In late March, the IEEE Sooners, the University of Oklahoma’s IEEE student branch, traveled to the 2026 IEEE Region 5 Conference, held at the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado.
This marks the first time in several years that the University of Oklahoma has participated in this annual conference, which brings together student branches from more than 40 universities for networking opportunities, professional development, and competitive events.
The conference included student competitions, technical challenges, and award recognitions. The IEEE Sooners brought 14 students to compete in events including the Cyber Challenge, Presentation Competition, Ethics Competition, Robotics Competition, and Circuit Design Competition. The group also submitted nominations for several regional awards, including the Jim Leonard R5 Outstanding Member Award, Outstanding Engineering Educator, Outstanding Large Student Branch, Outstanding Student Branch Counselor, and Individual Member Achievement.
The IEEE Sooners returned to Norman with seven awards, including recognition for the student branch, individual members, and competition placements.
The awards reflect a strong performance by the student branch, which has been active for just over a year. The group’s success highlights its rapid growth and competitiveness within IEEE Region 5.
IEEE Sooners plan to return next year with continued momentum, building on this years’ experience and accomplishments.
