We’re so excited for next week’s NASCC: The Steel Conference, and we hope you are, too!
Don’t forget to pack comfortable shoes--this year’s exhibit hall is almost 250,000 sq. ft, and it’s jam-packed with cool innovations you don’t want to miss. We suggest you set aside some time to fully explore what’s on offer there. (If you’ve never seen a machine cut steel plate like butter, well, this is your chance!)
A few particularly cool things to check out on the exhibit hall floor this year:
The Workforce Zone is a brand-new, hands-on playground where you can see what goes into steel fabrication. The Be Pro Be Proud trailer returns with lots of virtual experiences to try, or you can grab a tool and actually try it in real life. Check out AISC’s new Fabricator Education program and BlueRecruit, a technical recruiting system that offers partner benefits for AISC full members.
If you’ve never seen a Student Steel Bridge Competition live, this is your chance! Local student engineers will be showing off their scale bridge--which they designed and fabricated themselves--in the exhibit hall during the Welcome Reception Wednesday night.
The AISC Bookstore will be in the exhibit hall, as well. If you pre-ordered a Steel Construction Manual, stop by to pick it up. (You can also purchase one without a pre-order.)
You’ll find the AISC Education Foundation next to the Bookstore. This year, the Education Foundation is supporting students, educators, and education programs with about $400,000 in funding. Stop by the Foundation booth to pick up some AISC-branded merchandise--and help us do even more in the future!
On the subject of swag: Like free stuff? Passport to Prizes returns this year! Visit participating booths during the conference and you could win big. You’ll find more info in the app.
If you need a break during the conference, come join us at the AISC/NSBA booth (#1863) to watch the NCAA basketball tournament, shoot some hoops, and try your hand at pub trivia.
If you haven’t already downloaded the conference app, this is a great time to do so from either the iPhone App Store or Google Play. Even before the show, you can start flagging sessions or exhibitors that interest you. That app will also be the easiest way to enter your PDH codes; you can also do that at aisc.org/nasccpdh during or after the conference.
Speaking of sessions: Your Steel Conference registration gives you access to the specialty conferences, too. So it’s definitely worth taking some time to peruse the schedule beforehand! (And if you see something that a colleague or friend who’s not coming would love, remind them that they can tune in to some sessions remotely via NASCC Online.)
One very popular item on the schedule is Elevate, a free reception that brings together advocates for and allies of under-represented groups in the AEC industries. If you’d like to join us after the Welcome Reception Wednesday night, please let us know you’re coming.
If you have any questions about registration and housing between now and the conference, call 972.349.5930 or email nascc@mcievents.com. If you need help during the conference, just look for staff in black polos with the AISC logo.
See you soon!