Keynote Speakers

Dr. David Sun Kong

David Sun Kong, Ph.D. is a synthetic biologist, bio designer, community organizer, musician, and photographer based in Lexington, Massachusetts. He is the Director of the MIT Media Lab’s Community Biotechnology Initiative. His research explores the multidisciplinary domains of synthetic biology, biological design and art, collective intelligence and movement building, and STEAM learning.

David conducted his graduate studies at MIT’s Media Lab, receiving a Master’s degree for developing technology for printing nanostructures with energetic beams and a Ph.D. for demonstrating the first gene synthesis in a microfluidic (“lab-on-a-chip”) system. He was recognized as an emerging leader in synthetic biology as a “LEAP” fellow, served as a guest faculty member at the Marine Biology Lab, and is co-founder and managing faculty of “How To Grow (Almost) Anything,” an international course on synthetic biology. He founded and chaired new Microfluidic and Hardware Tracks for the International Genetically Engineered Machines Competition (iGEM) and is the official iGEM DJ. He was Technical Staff in the Bioengineering Systems & Technologies group at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory and a founding member of the synthetic biology team.

David’s work has been covered via outlets such as The Washington Post, Science, Showtime, the Boston Globe, NEO.Life, NPR Boston, Gizmodo, STAT News, Chronicle, and WBZ News. He has performed as a DJ, beat-boxer, vocalist, and rapper at hundreds of venues, including South by Southwest, the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and Brooklyn Bowl, where he opened for The Tonight Show bandleader and hip-hop legend Questlove. He teamed up with DJ Jazzy Jeff to make beats from the human microbiome. He is also an award-winning vocal arranger and producer. His photography has been exhibited at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian, the Japanese American National Museum, and other museums and galleries across the country.

Clayton Moony

ISU Alum Clayton Mooney is Co-founder and Chief Farmer at Clayton Farms.  He has a very hard-working and competitive mentality that has led him to success in many endeavors.  Clayton has a dedicated mission to health through good food.  He is also a technology writer, boxing coach, ultramarathoner, and retired professional poker player and coach.

Dr. David Sly

Dave Sly, started his first software company, Slysoft, while an undergrad in Engineering at Iowa State during the mid-1980’s. This first company led to the vision of a product that he perfected in graduate school and led to his second company, Cimtechnologies. His master’s thesis product became a market leading Factory Design application that was sold to another ISU technology company for several million dollars in the late 1990’s. Eventually Dr. Sly identified the newly conceived Internet in transforming this marketspace which led to starting his third company in 2002. That company, Proplanner, was sold to a Venture Capital firm last year. Dr. Sly is currently the Director for Start Something in the COE, as well as an instructor for IE Senior Capstone and ENGR 430 – Entrepreneurial Product Design.

Session Speakers

Dr. Emmanuel Agba

Dr. Agba is a design and manufacturing professional with extensive experience in the automotive and plastics industry, including several years holding executive positions in manufacturing, and several years in teaching, research and consulting as a lead professor of mechanical systems design. Dr. Agba has experience in metal additive manufacturing, food processing technology, industrial automation, robotics, product lifecycle management, CAD/CAM/CAE, traceability, supplier integration, design and manufacturing collaboration, technical training, and plastics production. His record of implementing new technologies for process improvement and cost reduction is impressive. Dr. Agba is Six Sigma certified, dedicated, committed and resourceful with strong interpersonal relationship building, as well as verbal and written communications skills. He takes pride in thinking out-of-the-box and using six sigma methods.

Dede Barrigah

Dede Barrigah, a Senior in Electrical Engineering, was born in Lome, Togo. Her family immigrated to the USA in 2009 and has lived in the Quad Cities since then. Dede began her studies at Blackhawk Community College, where she earned an Associate of Engineering Technology degree in 2022 and an Associate of Science degree in 2023. She then transferred to Iowa State University to complete her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Dede works part-time on the Electrical Systems team at John Deere and is a Peer Mentor for the LEAD Learning Community: ENGR 4900L course. When not studying or working, she enjoys going to the gym, watching sports, and is slowly getting back into running.

