UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will host its College of Engineering Week from February 23–27, 2026, bringing together students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners for five days of hands-on learning, research showcases, career exploration, and industry engagement.

The weeklong celebration highlights the breadth of SUNY Poly’s engineering programs while strengthening partnerships that create experiential learning and workforce development opportunities for students.

“Engineering Week reflects who we are as a college—innovative, collaborative, and deeply connected to industry and community,” said Dr. Abdullah Eroglu, Dean of the College of Engineering at SUNY Poly. “Throughout the week, our students will engage directly with leaders in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, robotics, civil and mechanical engineering, and beyond. These interactions are essential to preparing the next generation of engineers to solve complex global challenges.”

The week begins Monday, February 23, with an invite-only Industry Roundtable designed to expand internship pipelines and deepen partnerships between SUNY Poly and regional and national employers. The day also features an industry talk by Jacob Baldwin, Research Scientist at Assured Information Security (AIS), titled “Nine Years in AI: Lessons Learned for Building a Career.” Baldwin will share insights from nearly a decade in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and applied data science, offering students practical strategies for adapting to emerging technologies and building long-term career resilience.

Tuesday, February 24, marks Computer Science Day, showcasing innovation across artificial intelligence, hardware-based security, computer vision, and bioinformatics. Among the highlights is “AI Street Fighting,” presented by John Szwakob III, SUNY Poly Computer Science Lecturer and Assistant Director of the AI Trading Room (made possible by alumni Steve and Gina Surace). In this live demonstration, attendees will watch a machine learning model train in real time to master a classic arcade fighter—offering a dynamic look at reinforcement learning in action.

Also featured Tuesday are two sessions by SUNY Poly alumnus and ARM Principal Engineer Bill Roberts. In “Modern Software Security is Hardware-Based,” Roberts will explore how security-centric hardware has become essential in defending against evolving cyber threats. Later, in “Impactful Poly Engineer,” he will reflect on his professional journey from campus to leadership roles at Samsung, Intel, and ARM, illustrating how foundational engineering skills translate into global impact.
Wednesday’s Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) Day and Thursday’s Civil & Mechanical Engineering (CME) Day will spotlight academic programs, student success stories, research initiatives, and hands-on workshops. Faculty lightning talks will cover topics including aviation decarbonization, industrial robotics, biomaterials and bio-inspired design, and advanced manufacturing of energy devices.

A signature moment of the week will take place Thursday morning when SUNY Poly President Dr. Wole Soboyejo delivers a keynote address titled, “AI in Engineering Education and Research,” focusing on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in shaping engineering discovery, interdisciplinary research, and the future of higher education. Thursday will also feature a Career Fair Expo at the Wildcat Field House and a Research Centers Showcase.

The week concludes Friday, February 27, with Engineering Technology Day, including a U.S. Drone Soccer Qualifier Tournament and a series of hands-on activities and student project showcases. A featured session, “Engineering Beyond the Textbook: Cyber, Electronics, and Systems in the Real World,” led by Booz Allen Hamilton Associate Cyber Warfare Engineer Saidi Williams, will provide students with an inside look at career pathways in cybersecurity, microelectronics design, systems engineering, and defense technologies, bridging classroom learning with real-world application.

This exciting week is part of a broader year-long initiative. Throughout the 2025–26 academic year, SUNY Poly is spotlighting its colleges and signature strengths, ensuring that each division has the opportunity to highlight its impact, partnerships, and contributions. College of Business Week kicked off the celebration in September, followed by Research and Innovation Week in October, Health Sciences Week in November, and an Arts and Sciences Week slated for next month.  

Aside from the invite-only roundtable on Monday, events are open to the public and free to attend. To learn more about SUNY Poly’s College of Engineering Week, visit https://sunypoly.edu/college-engineering-week.html.