2025 Raleigh Seminar

Join engineers from across North Carolina for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration at the PENC Raleigh Seminar, December 8–10.

This year’s lineup includes:

🎤 Keynote Speaker: Rep. Dean Arp, PE, NC House of Representatives, District 69
🎤 Keynote Speaker: Jim Pfaendtner, Louis Martin-Vega Dean of Engineering, NC State University
📚 Access to 15 PDHs from 26 Expert Speakers across all disciplines
🏞️ Offsite Tour: Dorothea Dix Park (back by popular demand!)
🍺 Winter Social at Raleigh Brewing Company (Monday, Dec 8) – a fundraiser for the PENC Educational Foundation
💼 Sponsorship Opportunities Available for both the Seminar & Winter Social

From leadership and innovation to AI, water resources, transportation, ethics, and renewable energy—there’s something for every engineer.

Registration includes: breakfast, lunch, and networking breaks
Government discount available – contact PENC for promo code.

• Date: December 8-10, 2025
  
• Location: McKimmon Conference & Training Center (Raleigh, NC)
  
• Format: Monday and Tuesday - Full Days In Person; Wednesday - Half Day In Person

Seminar Agenda

Download the Full Agenda

Monday, December 8 - In Person

8:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Workshops
11:45 AM to 1:15 PM - Keynote Lunch
1:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Dorothea Dix Park Off-Site Tour (optional)
1:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Workshops
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - PENC Educational Foundation Winter Social and Fundraiser

Tuesday, December 9 - In Person

8:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Workshops
11:45 AM to 1:15 PM - Keynote Lunch
1:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Workshops

Wednesday, December 10 - In Person

8:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Workshops

Subject to Change

Featured Keynote Speaker - Monday, December 8

Jim Pfaendtner
Louis Martin-Vega Dean of Engineering
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With more than 12,500 students, 750 faculty and staff members and more than $260M in annual research expenditures, NC State’s College of Engineering is internationally recognized for the excellence of its research, education and outreach programs.

Pfaendtner is the 10th permanent dean to lead the College of Engineering. He joined NC State from the University of Washington (UW), where he served as the Connie and Steve Rogel Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. READ MORE! 

Featured Keynote Speaker - Tuesday, December 9

Rep. Dean Arp, PE
NC House of Representatives
District 69

The values of sacrifice and service were instilled early in Representative Dean Arp by his family — especially by his grandfather, who served his country in World War II. With award-wining academic and military training himself, Representative Arp is serving in his third term in the North Carolina General Assembly and represents Union County.

Representative Arp earned a Civil Engineering degree from The Citadel, the storied Military College of South Carolina. He was elected by his peers to serve on the Honor Court. Due to an accident, however, his dream of a life of military service would not become reality, but the military training he received was invaluable. 

Representative Arp is a small business owner and president of Arp Engineering in Monroe, where he is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer licensed in forty different states. He received his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he also serves on the Advisory Board for the William States Lee College of Engineering. READ MORE!

Featured Off Site Tour: Dorothea Dix Park Tour

Monday, December 8 at 1:30 PM - 2 PDH!

Limited to 25. Add this ticket to your Raleigh Seminar registration. Purchase of an in-person day or full package is required.

At 308-acres, the creation of Dix Park is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create an amazing public space in the heart of Raleigh. Once complete, Dix Park will feature amazing play areas for the young and young at heart, places to unwind, relax and rejuvenate in nature, trails to run, walk and bike, areas to splash in water, spots for our four-legged friends to run and play, and so much more. But creating a park like this doesn’t happen overnight.  It will take careful planning, dedicated supporters (like you) and great partners to turn the already beautiful Dix Park campus into the park of our future.

Educational Foundation Winter Social & Fundraiser

Monday, December 8 at 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Raleigh Brewing Company
3709 Neil Street
Raleigh, North Carolina  27607

The PENC Educational Foundation works to fund STEM competitions geared towards middle school students and provides scholarships to students studying various engineering majors in North Carolina. We help organize, promote and fund two major competitions in North Carolina – MATHCOUNTS, a national math competition, and the Future City competition. To learn more about our work, please visit our website.

To help fund these programs, we are planning a Winter Social and Silent Auction to raise money for our 2026 activities. Each ticket to the event will include two drink tickets, access to the silent auction, and light snacks. *The Winter Social is a separate registration from the Raleigh Seminar.*

Raleigh Seminar Sponsorship Opportunities

PENC Partners are in the spotlight at our events, providing you access to network with industry decision-makers and engineering professionals. Your investment will help support the invaluable contributions made by PENC members, our volunteer leadership, and the engineering community. Partners are given name and logo recognition on all our conference marketing – which includes PENC’s website, email, social media, and print marketing. All partners are acknowledged during the program and have visibility on the welcome slide presentation. Deadline: Friday, November 14, 2025.

Registration Fees

Government Rate: Looking for a Government Rate to attend this year's program? Contact PENC for your government rate promo code!  [email protected].

Registration includes: Breakfast, coffee, lunch, and afternoon snacks!