UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Web development and design professionals looking for a budget-friendly professional development opportunity are encouraged to register for the 2016 Elements Conference at Penn State. Elements will be held June 13-15 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College. The conference will feature two days of keynote speakers, breakout sessions and networking events followed by a day of high-energy, interactive workshops.
The event will bring four leaders in the Web design and development world to Penn State to serve as Elements’ keynote speakers, including:
- Scott Stratten, president of UnMarketing, author, educator, strategist and one of the top-five social media influencers in the world
- Eric Meyer, technical lead at Rebecca’s Gift and co-founder of An Event Apart
- Debbie Millman, president and chief marketing officer of Sterling Brands, author, educator, strategist and the creator of “Design Matters,” the world's first podcast about design
- Scott Dadich, editor-in-chief of WIRED magazine.
Elements is focused on creating a community that elevates a diverse and interdependent ecosystem, in which all elements — graphic design, code, content strategy, UX and UI development, accessibility, information architecture, instructional design, online marketing and all other interactive technology — should integrate seamlessly to foster high-quality interactive experiences. The conference brings together professionals from all these fields not only to learn more about their own craft, but also to gain a better understanding of how these elements must work in harmony.
While Elements is open to any Web professional anywhere in the world, working in any field, the added advantage for Penn State attendees is economic. For attendees who work at University Park and nearby campuses, travel expenses are not a factor, and Penn Staters who live elsewhere in the Commonwealth are able to attend a world-class event without the added expense of airfare. Breakfast and lunch are included with the registration price, as well as evening social events.
In fact, the University saved nearly $500,000 in conference fees and travel expenses by sending staff to the 2015 version of Elements instead of comparable external events. Plus, all funds generated by Elements are funneled back into the University to help continue the conference’s tradition of excellence.
“Connection, discovery, innovation and empowerment ... but with a definite emphasis on fun. These values are at the core of this dynamic community of interactive and creative professionals,” said Patti Fantaske, longtime conference chair and member of the Elements Conference leadership team. “By connecting in sessions and fun evening networking events, our attendees make lasting relationships and support one another well past the conclusion of the conference. The value cannot be measured in mere dollars and cents.”
Registration and more information can be found at http://elements.psu.edu/.