This year’s annual conference sponsored by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math and Science (AHETEMS) will bring together educators, students, and leaders in government and industry. The purpose of this summit is to advance scientific and technical education, career paths, and life goals for a variety of Hispanic and Latino students across the United States.

The annual conference held by SHPE and AHETEMS will be in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 27-31, 2010, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza and the Duke Energy Convention Center. The conference will include a Dean’s Summit, an Educators Forum and ample opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and high school students to learn about scholarships and internships to advance their learning opportunities and professional growth in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

In the "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report, the National Science Board (NSB) raised concerns about statistical data that indicates a "troubling decline" in the number of U.S. citizens who are studying and training to become scientists and engineers. The NSB projections show that the number of jobs requiring STEM skills is growing at more than four times the rate of the U.S. labor force as a whole. To complicate matters, the present workforce employed with federal agencies that focus on scientific professions is readying for retirement. In 2010 alone, 71% of the U.S. government’s permanent employees in STEM fields will be eligible for retirement and 40% are expected to exercise this option.

Since a huge number of professionals in the STEM fields are due to retire, high profile government agencies are interested in properly preparing bright and motivated students for successful STEM careers. The foundation for a successful career begins in high school, college, and graduate school. At this time especially, the opportunity is ripe for organizations such as SHPE and AHETEMS to provide the necessary funding and mentoring to improve career opportunities in high paying fields for Hispanic and Latino students. Over thirty years of working to advance Hispanic and Latino students’ opportunities has shown those who are traditionally underrepresented in these lucrative and well-respected professions flourish when financial, study, and career opportunities are introduced.

This annual conference is a unique opportunity for Hispanic and Latino high school students who are focused on careers in technological fields to see what college is all about, prepare for SATs, learn how to write effective essays, and obtain a wider view of the jobs available in the technical fields. High profile government agencies, such as NASA and the Department of Energy, participate in this conference. Representatives from these and other agencies and companies attend this conference to speak directly to students aspiring to work in scientific and technical fields and study at colleges and universities across the United States.

AHETEMS and SHPE will host a Teacher Program during the conference, where 100 middle and high school science and math teachers who teach in predominantly Hispanic-serving schools will be apprised of multiple opportunities for their most talented students. During the conference, high school seniors will participate in seminars where they take a closer look at the college application process and learn about scholarship opportunities. Graduate students will learn how to improve their resumes and be given an overview of internship opportunities. Deans of prominent colleges and universities will convene to discuss matters affecting science, technology, engineering and mathematics students at the college and graduate level. An award for the best Student Technical Paper and Poster will be presented during the conference in October.

For STEM students of Hispanic or Latino heritage, the annual AHETEMS and SHPE conference assists them in gaining a broad overview of all of the opportunities available at this time. Since baby boomers employed in STEM fields are reaching retirement age in record numbers, the time could not be better to explore and develop careers in technological fields.

For more information about the annual conference, visit http://www.ahetems.org/2010-shpe-conference/pre-college-symposia10/.