Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, and Short Courses
 

Introduction

Every year, the College of Engineering offers numerous conferences, meetings, workshops, and short courses that serve the lifelong learning needs of engineers. These programs are typically offered in an intense, multi-day format, often with hands-on exercises. In addition to the technical content, the programs provide opportunities for networking with persons of similar interests.

Below, you will find a list of currently known programs and the sites where they are offered. The list is constantly changing and being updated, so check back often.  We hope that you find something that meets your needs.  If you don't find what you're looking for, or if you have a need or suggestion for a program, please contact us and let us know.

Many programs will be repeated in the future with updated information.  If you have an interest in a particular program and would like more information about when it may be offered in the future, please contact the Engineering Continuing Education office.

In addition to the University Park and National conferences and short courses listed below, many Engineering continuing education courses are available to local audiences through Penn State Campus Continuing Education offices.

Other Penn State Colleges also offer Continuing Education programs that may be of interest to engineers. A select list of other colleges may be found below.

Local Information for State College and University Park

If you are coming to the State College or University Park area for a continuing education program, and would like information about travel, lodging, local attractions, and events at Penn State, click here for local information.

This Year's University Park and National Programs, listed by Month

The College of Engineering offers many continuing education programs in University Park conference facilities and at conference sites around Pennsylvania and the United States. Following is a list, sorted by month, of this year's programs. Click on the program to link to a brief description of the program and pointers to more information.

Future Programs

Many of the programs above will be repeated in the future.  A complete list of next year's programs will be posted on this site early next year. Please check back then. If you need information sooner, please contact the Engineering Continuing Education office.

Current programs

Facilities Engineering Institute Short Courses
Various times and locations throughout Pennsylvania

Founded in 1947 at the request of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute, FEI, provides facility engineering services to more than 70 customers throughout the Commonwealth. PSFEI's original mission was to provide engineering services on issues related to central plant steam generation in Commonwealth owned facilities. Over the past 50 years, PSFEI has expanded its services to include electrical, HVAC and water treatment specialties. As part of its mission, FEI conducts numerous short courses and on-site workshops throughout the year. For more information, go to FEI's Home Page at https://fei.psu.edu/home2/index.aspx and click on the Education link.
 

Reviews for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Professional Engineer (PE) Exams
Penn State offers numerous review courses that prepare engineers to take the Fundamentals of Engineering, FE, and Principles and Practices of Engineering, PE, examinations. These reviews are conducted at sites throughout Pennsylvania, usually running from Fall to Spring. Click here to link to a page that lists our latest offerings, with times, locations, and contact information.

Pennsylvania Housing Research Center Programs
Every year, the Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center hosts the Housing and Land Development Conference which features information about construction issues, and subdivision planning and design.

The Center also offers various webinars and training programs.

 For more information about the Center's programs, go to their Home Page and click on the appropriate link. The Home Page is: http://www.engr.psu.edu/phrc/default.htm

College of Engineering Research Symposium (CERS)

April - University Park

This event, sponsored by the Engineering Graduate Student Council, features presentations by graduate and undergraduate student researchers.  By providing an opportunity for interactions across engineering and scientific disciplines, the symposium will both inform participants and promote future interdisciplinary collaboration.  Participants will get to meet Penn State student researchers and faculty and learn about the latest student research projects. For more information, visit the CERS Home Page at http://cers.engr.psu.edu/.

Annual Airports Conference
March - Hershey, PA

For over 35 years, this conference has provided airport administrators and engineers an opportunity to network and to update their knowledge of the latest developments in airport engineering and operation. In addition to educational sessions and networking opportunities, the conference features an exhibit area where vendors display products and services of interest to attendees.

Click on the following link to see current information about the conference agenda, location, lodging, and registration:

http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/airports/

A conference technical session .

A view of the conference exhibit area.

Smoke School/Visible Emissions:

This lecture/laboratory course covers the regulation and behavior of visible emissions (plumes) from industrial processes, Fig. SMK1. Each individual's ability to evaluate plumes will be tested, using a smoke generator. Those who pass the tests will be certified in accordance with EPA Method 9. Click on the following link for more information.

http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/visibleemissions/

 
Figure SMK1 - Students reading smoke during a school at University Park.

Corrosion Short Course
June - University Park

The course will cover the fundamentals of corrosion and various electrochemical techniques. Lectures and laboratories will be used to illustrate how electrochemical techniques are applied, when they should be used, and how the various techniques can be integrated to solve complex problems. The course will be useful for people entering the corrosion field and for professionals looking for a refresher course.  For up-to-date information about this year's course, visit the course website: http://www.esm.psu.edu/wiki/research:bas13:corrosion_short_course/

Knowledge Management for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Organizations

July - Philadelphia Navy Yard

This course covers what knowledge management is and why it is important  for architecture, engineering, and construction organizations. A CLEVER approach to Knowledge Management is discussed, as well as the human and organizational aspects of knowledge management. Attendees will also learn how to develop a Knowledge Management strategy. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand what Knowledge Management is and why it is important for construction-sector organizations
2. Identify a Knowledge Management problem, its key attributes, and potential strategies for solving it
3. Understand the human and organizational factors that impact Knowledge Management
4. Identify tools to manage Knowledge Management in their organizations
5. Formulate a Knowledge Management strategy for use in their organizations

 Knowledge is now recognized as the single most important asset of any organization. The ability to harness and effectively deploy the knowledge held by one's staff is a crucial objective for many businesses. Knowledge Management (KM) is the means of achieving this objective. This course provides the fundamentals of KM and offers a 'tool-kit' of practices to enable managers and practitioners to design and implement KM initiatives. 

