Department News

Herff College of Engineering hosts ASEE-SE 2026 Conference



3-27-2026



from: Herff Headlines

The Herff College of Engineering proudly hosted the American Society for Engineering Education Southeastern Conference (ASEE-SE) March 8-10 at the University of Memphis.

"This conference is a much more intimate and relational alternative to the huge annual conference hosted by the ASEE national organization," said Dr. Steve Strain, Associate Professor of Teaching in Herff's Department of Biomedical Engineering and host site coordinator for the conference. "Both are focused on the mission of ASEE, which is ultimately about supporting students, but the intensity of the national conference is much less suitable for organic relationship building and fellowship. Both conferences are important, but the Southeastern section, of which we are a part, has a wonderful model for sectional conferences that makes a strong basis for regional support of the national organization's goals."

Around 160 people attended the conference, including nearly 60 who participated in a Sunday night dinner accompanied by a jazz trio. Herff College of Engineering Dean Okenwa Okoli welcomed attendees, telling them, in part, “The engineer of the future must be someone who can bridge that gap. Someone who can connect technology and the people, innovation with responsibility and ideas with real-world impact. That vision aligns closely with what we strive to do here at the Herff College of Engineering. As one of only three public R1 universities here in the State of Tennessee, our mission is to create successful engineers, conduct impactful research and help build the workforce that drives innovation and economic growth across our state and our nation.”

The conference kicked into high gear on Monday with a full slate of activities. It began with a speech from keynote speaker and University of Memphis Provost Dr. David J. Russomanno, who described the college's history with artificial intelligence and its significance in the Mid-South in his presentation "Anchoring the Digital Delta: The University of Memphis as Tennessee's AI University."

The Undergraduate Poster Competition followed, coinciding with technical sessions, roundtables and workshops on various topics. David Adaway, a senior in computer engineering, won second place in the individual competition, followed by senior Gerrell Dabbs, also a senior in computer engineering, who won third place.

Dr. Amy Dejongh Curry, Associate Professor in Herff's Department of Biomedical Engineering and host-site chair of operations for the conference, said the work of those undergraduates, along with the University of Memphis facilities used to host the conference, helped showcase the academic achievements happening at the Herff College of Engineering and the college's impact on engineering, particularly in the southeast region.

"Hosting the ASEE‑SE conference was a great way to share who we are at the Herff College of Engineering. We welcomed attendees into two of our signature spaces—the Edwards Research and Innovation Center and the FedEx Institute of Technology—which naturally encouraged collaboration, conversation and learning. These spaces gave colleagues from across the southeastern United States an opportunity to connect and exchange ideas in a setting that reflects how we work every day. It was also especially rewarding to see the impact our undergraduate students had; their work and professionalism made a strong impression and truly reflected the quality of our academic community," Dr. Curry said.

Olaf Schulz, Director of Venture Development & Zeroto510 and of Epicenter Memphis, concluded Monday's activities with his speech "Stuff I Wish I Learned in Engineering School." In his speech, Schulz, a biomedical engineer with over 28 years of experience in the medical industry, examined formative lessons - direction, failure, curiosity, and communication - that provide practical tools for navigating real-world engineering careers.

Dr. Strain said the impact of the speeches by Dr. Russomanno and Schulz was rivaled only by the community atmosphere of the southeastern conference.

"Our keynote speakers were amazing," Dr. Strain said. "Our Provost, Dr. David Russomanno, gave an exciting presentation about UM's history and future with regards to AI leadership for higher education in Tennessee on Monday morning. That evening, Olaf Schulz, Director of Zeroto510 MedTech Programs here in Memphis, gave an inspiring talk from his experience directing an entrepreneurial incubator and accelerator to bring biomedical device ideas to market. For me, these talks were the highlight of the conference events. However, underneath all of it is something that I can't ignore—the community that the Southeastern section has created with the annual ASEE-SE conference. I have to put this community experience, this space where meaningful connections between conference attendees emerge organically, on an equal level with our keynotes."

Several members of the Herff College of Engineering will continue their service to ASEE-SE, including Dr. Strain as ASEE-SE Bio and Chemical Engineering Division Vice-Chair, Logan Sirbaugh as Pre-College Engineering Education Division Vice-Chair, and Dr. Pegah Farshadmanesh as Professional Skills Division Chair.

