American Society for Engineering Management upcoming events

Live Event | The Manager After Management: Rethinking Engineering Leadership in the Age of AI (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

ASEM Live Event

The Manager After Management: Rethinking Engineering Leadership in the Age of AI

Presented by Simran Rajpal

29 September 2026 ~ 12pm EDT / 11am CDT

Zoom link provided with registration confirmation

What happens when the systems we manage begin to think, learn and act with us?

For decades, engineering management has been built around planning, predictability, optimization and control. AI is beginning to challenge that foundation. As intelligent systems take on a greater role in decision-making, analysis, coordination and execution, the manager’s role is shifting from controller to sense-maker, from planner to curator of intelligence.

This event explores the transition from systems thinking to agentic thinking and asks a bigger question: How should management evolve when intelligence is no longer exclusively human?

Drawing on established management thinking and emerging AI realities, we will explore the rise of intelligent organizations, the changing role of managerial judgment, the relationship between human and algorithmic decision-making and the new literacies engineering managers will need to lead in an AI-enabled world.

About the Presenter:

Simran Rajpal is a technology and business professional working as the Chief Business Analyst at Indeses Business Ventures. She works at the intersection of AI, digital transformation and business process engineering. With an engineering background from Vellore Institute of Technology and an MSc in Management from the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, she brings together technical understanding and strategic management perspectives.

Her experience spans technology consulting, banking technology, enterprise systems, product development and AI-led transformation initiatives. In her current work, she focuses on understanding complex business processes and translating them into scalable digital and AI-enabled solutions.

Her interests include AI in engineering management, enterprise transformation, process intelligence and how emerging technologies are reshaping managerial decision-making and the future of work.

2026 ASEM International Annual Conference (IAC) (07 Oct 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMT

ASEM 2026 International Annual Conference

Engineering Management at the Intersection of Innovation, People, and Purpose

October 7th to 10th, 2026

Madison Marriott South, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Jointly Hosted by

Join engineering management professionals, academics, and industry leaders for immersive learning, collaboration, and innovation. The program features keynote addresses, expert panels, technical workshops, exclusive industry tours, networking receptions, and a Saturday virtual session. The conference will be in-person with a virtual component on the last day.

Conference Registration

In addition to entrance fees for exciting workshops, keynote speaker events, and special presentations, conference registration includes special awards and scholarship presentations.

Optional industry tours are available, as well as the highly acclaimed Social Event which will be held at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison.

Registration is open at https://asem.org/event-5966669. (Scroll to the bottom of the page, in the left column you will find the REGISTER button.)

Tentative Schedule:

Wednesday (October 7)

8:30am - 11:50am Industry Tour 1 | Central Heating & Cooling Plant (UW-Madison)

8:30am - 11:50am Industry Tour 2 | Dairy Innovation Tour: Babcock Dairy & Dairy Cattle Center

12:00pm - 2:30pm Industry Tour 3 | Trek Bicycle Corporate & Manufacturing Tour (Waterloo, WI)

1:00pm - 5:45pm: In-person technical sessions, workshops and panels.

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Welcome Reception; Ticket provided with paid registration. Professional-level registrations will also receive one beverage ticket for this evening event.

Thursday (October 8)

8:00am - 5:45pm: In-person keynote, technical sessions, panels, and workshops.

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Social Event; Ticket for attending will be available for purchase with registration.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and snacks during breaks.

Friday (October 9)

8:00am - 5:45pm: In-person keynote, technical sessions, panels, and workshops.

6:00pm - 9:00pm: Awards Banquet; Keynote presentation from the 2026 Engineering Manager of the Year! Ticket provided with paid conference registration. Professional-level registrations will also receive one beverage ticket for this evening event.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, Award banquet, and snacks during breaks.

Saturday (October 10)

8:00am - 1:00pm: Virtual Presentations Only

When the schedule is published in September, it will be available at https://asem2026.exordo.com/

Third Regional Symposium in Engineering Management for Space and Defense in Washington, DC (21 May 2027)

Fri, 21 May 2027 05:00:00 GMT

Third Space and Defense Engineering Management Symposium

May 21, 2027 | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Hosted by The George Washington University Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Venue: Science and Engineering Hall (SEH)
800 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
Rooms: FB-SEH-B1167, FB-SEH-B1220, and FB-SEH-B1270

Engineering Management for the Future Space and Defense Enterprise
Leading Across Sectors for Security, Exploration, and Sustainable Growth

The Third Space and Defense Engineering Management Symposium will bring together high-profile panelists and leaders from the space and defense sectors and academia for a focused half-day conversation on how engineering organizations must evolve to meet the demands of the next decade. Panelists and speakers will be announced soon.

Artificial intelligence, digital engineering, commercial space, evolving security challenges, and increasingly interconnected organizations are changing how critical systems are developed and how the people and organizations behind them are led. Four panel discussions will examine the tensions engineering leaders must navigate:

Innovation vs. Mission Assurance: How can organizations move faster while preserving the reliability, safety, quality, and engineering discipline required for mission-critical systems?

Competition vs. Collaboration: How can leaders work effectively across government, industry, startups, suppliers, and academia while managing competing interests and protecting sensitive information?

Autonomy vs. Human Leadership: As AI becomes part of engineering work and decision-making, how should leadership, workforce roles, governance, and organizations evolve, and what remains uniquely human?

Stability vs. Adaptability: What will successful space and defense engineering organizations need over the next decade, and what should engineering leaders begin preparing for today?

Who Should Attend: Engineering managers and executives, technical and systems leaders, government and defense professionals, aerospace and space industry professionals, engineering management researchers, educators, and others involved in leading complex engineering organizations.

From Discussion to Action: Key ideas and perspectives from the symposium will inform the Engineering Management for the Future Space and Defense Enterprise: 2027 Symposium Insights Report, focused on four questions: How do we innovate responsibly? How do we work together? How do we manage differently? Where are we heading?

Join the space and defense engineering management community in Washington, DC, for a timely exchange of ideas, perspectives, and practical insights on leading the future space and defense enterprise.

Symposium Leadership Team:

Yesim Sireli, PhD, CPEM, F-ASEM, IAB Chair, UNC Charlotte (contact: ysireli@charlotte.edu)

Mike Holman, PE, CPEM, F-ASEM, Kratos Defense

Carl Ise, Col (ret), PhD, CPEM, F-ASEM, Analytical Mechanics Associates

Roberto Montañez, D.Eng., Northrop Grumman

Seats are limited, please register early!