Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1202019
58 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2020 Johnson: For a junior engineer, attending IPC APEX EXPO on my company's dime, that $99 pass to go see one session should be an easy sell. Sandy-Smith: If you're thinking, "I want to know about the latest conformal coating. It's almost a nominal fee. It's less than dinner or a night stay at a hotel. And people that partici- pate in the standards committee meetings get a single-session pass for free, so they can use it to attend the technical conference in their free time after back-to-back committee meetings. A lot of times, people wouldn't go to the tech- nical conference because you'd have to buy the full pass even though you wouldn't be there the whole time. We want to thank our members for contributing to the standards committees. What they do is impactful, and we want to show our gratitude with the single- session pass. Johnson: You have to get fed, as well as do the feeding, as an IPC volunteer. Sandy-Smith: I have so much appreciation for the speakers, volunteers, and conference at- tendees. A lot of these people are going out- side of the bounds of what their job requires to give back to the industry. That was one of my favorite things when I was attending these conferences was to bring back the knowledge that I was gain- ing in my lab to the industry so that other people might not have to toil as hard. IPC is very appre- ciative of that. We're finding new ways to show it. On the show floor, we're also keeping the ice cream social because everyone loved it, and bringing back the expo show floor reception. We appreci- ate our attendees, and we want them to have the best experience possible and exceed expectations because IPC APEX EXPO is still the biggest and most attended electronics manufacturing con- ference in the U.S. Johnson: Can people register to attend now? Sandy-Smith: Yes. The website is live, and our app shows everything. It makes for a much bet- ter experience. It figures out what you're look- ing for and makes recommendations, and you can connect with people and set up meetings. You can have your whole schedule laid out on your phone with reminders if you need them, so you know where to be and at what time. In- stead of carrying around a show brochure, you can put it on your phone. Johnson: It was very helpful when I put togeth- er an itinerary for myself last year. Sandy-Smith: With all the effort you're expend- ing at these conferences, the app helps stream- line your schedule. Arrange your schedule on the app ahead of time, and then execute your plan when you're there. Another thing that's interesting about this year is that IPC APEX EXPO will be over Super Bowl Sunday, but we've anticipated that. For professional devel- opment that usually takes place on Sunday, we've shifted the schedule earlier to make sure that we're done by 3:00 p.m. so that you can get to the nearest bar and watch the game. We don't want to take away from anyone's fun, as