IEEE CIC NextGen Program: Juniors at Conference

An interactive learning day built for high-school researchers — no experience required.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Milpitas Silicon Valley, Nov. 6 (Full Day), 2026, San Jose, CA, USA

Co-located with IEEE CIC 2026, IEEE CogMI 2026, IEEE TPS 2026, IEEE RISC 2026.

Research, up close

NextGen: Juniors at Conference is IEEE CIC's K–12 engagement track, placing young learners directly in the room with working researchers. Over one day, students move through research talks, mentoring panels, and hands-on activities, present their own posters, and tour industry demos — no prerequisites, no lecture-hall pressure. Families are welcome to join the full experience.

Students in grades 9–12 spend a full day inside AI & robotics, cybersecurity & privacy, quantum computing, and space systems — working alongside the researchers and practitioners of IEEE International Conference on Collaboration and Internet Computing (CIC).

Multiple frontiers, one day

AI & Robotics

See how machines sense, learn, and act — from robotic arms to the models that drive them.

Cybersecurity & Privacy

Explore how systems are defended — and how attackers try to break them.

Quantum Computing

Get a first look at qubits, superposition, and the machines built to use them.

Space & Critical Systems

Trace how critical systems are engineered to survive orbit and beyond.

Best Poster / Presentation

Students showcase original projects at dedicated poster sessions throughout the day. Researchers and mentors circulate, ask questions, and the program closes with a Best Poster/Presentation award.

Tentative Schedule

Registration, Networking Breakfast & Poster Setup 8:00 am - 9:00 am

Welcome Remarks & Program Overview 9:00 am - 9:15 am

Expert Talk: AI and Robotics 9:15 am - 9:45 am
Speaker: Vishnu Pendyala (tentative) · 20 min talk + 10 min Q&A

Hands-on Activity: AR/VR Interactive Demonstrations 9:45 am - 10:45 am
Leads: Julian Jarrett (tentative), Kim & a graduate student (TBD)

Break 10:45 am - 11:00 am

Expert Talk: Quantum Computing, Quantum AI & Post-Quantum Cybersecurity 11:00 am - 11:30 am
Speaker: TBD · 20 min talk + 10 min Q&A

Student Poster Viewing, Networking & Lightning Pitches 11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Lunch 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

CISE Career Panel: What Is It Like to Be an Engineer or Scientist? 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Panelists: Julian Jarrett (tentative), TBD, TBD, TBD

Break 1:45 pm - 2:00 pm

Hands-on Activity: Hands-On IoT Workshop 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Build-and-take-home project · Leads: Julian Jarrett (tentative), Kim & a graduate student (TBD)

Expert Talk: Space Technology & Critical Systems in the Age of AI and Cybersecurity 3:00 pm - 3:40 pm
Speaker: Mai Abdelhakim · 30 min talk + 10 min Q&A

Student Poster Presentations & Judging 3:40 pm - 4:20 pm

Best Poster Awards & Recognition 4:20 pm - 4:35 pm

Closing Remarks & Group Photo 4:35 pm - 5:00 pm

Organizing Committee

  • Vishnu Pendyala, San Jose State University
  • Upal Mahbub, Qualcomm
  • Julian Jarrett, Lutron Electronics
  • Mai Abdelhakim, University of Pittsburgh
  • Irene Pazos Viana, IEEE Section Officer
  • Danda Rawat, Howard University
  • James Joshi, University of Pittsburgh
  • Liou Tang, University of Pittsburgh

HS Student Volunteers

  • Tisha Joshi, Pine-Richland High School
  • Kriti Pendyala, University Preparatory Academy

Registration & Details

Grades 9–12 · No experience required. For registration and more details, please contact Dr. Vishnu Pendyala at pendyala@ieee.org.

Co-located Conferences


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