Join us in Brookings for Two Days of Fall PDH Conference Events on the beautiful SDSU Campus!
Continue scrolling for more information on Schedule, Group Registration, Lodging and More!
The 2026 Fall Professional Development Hour (PDH) Conference will be equal parts information and learning coupled with relationship building and social opportunities. You won’t want to miss the tours on Wednesday, October 14th, with the opportunity to attend not just one, but for sure two -- and maybe three tours of South Dakota State University athletic and learning facilities, including the chance to visit with Student Competition Teams from a broad range of programs. Following the tours, the Wednesday Social will provide an excellent setting to get to know new colleagues, catch up with old friends, and visit students and professors.
This year’s sessions on Thursday will feature General Sessions with current topics affecting all engineering disciplines, including visits with SDSU President Dunn and Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering Dean Sanjeev Kumar. We look forward to this unique opportunity to intermingle sessions discussing public and private projects along with highlights from the academic and research side of our profession. See the current schedule below for more details -- and check back often for updates, speaker biographies and additional session information.
Sponsor a Student
Are you looking for a new way to engage with engineering students? We're looking for members to Sponsor a Student to help support student attendance at the conference. Make sure to check the Sponsor a Student option on your registration.
Are You a Student?
We'd love to see you at the conference and get to know you better. Registration is free for students -- as is NSPE | SDES | Chapter Membership! Sign up for membership HERE and then log in on the SDES website to register for the conference. Note: It may take 24 hours for your membership to get updated. Contact Nancy at Executive@NSPE-SDES.org if you have any problems.
Are You a New PE?
Congratulations! If you are a new PE licensed in South Dakota since the 2025 Annual Conference (April 30 - May 1, 2026), reach out to Nancy at Executive@NSPE-SDES.org to learn about your free conference registration courtesy of the South Dakota Engineering Society.
Become a SDES Partner or Sponsor
Interested in starting or continuing your support of SDES? Click HERE to find out more about Partnerships, Advertising, and/or Sponsoring an event at the Conference -- or all year round! Thank you to our Partners, Advertisers, and Sponsors for your involvement in this event!
Continue scrolling for more information on Schedule, Group Registration, Lodging and More!
Location! Location! Location! The conference will be held at Club 71 on the third floor of the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings, SD. Tours will also leave from this location. Parking for both days will on the west side of the stadium (career fair parking area). Watch your registration confirmation for a parking link.
See the current schedule below and check back for more session details and speaker biographies as they become available!
Wednesday, October 14th
9am: SDES BOARD MEETING
2-5pm: DON’T MISS THESE TOURS!
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium/Frank J. Kurtenbach Family Wrestling Center
First Bank and Trust Arena
Raven Precision Agriculture Center
Student Competion Team Projects
5pm: MEMBER AND STUDENT SOCIAL AT CUBBY'S SPORTS BAR & GRILL
Thursday, October 15th
7am: BREAKFAST (optional)
8am: Welcome!
SDES Eastern Chapter President Kent Ode
SDSU President Dunn
8:30am - 5:00pm: CONFERERNCE SESSIONS AND PROFESSIONAL | STUDENT NETWORKING
Proposed Sessions Include:
SDSU Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering Dean Sanjeev Kumar: The State of the Engineering Program at SDSU
David Huft, SDDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Manager: I-29 Variable Speed Limit Corridor
Ben White, HR Green, and Stacy DuChene, SDDOT: I-90 Exit 387 Design and Construction
SDSU Professor Todd Letcher and SDSU Students: NASA Lunar Sample Return Concept Project
Kristin Bisgard, Banner Associates: Lewis and Clark Regional Water Systems
SDSU Associate Dean Rajesh Kavasseri: Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technology
Dawn Hall, HR Green and City of Sioux Falls: Sioux Falls Water Reclamation Facility
SDSU Lecturer Doug Prairie: Engineering Advancements in Mechanized Agriculture
Mike Barnes, SDDANR: Improvements at the Blue Dog Hatchery
SDSU Senior Lecturer Dr. George Tsakiridis: Engineering Ethics
Steven Myer, IMEG: Bridge Design and Construction
and More!
Register Today! Early Registration Closes October 1st!
Book your room at the Conference Hotel by October 9th for the Conference Room Rate!
A room block is reserved at the Comfort Suites University in Brookings for $110 + tax/night. Book online through the link below or call 605.937.5867 and ask for the SD Engineering Society block.
Tax exempt State Rate rooms must be booked with a rooming list submitted through Nancy. Reach out to her to get these limited rooms reserved at Executive@NSPE-SDES.org
Thank you to our SDES 2026-27 Platinum, Gold and Silver Partners!
This conference and other SDES activities are only made possible through the ongoing support of our industry partners. Find out more about additional Partnership and Sponsorship opportunities by clicking HERE.
Not seeing your logo below? Let's get you renewed for this year! Click HERE!
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We have plenty of room for more logos!
Questions? Reach out to Nancy in the SDES Office at 605.951.1004 or our new email address at Executive@NSPE-SDES.org