Dr. Brandon Clark

Dr. Brandon Clark is the Coordinator for Student Success & Leadership Development for Leadership through Engineering Academic Diversity (LEAD) Initiatives in the College of Engineering at Iowa State University. His scholarly and teaching interests span the intersections of leadership, social justice, and engineering education, and his work focuses on promoting the academic, leadership, professional, and social development and success of historically underrepresented students in engineering. Originally from Spokane, WA, Dr. Clark is a three-time ISU graduate, holding a Ph.D. in Education. Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr. Clark values quality time with family and friends, being outdoors, and playing sports.

Olivia Cramer

Originally born in a small town in Michigan, Olivia -known as Liv by friends and family-was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, facing numerous questions from the start—like how she would learn to walk. Defying expectations, she embraced curiosity and determination, learning to walk with a prosthetic, excelling in sports, joining a collegiate golf team, and now training to become a sitting volleyball Paralympian for the USA. Her journey of asking “why” and challenging limits led her to a successful career in STEM and an undying passion for helping others find their confidence and purpose in life. Now, Olivia is driven by the power of curiosity and imagination, always asking the questions that push boundaries and fuel innovation.

Dr. Mirka Deza

Dr. Mirka Deza is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. She has a B.S, M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, Iowa State University, and Virginia Tech, respectively. In addition, she got a M.S. co-major at Iowa State in Biorenewable Resources and Technology.
Dr. Deza teaches a wide range of courses from freshman to senior classes including all fundamental thermofluid classes. Her main interests are Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer, Multiphase Flow Modeling, and Energy Usage and Efficiency, but her passion is Engineering Education.
Dr. Deza was awarded the 2022-2023 Mechanical Engineering Professor of the Year by the senior class of 2023 and through the support of her peers she was one of the recipients of the 2022 ISU Award for Early Achievement in Teaching. She has coauthored a chapter in the “Women in Mechanical Engineering: Energy and the Environment” book titled “Educating the Next Generation of Mechanical Engineers” where her teaching methods, adaptability, and care for her students are highlighted.
She is the Academic Advisor of the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) mentoring students to reach their full potential.

Kechi Igwe

Kechi Igwe is an enhancement engineer at Lennox International, specializing in design solutions for residential home comfort products. She has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University, where she graduated in the fall of 2023. During her time at ISU, she was active on campus, serving as the events chair of Society of International Engineers, a member of the ELT planning committee, and a manufacturing lab technician. In her free time, Kechi enjoys cooking and watching women’s basketball.

Andrew Jesus

Andrew Jesus is a driven and multi-talented individual who is currently a junior studying Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. When Andrew is not busy with conference planning, he enjoys various activities that reflect his love for the outdoors and innovation. He is an avid pilot and takes to the skies whenever he can, whether for leisure or to sharpen his skills as an aerospace engineer. Additionally, Andrew is an accomplished snowboarder and wake surfer, and he loves to capture the beauty of his adventures through photography.

In addition to his recreational pursuits, Andrew is a dedicated coach for a robotics team, guiding young minds toward discovering their passion for technology. He is also the Director of a non-profit organization, where he works tirelessly to improve the lives of underprivileged children in his community.

Dr. Ryan Lott

Dr. Ryan Lott currently serves as the Principal Data Scientist for the Asset Valuation Team at John Deere Financial.  This role is responsible for leading and developing production level inferential models across a wide range of applications.  In this highly collaborative role, Ryan is tasked with working with a large end-user base within the confines of a Smart Industrial/Agile technological environment while also innovating new modeling techniques.  Ryan is also heavily involved in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at John Deere through serving on the ABLE’d and Community Pipeline Employee Resource Groups in addition to new employee recruiting.  Ryan earned his bachelor’s in Psychology, M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies, and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University (research interests were Quantitative Psychology, Adolescence and Biopsychology).  Ryan also was a post-doctoral fellow at Auburn University.  Ryan enjoys attending as many Iowa State sporting events as possible.