This course will be of benefit to professionals involved in the construction industry including: Engineers, Architects, Estimators, Cost Engineers, Project Managers, Design Consultants, and Owners. They will be able to explore new dimensions of knowledge management in construction project management.

For more information about the course and to register, go to:

http://www.cvent.com/events/knowledge-management-for-architecture-engineering-and-construction/event-summary-aee43ec25c204139bebc4e34d3f358fe.aspx

Graphic Statics

July-August - Online through Adobe Connect

This course covers the use of scaled diagrams to solve problems in structural analysis. This includes the analysis of arches and cables, beams, and trusses. The force polygon and funicular polygon constructions for a variety of loading conditions are discussed.

This course will be presented in three, two-hour sessions, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern time, on Wednesdays July 31, August 7, and August 14. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the force polygon and the funicular polygon constructions for a variety of loading conditions
2. Apply the force and funicular polygon constructions to the determination of the shape for a cable structure
3. Apply the force and funicular polygon constructions to the determination of the axial force and bending moment in an arch structure
4. Analyze truss, arch, and beam structures by the graphical method

 The information presented provides a quick and elegant means of solving problems in structural analysis.  It is truly the method of choice for the solution of problems in arch and cable analysis.  It is equally applicable to truss and beam structures.  This method is of particular interest to professionals involved in historic preservation, due to the widespread use of graphic statics in the late 1800s.

This course will be of benefit to professionals involved in the construction industry including: Engineers, Architects, and Historic Preservation Specialists.

For more information about the course and to register, go to: http://www.cvent.com/events/graphic-statics/event-summary-9b5ec398c33d4006a4b341ad1e4d1ff9.aspx

Rotary Wing Technology - a Comprehensive Short Course  (3.2 CEU, 32 PDHs)
August - University Park

This course, designed for engineers, presents a comprehensive introduction to rotor craft technology. The lecturers, well recognized in their respective disciplines, will cover a range of major topics, including:

For up-to-date information about the program, accommodations, and registration, see the short course website: http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/rotary-wing/
 

American Society for Composites 28th Technical Conference

September - University Park

The American Society for Composites will hold its 28th Annual Technical Conference at the Nittany Lion Inn on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University from September 9-11, 2013.

The mission of The American Society for Composites is to provide a communication forum for the engineering and scientific community in composite materials, to expedite the growth of knowledge gained from inter-disciplinary engineering and scientific research in composite materials, and to promote the exploitation of the unique properties of composite materials in emerging applications.

Papers will focus on recent research, development, and applications of composite structures and materials.

For more information about the program, accommodations, and registration, see the conference web site:

http://www.cvent.com/events/american-society-for-composites-28th-technical-conference/event-summary-b5ead552b1584bf3a8ec1db895fd2381.aspx

Zero Waste at Penn State - Nothing to it

Fall - University Park
This conference will inform attendees about successful strategies and projects that Penn State has implemented to minimize or eliminate waste going into landfills. This conference will be of interest to businesses, institutions, and universities interested in sustainability and the reduction or elimination of waste from their facilities.

The program is currently in the planning stages. More will be posted here as details become known.

Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing
October - University Park
This short course provides a broad but comprehensive introduction to many important topics in underwater acoustics and signal processing. The goal is to give participants a practical understanding of fundamental concepts, along with an appreciation of current research and development activities. It serves as a foundation for more advanced study of current literature or for other specialized courses. This short course is designed for scientists and engineers who want an introduction to, or a review of, topics in underwater acoustics and signal processing. For complete information about the program, go to http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/underwater-acoustics/.

Annual Transportation Engineering and Safety Conference (up to 12 PDHs)
December - University Park, PA

Presented in in cooperation with PennDOT, the Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center, and the Federal Highway Administration, this Pennsylvania Transportation Institute conference is aimed at improving the skills of the transportation professional through training workshops and presentations by transportation experts. The forum is designed to foster discussion and debate and to encourage questions, so that attendees can maximize their learning experience.

For up-to-date information about the program, accommodations, and registration, see the conference website: http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/transportation/ 

None at this time.

Campus Continuing Education Offices

Continuing Education at University Park

If you live in or near the Central Pennsylvania service area of the office of Continuing Education at University Park (Centre, Mifflin, and Lycoming counties), you can access a a variety of credit and non-credit engineering-related courses offered through that office.  These courses are typically offered in the evenings.  Some of the topics covered are:

To find out more follow this link to the Continuing Education at University Park web pages http://ceup.psu.edu/.  

Continuing Education at Penn State Campuses

If you live in Pennsylvania, there's a Penn State campus near you. There are 23 Campus College, Commonwealth College, and Special Mission campuses located throughout the state. These campuses offer a wide variety of continuing education courses, including Engineering courses, for learners in their service areas. To find what courses are being offered in your area, contact the campus near you. To locate and learn more about a particular campus, follow this link

http://www.psu.edu/ur/cmpcoll.html.

Select Programs from other Colleges

Programs from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences - The College of Agricultural Sciences has a long tradition of extending its boundaries by offering educational programs and practical training. Conferences, short courses, and workshops provided by the College make the educational resources available to those who can benefit by further education or training in a particular area but who cannot afford the time required for longer periods of study. Short courses and conferences offered in the College of Agricultural Sciences provide instruction in the sciences that underlie Agriculture and Natural Resources, to include the Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Forestry, Food Science and the Social Sciences. For more information, follow this link http://agsci.psu.edu/conferences.   

Programs from the Smeal College of Business - The Smeal College offers a variety of open-enrollment and custom leadership programs through its Executive Programs' office.  The Executive Program portfolio includes offerings in general and functional management for mid- to senior-level executives. Uniquely designed custom programs focus on an organization's specific challenges and opportunities. For more information, follow this link http://www.smeal.psu.edu/psep/.