Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
From Participant to Volunteer to Leader: Matt Smith on the IEEE Rising Stars Conference
April 23, 2019 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Matt Smith is one of the volunteer organizers for the IEEE Rising Stars Conference. As if that’s not enough, Matt also is an example of the impact this program can have on a young professional. In this interview, Matt provides an overview of the programs and what the conference strives to create for the attendees.
Nolan Johnson: Can you start by telling us about yourself, and how you’re affiliated with the IEEE Rising Stars Conference?
Matt Smith: I’ve been a member of the IEEE for six years. I started in 2013 volunteering at my university student branch. The first time I became involved with Rising Stars was as a participant in 2014, which was held at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the first Rising Stars Conference and was quite a bit different than what we have today. There weren’t as many attendees, and not nearly as many speakers. The tracks were a little bit different; we’ve learned a lot over the years, so the program has evolved.
When I attended the first Rising Stars Conference, I was inspired by what I learned and all of the networking that I was able to do. I made new friends and met contacts that made the beginning of my career in engineering a reality.
I wanted to give back, so I spoke with the organizers and offered to volunteer. I volunteered for a year as a regular volunteer, then I was asked if I’d be interested in serving as vice chair. I said yes. Last year, I chaired the conference; this year, I’m co-chairing to help support our efforts, and it has taken off.
Johnson: Clearly this is something you’re passionate about.
Smith: Absolutely. Every year, I feel compelled to give back after everything I’ve gained from my involvement with the Rising Stars Conference. I can never seem to even the score.
Johnson: That’s usually when it’s working right.
Smith: For some background, it has been four or five years since the first IEEE Rising Stars Conference. Before I came to the Rising Stars Conference, I was working on my engineering degree online because there was no local university in Montana where I’m from; there weren’t a lot of opportunities. I applied to the one or two places available. They said they weren’t hiring, so I started asking, “How can I market myself?” I received an e-notice when I joined the IEEE that there was an opportunity to do just that. I came to the conference and met the conference organizer, Mike Andrews, who helped set me on the path for success professionally and through volunteering for the IEEE.
In the junior year of my degree program, I thought, “I need to start getting some real experience,” I asked Mike if he knew anywhere I should apply. Mike made a recommendation to reach out to a contact in Arizona. I reached out to him when I happened to be in Arizona for a vacation, and they said, “Come down for an interview.” I actually got the job through networking.
If it wasn’t for the Rising Stars Conference and applying what I learned there, I don’t think I would be where I’m at today in my current job. It has been amazing how much of a difference the conference has made on my life and enabled me to progress and succeed. By applying what I’ve learned at Rising Stars Conference, I was also nominated and selected for employee of the quarter. I attribute a lot of that to what I learned at the conference.
Johnson: There are approximately 350 students and young professionals in the conference right now experiencing their own version of that same story.
Smith: Yes, and one of the big things for me being in Montana, which is pretty low income, I couldn’t afford to fly to these types of events. So, when I learned I could volunteer and get funding to come to this event and support it, it really empowered me. I would encourage anybody that can’t afford it or thinks it's not possible, just reach out to us. Let us know that you want to help and what you’re passionate about, and we’ll try to make it happen.
To read the full article, which appeared in the April 2019 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation'
09/11/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: Dan's Biz BookshelfRick Wartzman’s Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation and the Limits of Socially Conscious Capitalism is both a wake-up call and a mirror—showing us things we might not want to admit. He doesn’t come out swinging with anti-corporate rage or idealistic fluff. No, he does something more powerful. He tells the plain, honest, uncomfortable truth, and those with a stake in business, leadership, or the American economy should read this book.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/05/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s almost fall here in Atlanta, and that means that the temperature is finally dropping. And it quit raining! It’s been raining since March, and I’m so over it, as the social influencers say. Last night we grilled out on the deck, and it wasn’t hot, and we didn’t get rained on. Life is good. It was a busy week in the industry. In this installment of my must-reads, we say goodbye to Walt Custer, the man who made PCB data points interesting for the rest of us.
Kris Moyer Discusses His Emerging Design Technologies Class
09/04/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Kris Moyer, a design instructor for the Global Electronics Association, will be teaching his advanced PCB design class this fall. If you’re ready to level up your design education, you won’t want to miss this interview. The PCB Design for Emerging Design Technologies course is designed to provide the skills necessary to create PCB/PBA designs that require cutting-edge emerging design technologies and comply with all necessary IPC standards, including new standards being developed in this area.
It's Only Common Sense: The Evolution of Prospecting
09/08/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseCold calling isn’t dead. I don’t care what the LinkedIn gurus or the TikTok “sales coaches” say. Picking up the phone and talking to another human being is still one of the fastest ways to grow your business. But (and it’s a big but), cold calling is different now. The world and buyers have changed. You can’t smile-and-dial like it’s 1987, reading the same tired script, hoping the gatekeeper is too bored to block you. If you’re still cold calling the old way—no research, relationship, or relevance—you’re showing up to a gunfight with a butter knife.
It’s Only Common Sense: 20 Lessons in 20 Years—A Career in Common Sense
08/25/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseIt’s been 20 years and 1,000 columns since I published my first monthly edition called “It’s Only Common Sense” on Sept. 5, 2005. I had only written 10 columns when I realized I couldn’t be confined to once a month. I simply had too much to say. So, on July 31, 2006, I started writing once a week, and let me tell you, that’s a lot of Mondays spent thinking, listening, watching, and writing about this wild, brutal, and beautiful industry we call the printed circuit board business.