Kellie Olson

Kellie is an Iowa State alum. She started her career with Engineering Career Services right after graduation and has now been there for over 10 years in various roles. In her current role as Director, she has the opportunity to lead a great team and work 1-on-1 with many students. She is passionate about helping students improve their career development skills and learn how to effectively market themselves to potential employers. Kellie has worked with hundreds of engineering employers on their recruiting efforts during her career and likes to pass along knowledge to students on how to best connect with them.

Leslie Potter

Leslie Potter is an ISU College of Engineering Distinguished Teaching Professor in Industrial Engineering. She earned her B.S. in IE from Iowa State University and her M.S. in IE with an emphasis in manufacturing from Penn State University. While working for John Deere Waterloo Works for seven years, she held many engineering and supervisory roles, including project, process, quality, and supply management engineering positions, as well as assembly line supervisor and quality supervisor. She joined ISU as a faculty member in 2001 and is now in her 24th year. She loves teaching, including IE4700 Project Management, which is going to Italy in S’25 (check it out and come with – it’s AMAZING)! She co-authored a technical writing textbook that includes great tips on how to get a job. She has been married to a computer/cyber engineer for 33 years; they have 3 sons (a cyber, a computer, and an industrial engineer). Her hobbies include baking, cooking, gardening, ISU football, fishing, poker (she won a tournament in Vegas this summer!), walking dogs, travel, crafts, volunteering, escape rooms, & family!

Micah Scheaffer

Micah is a dynamic force within the programming team. As a sophomore mechanical engineering student, Micah brings a wealth of technical expertise and a passion for innovation to the table. Beyond the confines of academia, Micah is a trailblazer in the realm of robotics, serving as the Vice President of the VEX U Cyber Robotics Club. Here, he leads a team of like-minded individuals in pushing the boundaries of technology and automation, harnessing the power of robotics to solve real-world challenges with ingenuity and precision.

He is also an avid adventurer and outdoor enthusiast. As a member of the Mountaineering and Climbing Club.

Michelle Stallard

Michelle Stallard (Voelker) is the VP of Value Stream Integration for Rolls-Royce and an Assistant Teaching Professor of Industrial Engineering at Iowa State University. Prior to graduating from Iowa State University with her degree in Industrial Engineering (BS ’15, MS ’16) with a Technical Sales Minor, Michelle gained leadership experiences through the organizations such as the ISUCF”V”MB, Honors Program, Engineers’ Week, and NSCS; she also started her engineering journey through internships at Whirlpool, SpaceX, Procter & Gamble, and Rolls-Royce. Upon graduation, she gained experience through the Operations Leadership Graduate Rotational Program at Rolls-Royce, which gave her breadth in the organization and the opportunity to lead people early on in her career. These opportunities set the foundation for follow-on leadership roles in manufacturing operations, logistics, and planning. In her free time, Michelle enjoys volunteering at the animal shelter, painting, and visiting National Parks.

Vikram Timsina

Outside of his involvement in conference planning, Vikram is a highly active member of his university’s community. He serves as the Cabinet Representative for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and is a member of the Sales Engineering Club. Additionally, he is a member of the SALC First Year Leadership Committee, where he helps mentor and guide incoming freshmen navigating university life.

Vikram’s dedication to leadership and community involvement extends beyond his involvement with student organizations. He has been selected as a Resident Assistant for the BWR Dorms in Fall 2023, where he will mentor and guide his fellow students. He is also the President of Birch Dana Hall, where he has demonstrated his ability to effectively manage and organize large-scale events.

Caden Washburn

Hello! My name is Caden Washburn and I graduated from Iowa State University in 2022 with a degree in chemical engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering. Currently, I am a first year medical student at the University of Iowa and hope to pursue a career in Pediatric Cardiology. During college, I was the president of the Emerging Leaders in Engineering Club along with the AA Stand Up Comedy Club. Leadership skills are acquired through active learning experiences such as attending the ELT conference! These skills will travel with each of you throughout your careers and be vital towards your future success. I am excited and honored to present at this year’s ELT conference and look forward to meeting everyone!