Business information provider UBM Tech, US, has announced the appointment of Karen Field as Senior Vice President – Editorial Director, EE Times and General Manager of DESIGN West. In this new role, Field's main focus will be working directly with the global electronics community to develop cutting-edge educational/training programmes and unique interactive events and exhibits where design engineers can learn and network with their peers.
Taking on the dual role of Editorial Director - EE Times, Field is developing a unified content strategy for both online and events, with the ultimate goal of delivering a world-class, year-round experience for the global electronics community.
A former mechanical design engineer, Field brings more than two decades of experience working in media targeted at electronics and electromechanical design engineers, including Design News, EDN, and EE Times. A hallmark of Field's work has been the creation of highly unique products and irreverent content types that frequently showcase community-generated content.
Field brought those skills to bear this year as Content Director for DESIGN West, through her creation of new, hands-on training centers on the show floor. Classes were filled to capacity as engineers clamored to learn and have fun while participating in activities such as programming their own mesh network propeller beanie and building a personal weather station.
Expanded tasks frequently take engineers out of their comfort zone, which presents an opportunity for DESIGN West to deliver the hands-on training they need, case studies from their peers, and an environment where they can have fun and interact with other engineers grappling with the same set of issues.
Starting this month, Field will be gathering more input on DESIGN West 2014 from the industry during a listening tour across the United States to meet with electronics companies and design engineers.
DESIGN West, which claims to be the industry's largest and most comprehensive electronics technology event in the US, will take place at the San Jose Convention Center March 31 – April 3, 2014. The event has a global footprint, with ESC/DESIGN India to be held July 17-19, 2013 at Nimhans convention in Bangalore India and ESC/DESIGN Brazil slated for August 27-28, 2013 at TransAmerica Expo Center in San Paolo, Brazil.
