Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Empowering the Next Generation—Waad Tarman's Journey as IPC Student Board Member

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In this conversation, Waad Tarman, a PhD student at Auburn University, reflects on her impactful journey as the outgoing IPC Student Board Member. Having transitioned from a career in project coordination to pursuing advanced studies in industrial and systems engineering, Waad’s dedication to electronics manufacturing shines through. Her experience as a student representative allowed her to engage with industry leaders and provide valuable insights from a student’s perspective. As she prepares to pass the torch to her successor, she shares her key takeaways, emphasizing the importance of connection, communication, and the ethos of paying it forward.

Marcy LaRont: This is Marcy LaRont with I-Connect007 and Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO and I'm here with Waad Tarman. She is a PhD student at Auburn University, and she happens to be the outgoing student board member for IPC. Hi Waad, how are you?

Waad Tarman: Hi. Very good to see you today.

Marcy LaRont: Thanks for agreeing to talk with me for a few minutes. Please introduce yourself. Give us a little bit of your background and how you ended up here.

Waad Tarman: Yeah, absolutely. So, I'm doing my PhD now in Auburn University in industrial and systems engineering. This is my third year. I came to the States in 2022 after I finished my undergrad in Industrial and Systems Engineering as well.

I worked for two years as a project coordinator, but then I decided that I like student's life more than adult's life. So, I decided to go back to school. I did like a whole career shift because I was always interested in electronics manufacturing. So that's what I'm doing right now. I'm doing manufacturing and reliability of solder joints specifically. That's about it.

Marcy LaRont: Well, that sounds like quite a bit. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your experience as the IPC student board member this year. Did you enjoy it?

Waad Tarman: I absolutely loved it in every single aspect. I started with the IPC since I joined school basically. I was the vice president for the first year and then the president of the Auburn chapter that we have. I got the chance to apply to be a board member after Charlene contacted me and then my whole life changed. After this it was a very eye-opening experience. I got to sit at the table with all these huge icons from the industry.

Marcy LaRont: Very empowering, isn't it?

Waad Tarman: It was very empowering, and it was a very rich experience as well.

Marcy LaRont: Did you find it intimidating at all to talk to all these “industry big wigs” you're on a board with now?

Waad Tarman: Yes. Up until the moment that I got to meet them. But they made me feel like I just fit in, although I'm just a student and my experience can't be compared with their experiences. They just make you feel like you fit in and you're one of them and they respect you. They teach you and welcome you in as if you're one of them.

Marcy LaRont: That's amazing. Because of your unique perspective and maybe not having all of the experience, that can create its own blinders, did they seek out your impression of things?

Waad Tarman: They did, absolutely. There was always a time when board members would say, “Okay, what is the perspective of the student board member?” At the end of the day, I'm the student’s representative for the nation. It's the students who are going to be the industry leaders someday. So, I think that's why it mattered the most.

Marcy LaRont: I would agree. I think that's exactly right. You are the window into our workforce. You know, the people coming up and the people after that as well.

Waad Tarman: Yeah.

Marcy LaRont: It's very important. So here you are, you're outgoing. Can you believe your terms over?

Waad Tarman: No. I just ran into John, the president of the IPC right now. And I was asking him how it might be possible to keep me as the student board member for the remaining time that I have as a PhD student. He was like, “It's just really fascinating that every student member feels this way before they're leaving.”

Marcy LaRont: Well, that's a huge commentary on the success of the program. And perhaps they should add a second one. You know, maybe that's something that will change in the future. You never know. So, as you're heading out, as you're handing the scepter over to Emily Daly, who will be the incoming IPC student board member, and as you reflect on this time, what would you say your biggest takeaways, the things that you've gotten out of this experience as you move on, move forward?

Waad Tarman: I think my biggest takeaway is that there's no limit. The more you try, the more you communicate, the more you connect with people, the more you will get to, and the more you will receive as well. And IPC has really taught me to pay forward. Like, no matter how much I get, I just pay forward. It has become my nature.

Marcy LaRont: I love that. Waad, we were certainly lucky to have you as an IPC student board member. I know that you're going to be very successful in all of your endeavors. I sure hope that we get to keep you in the industry when you graduate. And I wish you luck in your PhD presentation next month.

This has been Waad Tarman, the outgoing IPC student board member, with Marcy LaRont at I-Connect007 for Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO. Thanks for tuning in.