- ECE student Jayden Nargen traveled to Washington, D.C., for IEEE-USA’s Congressional Visit Day to advocate for research funding and workforce policies.
- Nargen and his delegation pushed for increased federal research and development funding and support for the Keep STEM Talent Act.
- The experience highlights UF IEEE’s efforts to connect engineering students with public policy, helping them influence decisions that shape the engineering field.
A University of Florida electrical engineering student traded classrooms for congressional offices last month, stepping into conversations that help shape the future of research, innovation and the engineering workforce.
As part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), UF freshman Jayden Nargen traveled to Washington, D.C., for IEEE-USA’s Congressional Visit Day, joining engineers from across the country to meet with lawmakers and advocate for policies impacting research funding and STEM workforce development. The experience aligns with UF’s IEEE chapter’s mission to connect technical expertise with public policy, ensuring student voices are part of national conversations that directly affect their education and careers.
The two-day program began with training sessions on communicating technical issues to nontechnical audiences, followed by a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. Participants were organized into groups by regions — such as the Florida and Puerto Rico delegation — before heading into congressional offices to discuss key policy priorities.