October 28, 2014
CHICAGO, IL — On Oct. 30 in Chicago, the National Engineering Forum (NEF), along with the University of Illinois, will host a regional dialogue at the Museum of Science and Industry aimed at finding solutions to the top challenges facing the American engineering community. The event brings together executives from industry, academia, government and the media to explore the challenges facing America's engineering enterprise and explore achievable solutions. City of Chicago Deputy Mayor Steve Koch will deliver the evening's keynote.
"The National Engineering Forum is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the American engineering enterprise," said Jeff Wilcox, Lockheed Martin's vice president of engineering. "NEF brings together top minds from across the U.S. to address the critical challenges of capacity, capability and competitiveness. Chicago, with its rich history of engineering vitality, is the perfect backdrop from which we can explore the past, present and future of our nation's engineering community."
Reflecting the beneficial relationship between engineering know-how and business acumen, the host committee includes University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Engineering; University of Chicago Booth School of Business; University of Illinois at Chicago College of Engineering; Northwestern University School of Engineering & Applied Science; and the Illinois Institute of Technology College of Engineering.
"It is an honor to partner with the Council on Competitiveness, Lockheed Martin and other Chicago higher education institutions to host the National Engineering Forum," said University of Illinois President Robert Easter. "The University of Illinois is home to some of the finest engineering programs in the world, and we are committed to using our expertise to help America remain a leader in research, discovery and innovation."
NEF regional dialogues have been held in 12 cities, with more to come including dialogues in Atlanta and Phoenix.
"The National Engineering Forum is committed to elevating awareness toward a common vision that transforms the way we perceive, experience and prioritize engineering in this country today," said Deborah Wince-Smith, president and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness and founding NEF partner. "It is paramount that we recognize the important contributions of American engineers and innovators as we work toward solving one of our nation's greatest challenges."
About the National Engineering Forum
The National Engineering Forum (NEF) brings together leaders concerned about the sustainability of the United States engineering field and the impact on the nation's security and prosperity. NEF involves industry executives, academics, policymakers, media, engineering societies, and nonprofits to develop solutions to the challenges facing the U.S. engineering enterprise. For more on NEF, visit: www.nationalengineeringforum.com or follow us on Twitter @NatlEngForum.
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