I recently took on the role of Vice Chair for the IEEE Boston Section Young Professionals (YP) Affinity Group, where I support and initiate new events for local YPs. My onboarding has been both welcoming and inspiring – ranging from meeting the supportive Boston Section leadership, to attending the 2025 IEEE Young Professionals Summit in New York City, to volunteering at the Boston Section Women in Engineering Senior Member Evaluation Breakfast.

From August 22–24, I had the honor of attending the 2025 IEEE Young Professionals Summit in New York City. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow YPs from Regions 1 and 2, exchange ideas about event planning, and gain valuable professional insights. At the Gala, I was particularly inspired by YP Region 1&2 Leader Sam Stone, who encouraged us to design YP events around our passions. His own focus on sustainability and AI shaped the summit’s theme, “Towards Sustainable Artificial Intelligence.” This advice resonated with me as a new YP lead: meaningful events begin with what excites us most.

Alongside the inspiring messages, I also gained practical tools for growth. One highlight was taking the DiSC assessment for the first time, which offered valuable insight into my work style and how to collaborate with people who approach challenges differently. During the interactive workshop, we gathered in our D/I/S/C groups to share strengths and struggles, bringing each personality type vividly to life. I look forward to recommending this assessment in the future as a tool to strengthen teamwork both in the workplace and within our YP community.

The summit also reinforced how vital the IEEE community is. Everyone I met volunteered their time to give back, keeping the organization vibrant and supportive. For young professionals, especially recent graduates, IEEE provides not only technical knowledge and professional development, but also a network of peers with shared interests. This sense of community helps ensure that no one feels like they are navigating early career challenges alone.

I left New York with fresh technical insights as well. I learned about the development phases and challenges of autonomous vehicles, strategies for navigating careers in AI, methods to address AI hallucinations, and ongoing efforts to build more sustainable AI architectures. Another highlight was the team challenge, where we pitched human-centered technologies to solve social problems. My team focused on textile waste, proposing an AI-powered system that uses computer vision to detect fabric waste on conveyor belts at local collection sites. Collaborating with teammates from diverse backgrounds was eye-opening, and together we designed a sustainable closed-loop process that could help companies reduce waste over time.

Back in Boston, I had the privilege of volunteering as a check-in coordinator for the Women in Engineering Senior Member Evaluation Breakfast. It was a rewarding experience to meet senior members, learn about the requirements for elevation, hear from peers about overcoming career challenges, and connect with students and YPs about the types of events they’d like to see. The event proved to be a rich space for learning, networking, and collaboration.

As I continue onboarding, I am excited to bring fresh ideas to our YP programming. I envision hosting social gatherings where members can connect and build friendships; mentorship circles that bring together students, YPs, and senior members to exchange experiences and advice; and even technology-themed movie nights where networking can spark naturally over conversation. This is just the beginning – more ideas are on the way, and I look forward to shaping them with all of you.