The purpose of this survival guide, as prepared by the Young Engineers Development Subcommittee (YEDS), is to aid you in maximizing your time spent at the PCIC Technical Conference.
WHAT IS THE PCIC TECHNICAL CONFERENCE?
This Conference is the flagship conference of the Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee (PCIC) of the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS). The PCIC technical conference provides you the opportunity to:
Attend technical presentations and tutorials
Network with colleagues and gain exposure to mentors
Visit and interact with vendors
In order to make the most of your time, we suggest creating an agenda. The PCIC App (EventMobi) is a great place to do just that. Take time to review the Conference Program that you will receive at registration. Get a feel for the meetings, papers, tutorials, and other events that are taking place, and plan your agenda for each day. Review the abstracts for papers of interest.
TECHNICAL PAPERS
There are over 50 “real world” application papers presented at the Conference each year, covering a broad range of topics directly related to the electrical discipline in the oil and petrochemical industry. Papers are presented from 8:15 am to 11:15 am, and then from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Technical Sessions will be held all day Monday, Tuesday morning, and all day Wednesday via the following Technical Subcommittees:
General
Chemical
Electrochemical
International
Marine
Production
Refining
Safety
Transportation
CONFERENCE MEETINGS
Technical Subcommittee meetings are open to anyone who would like to attend. You are strongly encouraged to participate in as many meetings as possible to learn about them and to get actively involved.
VENDOR PARTICIPATION
Vendor participation is an important part of this Conference. Consultants, distributors, and manufacturers present technical papers, work on subcommittees, contribute financially to the success of the Conference, and are active members in the PCIC. Vendors set up hospitality rooms in the Conference hotel to provide an informal atmosphere to meet new and existing customers, present new product lines and receive feedback from their users. There will be a Vendor Board listing all hospitality suites along with their respective times and locations in the main Conference area.
PCIC REGISTRATION
The PCIC registration desk will be open Saturday and Sunday prior to the Conference. It will also be open Monday through Wednesday during the Conference. Consult the PCIC Conference Program for room location.
GUEST ACTIVITIES
Guests of attendees are a special part of the PCIC Conference. The Local Committee takes great care to help make their time at the Conference as pleasant and entertaining as possible by offering a variety of off-site activities while attendees participate in the daily sessions. Check the Guest Information page for more information.
BREAKDOWN BY DAY
*See Conference Program for supplementary details
Monday
PCIC Orientation Breakfast
Join us from 7:00 am to 8:00 am for this breakfast held specifically for first time attendees. Please consult the final PCIC Conference Program for room location.
Awards Luncheon
The luncheon is hosted by the PCIC Executive Subcommittee to recognize outstanding performance by members and to present various PCIC, IAS and IEEE awards. Other groups and individuals recognized are Myron Zucker Student Travel Grant recipients, international attendees, IEEE Fellows, distinguished IEEE members, and our Emeritus group of retired members who have provided a considerable amount of guidance and assistance during PCIC activities.
Conference Social
The Monday Night Social is a grand event scheduled from 6:00 pm through 7:30 pm. This event is presented by the PCIC to provide attendees and their guest a chance to socialize with old and new friends. The Social is a semi-formal affair, and it is suggested that men wear jackets and women wear cocktail dresses.
Tuesday
YEDS Luncheon
First time attendees are encouraged to register for and join us for the YEDS luncheon from 11:15 am to 12:45 pm. Consult the Program for room location.
PCIC Subcommittee Meetings
During these meetings, various subcommittee activities take place. Please reference the Conference Program for a description of each technical subcommittee to determine which subcommittee best represents your interests.
Each subcommittee reviews abstracts and votes on which papers they would like to consider for presentation at next year’s Conference. You do not have to be a member of IEEE or IAS to participate; however, you do need to be an IAS member to join a Technical Subcommittee and/or hold any PCIC office.
Attendees may also be interested in one of a variety of Working Group meetings that have been organized with a focus on continuous development or revision to various IEEE standards. Participation is beneficial and always welcome.
Wednesday
PCIC Luncheon
This luncheon is held to recognize the efforts of the Local Committee and to present information on upcoming conferences. The lunch also features an entertaining and informative guest speaker. Please consult the final PCIC Conference Program for room location.
Thursday
Tutorials
The PCIC Local Committee will cover a portion of the costs for first time attendees to attend one technical tutorial presented by experts in our industry. Pre-registration is required.
Tutorials will be held from 8:00 am to 11:45 am and from 1:15 pm to 5:00 pm. Continuing education units are awarded to each tutorial participant who successfully completes a course and submits the required CEU form.
​DRESS CODE
As an attendee, business casual attire is appropriate. When presenting a paper or when part of a discussion panel, business formal is required. Check here for tips on how to dress for a business conference.