BiG Program

BiG Program

Prepare to be immersed in BiG Thoughts, BiG Inspiration and BiG Impact while envisioning the BiG Future ahead. Join us in Orlando to experience visionary talks, unique networking events, and actionable career inspiration.

Friday: 10:00 AM- 10:30 PM*
Saturday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM*

*Subject to change

SPEAKERS FROM

Keynotes

BiG Thoughts

Keynotes from World-class Thinkers, Innovators and Creative Leaders

Track 1

BiG Inspiration

Creativity, Out-of-the-box Thinking, Bold Ideas & Visionaries

Track 2

BiG Future

Technology, Trends, AI, Cloud, Autonomy, Smart Living

Track 3

BiG Impact

Career Empowerment, Leadership, Self-improvement

Jump to Day 2 Program ↓

Day One Program*

Day One Program*

Friday, 23 October 2026

Jump to Day 2 Program ↓

*Subject to change

10:00AM – 2:00PM

The Launch Pad

BiG Registration, networking and optional interactive sessions to kick off our very first BiG Thinkers.

2:00PM – 2:10PM

Welcome to BiG Thinkers

BiG Thinkers Co-Chairs: Nicole Skarke & Chan Wong

Nicole Skarke
Chan Wong
Mike Pell

2:10PM – 3:00PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

Keynote: Mike Pell

Mike Pell

Mike Pell

Envisioneer | Former Director, The Microsoft Garage – NYC

Bold, insightful, and uncompromising, Mike Pell currently leads The Microsoft Garage in New York City, where he regularly disrupts the thinking, strategy, and business models of the world’s top companies and organizations.

MORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKERMORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKER

3:15PM – 4:00PM

BiG Inspiration

Creativity isn’t a switch you flip; it’s a muscle you build. In this interactive breakout, an improv group guides you through exercises that strengthen flexible thinking, embrace the unexpected, and help you generate ideas without overthinking.

SAK Comedy LabSAK Comedy Lab Improv Group

3:15PM – 4:00PM

BiG Future

The future belongs to those who can picture it. This session dives into the trends and big ideas shaping what’s next, challenging you to think beyond today and imagine what’s possible.

Speakers: Announcing Soon!

3:15PM – 4:00PM

BiG Impact

Whether you’re a first-time presenter standing up in front of five people or a seasoned presenter walking out in front of 500 people, sharing your ideas effectively is an art, an art that is decidedly human. As you apply these best practices, and tell your story, you’ll truly be able to present like a pro.

Scott KelbySpeaker: Scott Kelby – President, KelbyOne, Podcaster, Author & Designer

Dylan Sisson

4:15PM – 5:00PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

The Future of Digital Storytelling: Accelerating Ideas with Intelligent Tools

Dylan Sisson

Dylan Sisson

Head of RenderMan Creative Engagement, Pixar Animation Studios

Dylan Sisson is a digital artist and VFX veteran who helps make advanced 3D tools feel intuitive and usable for artists. For more than 30 years he’s worked in animation and visual effects, focusing on demystifying how modern rendering works and showing how to apply the technology creatively in real production.

MORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKERMORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKER

6:00PM – 8:00PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Fun

BiG Party @ Stargazers

Mix and mingle with your new friends at the BiG Party @ Stargazers – Disney Springs on Friday night. Capacity is limited, so reserve your pass when you register!

8:00PM – 10:30PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Fun

BiG Challenge

Details coming soon!

Day Two Program*

Day Two Program*

Saturday, 24 October 2026

*Subject to change

7:00AM – 7:30AM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Fun

Start your day with a refreshing blend of mindfulness, movement, and mental engagement. This 30-minute Wake Up to Wellness session begins with a guided morning meditation to cultivate focus and set positive intentions for the day. Participants will then move through a series of gentle stretches designed to improve flexibility, reduce stiffness, and increase circulation. We will also practice a few balance and coordination exercises, which will challenge both body and mind, helping to enhance stability, concentration, and cognitive function. The session concludes with a calming meditation to promote relaxation, gratitude, and sustained well-being throughout the day.

Laura Brattain, Ph.D.

Associated Professor of Medicine in the Dept. of Medicine at University of Center Florida (UCF) College of Medicine

Laura Brattain, Ph.D.

7:45AM – 8:50AM

Breakfast

9:00AM – 9:10AM

Welcome to BiG Thinkers

BiG Thinkers Co-Chairs: Nicole Skarke & Chan Wong

Nicole Skarke
Chan Wong
Kari Byron

9:00AM – 10:15AM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

Keynote and Q&A with Kari Byron

Kari Byron

Kari Byron

Mythbusters, Director-Founder National STEM Festival/Co-Founder EXPLR//Host of Mythfits Podcast

Kari Byron has been a trailblazer in the world of science, adventure, and travel television for over two decades. She is best known as a host of Discovery Channel’s hit show Mythbusters, where, as the longest-running female presenter in the channel’s history, she carved a new path for women in media and inspired a generation of “crash test girls.” She went on to host and produce several original shows spanning multiple networks. 

MORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKERMORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKER
Joe Sargent

10:15AM – 11:00AM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

Fireside Chat with Joe Sargent: Prototyping Moonshots

A look at how X thinks about developing and prototyping moonshots, and how they have applied these methods to moonshots like Waymo, Wing and others.

