
Matthew Wagner, Manager, Renewable Energy Development at DTE Energy
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 | 4 p.m. | Zoom
Wagner's presentation will focus on and give an overview of DTE's Renewable Energy Development.
Matthew J. Wagner is Manager of Renewable Energy Development for DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in developing and managing energy-related businesses and services nationwide. In his current role, Wagner leads a team responsible for overall community engagement, wildlife, and landowner care.
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - Raffaele Mautone, Founder & CEO of AaDya Security Expand dropdown
Raffaele Mautone, Founder & CEO of AaDya Security
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Raffaele Mautone’s extensive experience in the IT and security industries inspired him to launch AaDya Security with a mission to provide smart, simple, effective and affordable cybersecurity solutions for the small and medium business customer.
As EMU Alumnus, founder and CEO, of Detroit-based AaDya Security, Mautone’s experience in implementing marketing and sales strategies and positioning companies for future growth have been instrumental and paramount to serving companies such as Duo, FireEye, McAfee, and Dell.
Wednesday, November 16, 2022 - Michael Gzybowski, Senior Counsel, Dykema Expand dropdown
Michael Gzybowski, Senior Counsel, Dykema
Wednesday, November 16, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Patenting Inventions is intended to bring awareness and bridge the gap between
engineering and technology innovation and entrepreneurship. At the beginning of developing a startup business plan, one needs to ensure a product or service that is to be offered does not conflict with others’ rights.Securing patent ownership of such a product or service by a startup can be vital for purposes of raising startup capital. Securing patent rights needs to be considered and kept in mind when engineering and technology innovation begins, so that rights are not lost before business planning starts.
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - Chuck Gray, Vice President, Vehicle Hardware Engineering, Ford Model e Expand dropdown
Chuck Gray, Vice President, Vehicle Hardware Engineering, Ford Model e
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Albert Einstein once said, “Scientists investigate that which already is.
Engineers create that which has never been.”Engineering allows us to transform an object from one form to another
and forms the foundation for human development. Chuck Gray's
presentation will focus on the importance of STEM and, in particular,
the power of engineering to transform the way we live today and into
the future.Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - Quentin L. Messer Jr., CEO, President and Chair, Michigan Strategic Fund Expand dropdown
Quentin L. Messer Jr., CEO, President and Chair, Michigan Strategic Fund
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
At the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Quentin Messer, Jr. leads a team committed to providing the resources, solution and opportunities needed to help high-tech talent grow and thrive in the state. From adapting to an increasingly digital economy and upskilling to meet new industry demands, to connecting students with tech internships to create a pathway toward a career following graduation - MEDC and its many partners across the state remain committed to ensuring the bright minds at Eastern Michigan University and beyond find pure opportunity in Michigan.
Wednesday, March 30, 2022 - Carla Bailo, President and CEO, Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Expand dropdown
t image]Carla Bailo, President and CEO, Center for Automotive Research (CAR)
Wednesday, March 30, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
The future of automotive and mobility is being influenced greatly by decarbonization, connectivity and automation. This presentation will focus on sustainability and its importance in mobility and society in general. Policy will be briefed in terms of support to reduce our overall carbon footprint as it related to electrification. Then, a deep dive of the mobility ecosystem of the future will be explained. There is a lot at play in this arena - hang on for the ride!Wed Feb 16, 2022 - Paul C. Ajegba, P.E., Director, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Expand dropdown
Paul C. Ajegba, P.E., Director, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Paul C. Ajegba will be sharing with us the importance of equity and inclusion in infrastructure investments. His talk will showcase how MDOT builds on success through partnerships, innovations, and mentorships, demonstrating how engaging and recruiting talented engineers is a high priority for the department now and into the future.
Wed Jan 26, 2022 - Shared Infrastructure for Accelerating the Validation of Connected & Automated Vehicles with Reuben Sarkar, President/CEO of the American Center for Mobility (ACM) Expand dropdown
Shared Infrastructure and Ecosystem for Accelerating the Validation and Commercial Deployment of Future of Mobility Technologies with Reuben Sarkar, President/CEO of the American Center for Mobility (ACM)
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
The talk will focus on the importance of shared-use smart mobility test centers as a key enabler for the cost-effective validation of new mobility technologies as well as the state of technology readiness and trends in mobility technologies.
Mon Oct 4, 2021 - Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) on Campus with Paul Perrone, Founder/CEO of Perrone Robotics Expand dropdown
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) on Campus with Paul Perrone, Founder/CEO of Perrone Robotics
Monday, October 4, 2021 | 4 p.m. | 124 Sill Hall
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) in many ways represent a pinnacle of advanced high tech, robotics, and AI applications. AVs thus not only stand out as one of the most intellectually stimulating topics of study, but also the most challenging. Engineering schools that bring AVs onto campus for research and use thus tap into one of the most fundamental curiosities and interests of students, faculty, and the broader University community. This talk provides an overview of the use case and research opportunities for having AVs on campus; some of the constituent program elements for successful AV use and deployment; as well as options available to Universities for research platform-based vehicles.