Since its inception, RSEi has marked its professional presence on campus through career-related events, a large number of these being the speaker events. Every semester, our students coordinate three to four talks given by esteemed alumni or industry professionals who are well-established in our fields. By the end of the fall semester, we have hosted four presentations featuring CEO of Aireon Don Thoma ‘83, Three Star Lieutenant General Scott Rice ‘80, Jackie Balcerak from the Lally School of Management, and Quanta Technology Eric John ‘95 with RPI Electrical Engineering professor Luigi Vanfretti. Finally, we have started to coordinate the speakers for our Spring 2026 speaker series, and for the first ever semester, decided to center this series around a single theme.
On September 24th, Don Thoma, CEO of Aireon and one of RSE’s most active alumni, led our Career Fair Prep event, the final installment in our semester’s three-part Career Fair Preparation Series. In the first two sessions, our members held resume writing workshops and elevator pitch rehearsals open to all students on campus. Don gave guidance on these topics in his presentation and shared anecdotes from his professional journey, notably his path from the Air Force to founding the global satellite-based air traffic surveillance company we know today. This was not an ordinary slidedeck presentation, as students had the chance to interact directly with Aireon’s recruiters, programmers, and Don himself, practicing their networking skills just days before RPI’s school-wide career fair. According to our sign-in book, fifty-seven students attended, each leaving with experience pitching themselves to real industry professionals. This is an experience we pride ourselves in being able to offer to the community.
October 4th marks another one of our largest events to date, featuring RSE alumnus from the Class of 1980. Lieutenant General L. Scott Rice, USAF (Ret.), served as the Director of the Air National Guard and has had a distinguished career in military leadership. During his talk, he discussed the current state of U.S. national defense, giving his insights into the power dynamics between the world’s leading nations and his predictions on America’s international relations in the near future. However, the most impactful part of this event was the discussion that took place after his speech, where over ten students asked General Rice questions about cyber warfare, emerging drone technology, the importance of semiconductor manufacturing, and national funding towards education. Over forty students attended, many of which were first-time visitors of the house, which shows the relevance of this topic across campus.
On October 14th, we invited Jackie Balcerak, the manager of student services at the Lally School of Management, to introduce a viable post-graduate plan for students. Jackie’s presentation went into a detailed breakdown of the school’s accelerated Masters in Business Administration (MBa) program, also referred to as their co-terminal program. She emphasized the value that the program brings, highlighting its accelerated nature where students can complete it in just one year in comparison to the typical two-year length of a masters program. In fact, eligible students can apply up to six credits toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees, leading to earlier completion and lower cost. The Lally School, understanding that RPI consists largely of engineering students, offers this option for students to supplement with their tech-only B.S., which can boost their starting salary by over 50%.
On November 13th, RSE alumnus Eric John partnered with RPI Electrical Engineering professor Luigi Vanfretti, PhD, to deliver a joint lecture addressing the growing challenges associated with large-scale data centers used to train artificial intelligence models. Drawing on both industry and academic perspectives, the speakers examined the rapidly increasing energy demands of AI infrastructure and the strain these facilities placed on modern power systems. The lecture explored how electricity was generated, transmitted, and distributed to consumers across North America, with particular emphasis on the complexities of reliably supplying power to data centers operating at massive scale. Additionally, they discussed how the unique and often unpredictable operating behavior of AI training loads created challenges for grid stability, efficiency, and long-term planning, offering students valuable insight into the intersection of emerging technologies and electrical power systems.
The Packer Lecture on December 4th, featured Jianping Fu, PhD, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan, who presented on advances in bioengineering human embryo and organ models. During his lecture, Dr. Fu discussed how engineered stem cell–based systems are being used to model early human development and organ formation in controlled laboratory settings. He explained the technical and ethical considerations involved in this work, as well as its potential to transform our understanding of developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. By bridging engineering principles with biological systems, the lecture offered students insight into how interdisciplinary research is shaping the future of biomedical innovation.
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