Joe Sargent

Joe Sargent

Director of Engineering & Prototyping at X, The Moonshot Factory

Joseph Sargent is a leader in rapid prototyping and innovation at X, The Moonshot Factory, where he guides a diverse team in the Design Kitchen to transform nascent, radical ideas into tangible realities. His work involves a multidisciplinary approach, blending engineering, design, and fabrication to address complex problems.

MORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKERMORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKER

11:15AM – 12:00PM

BiG Inspiration

What does it take to guide astronauts safely through some of the most complex operations ever attempted? Drawing on real experiences from NASA Mission Control, this session explores the communication, trust, and decision-making that enable high performing teams to solve problems together under pressure. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building stronger collaboration, navigating uncertainty, and creating a culture where every team member contributes to mission success.

April BlackwellSpeaker: April Blackwell – Aerospace Engineer, NASA Flight Controller, Diabetes Advocate

11:15AM – 12:00PM

BiG Future

In a world where AI can generate content, craft identities, and influence decisions at scale, authenticity has become both more valuable than ever. Gain practical insight into protecting credibility, using AI responsibly, and thriving in a future where human originality and machine intelligence intersect.

Speakers: Maxim Jago & James Finlay – OpenAI

Maxim JagoJames Finlay

 

11:15AM – 12:00PM

BiG Impact

Details coming soon!

Speakers: Shawntia McNeil – Global Ecosystem Partner Manager, NVIDIA and Monique Lung – Executive Career coach

Shawntia McNeil   Monique Lung

12:00PM – 1:00PM

Lunch/Networking

1:00pM – 1:45PM

BiG Inspiration

The thrills, the immersion, the seamless magic, none of it happens by accident. Explore the engineering, design, and emerging tech that bring theme parks to life and push the boundaries of what’s possible in entertainment.

Speaker: Justin DeTolla – Creative & Experience Design Leader at Walt Disney Imagineering

1:00pM – 1:45PM

BiG Future

Brice NguoghiaSpeaker: Brice Nguoghi – Startup & VC Engagement Manager and Google Cloud Advisor

1:00pM – 1:45PM

BiG Impact

Your job title tells people what you do, but your life outside of it determines how well you do it! This session explores how embracing personal adventure and the ‘courage to be a beginner’ can build the adaptability and curiosity needed to thrive in any career. Discover how leveling up your life fundamentally shifts the ceiling of what you are capable of achieving at work!

Erin HuberSpeaker: Erin Huber – Blue Origin

Virtual Moon

2:00PM – 2:45PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

Out of this World Keynote

Speaker and details to be announced soon!

2:45PM – 3:00PM

Snack/Ice Cream Break

3:15pM – 4:00PM

BiG Inspiration

A high-energy keynote-style session where design meets technology to spark bold thinking and innovation. Merging cutting-edge tech with iconic design from data-driven product development to immersive digital experiences. Reimagine what’s possible when creativity and technology collide.

Speakers: Announcing Soon!

3:15pM – 4:00PM

BiG Future

Where is the line between advancing compelling human-machine interfaces and safeguarding the agency of the human involved? The decoders in these interfaces require user-specific training and retraining, limiting their scalability and usability. Dr. Rakhshan’s lab is pushing back against that problem by developing gamified approaches to reduce training time for EMG-driven interfaces, such as prosthetic limbs. These devices could be life-changing for users, but they can also challenge their privacy, sense of agency, and embodiment. A gift from Meta brings Dr. Rakhshan together with Dr. Beever, an ethicist specializing in emerging technologies, to create leading positions on compelling ethical issues in the research and design space. These questions are key – especially in an era where technologies seem to be promoted faster than they can be evaluated.

Speakers: Dr. Jonathan Beever & Dr. Mohsen Rakhshan

Jonathan BeeverMohsen Rakhshan

3:15pM – 4:00PM

BiG Impact

Details coming soon!

Speaker: Manny Pimenta – Founder & CEO, Virtual Moon and Philippe van Nedervelde, Virtual Moon

Manny Pimenta   Philippe van Nedervelde

Eric RobisonEric Robison

4:15PM – 5:00PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Thoughts KEYNOTE

Closing Keynote with Eric Robison

Eric Robison

Eric Robison

Disney Artist & Imagineer

Eric Robison is an acclaimed Disney artist and former Imagineer whose vibrant, interpretive paintings of classic Disney characters have captivated fans worldwide. Since his first Goofy painting debuted at the Disney Gallery in 1990, his work—now spanning more than 900 Disney art pieces—has been featured internationally through limited edition lithographs, posters, and other collectibles.

MORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKERMORE ABOUT THIS SPEAKER
IEEE-USA BiG Thinkers

6:00PM – 10:00PM

IEEE-USA BiG ThinkersBiG Fun

BiG Thinkers Extra Time Magic @ Disney Park TBA

*This is an optional bonus event — tickets must be purchased separately; not included with conference registration.*

Extend the fun and enjoy the magic with a BONUS meet-up at a Disney Park to be announced soon. We’re working on a BiG closing activity after BiG Thinkers has wrapped. We’ll be holding an informal meetup at a Disney Park prior to closing out the night. More details coming soon.