Dr. Curry said the passion for engineering shown during the conference and the exchange of ideas that the conference allowed made every day of the two-year planning process worth it.

"Planning for the conference started over 2 years ago and ultimately the planning committee involved over 15 people, all contributing in ways that leveraged their strengths and expertise," Dr. Curry said. "Hosting this conference was a meaningful way to give back to the engineering education community, and it was truly rewarding to create a space where attendees could connect with colleagues who share our passion for shaping the future of engineering education."

MemphiSTEM ScholarsResume and Interview Success Workshop



3-4-2026

Attention Herff Undergraduates!

We are excited to announce a new scholarship program, funded by the National Science Foundation, that is open to our undergraduate engineering majors who are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in Fall 2026. Review of applications for the 2026-27 academic year begins April 6, 2026.


Click on Image for more info

Spring 2026 Semester



12-17-2025

During the spring 2026 semester, I will not be teaching any of my normal classes, but instead I will be working on improving the Network Field of Study. I will be around, but will not have normal office hours. If you need to see me, please email me at dekohn@memphis.edu for an appointment.

Robotics Club



2-25-2026 (update 3/3/26)

The Robot Club will be meeting every Tuesday for 4pm to 6pm in ET204 unless otheriwise posted. Currently we are working on soldering and building line-following robots (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91fNp5VxJJL.pdf")

We are currently deciding on our next project (but it might be to add a Micro Controller to the line tracking robots.

Next week we will start with a Raspberry Pi Pico and programming using ViperIDE and MicroPython

Spring 2026 Career Con



2-16-2025

Career Services Presents Career Con

Career Services is pleased to introduce Career Con, a series of premier events designed to support student career readiness through intentional skill development, employer engagement and career pathway exploration across industries. As part of Career Services’ Career Con, the All-Majors Career Fair is getting an upgrade. It will feature enhanced opportunities designed to maximize the student experience during the fair.

New additions include:

  • Student Lounge – A networking hub for employer-student connections (students only)
  • On-Site Interview Suite – A reserved interview area for employers choosing to conduct interviews (students only)
  • Chill Zone – A recharge zone designed to reset and refocus (students only)
  • Career Hub – Employer-led panel discussions focused on career success strategies (students, faculty and staff)



Spring 2026 All-Majors Career Fair - March 25, 2026

Tiger Talent Meets Opportunity at UofM's Fall university-wide all-majors career fair. The event will be from 10:00am - 2:00pm in the University Center Ballroom.

Meet and connect with major employers to explore full-time career and internship opportunities. The career fair is open to current UofM students and alumni with an Alumni TigerLink account. Business Professional Attire is expected.

View the list of Employers in Attendance for the Spring 2026 All-Majors Career Fair

Engineering poster printing services



1-23-2026

The Herff College of Engineering offers in-house poster printing for students, faculty and staff to support classes, events and conferences. Students can print for free, and everyone can use the service by submitting posters through the link below at least a week before they’re needed. Be sure to include poster specs and any important details in the form.

Engineering Print Requests

UofM Majors that pay the most



11-8-2022

From: Commercial Appeal (Oct 9, 2022)

In the article "Want a big paycheck? These University of Memphis majors pay the most - and least" by Becca Wright it was stated that the five highest-earning bachelor's degrees offered at the UofM were:

  • Mechanical engineering: $71,690
  • Electrical, electronics and communications engineering: $68,655
  • Computer engineering: $68,033
  • Engineering technology: $64,943
  • Civil engineering: $62,591

The lowest-earning bachelor's degree made $22,882.

Tau Alpha Pi



5-8-2025

We are proud to announce this year's Tau Alpha Pi Engineering Technology Honor Society's Inductees:

Deanneshae Bland, Ronnie Nguyen, Keaton Claudio, Owen Cook, Andrew Kallaher, Rose Saeed, Olivia Ensor, Mario Arredondo, Emily Gravatt, Yeeun Ahn, Hannah Perry, Ean Lindsey, Jakayla Thomas

These students represent the upper 10% of all Engineering Technology Students.

Please join us in congratulating our latest Honorees.