2026 IIBEC International Convention Update: Where Are These Student Attendees Now?

By Rick Gardner

We are thrilled to share some updates from the students who were sponsored by the foundations to attend the 2026 IIBEC Convention and Trade Show in Sacramento, California. Thanks to the support of foundation donors, these students had the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, gain hands-on knowledge, and lay the groundwork for meaningful careers.

Cameron Weiss graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology graduated from the architecture technology program and has accepted a technologist position at RJC Engineers as a part of its Building Science & Restoration team in Calgary, Alberta.

“I am very grateful for the sponsorship to attend this year’s convention; it opened my eyes to so many opportunities in the industry I never knew existed,” Weiss said. “I actually kept in contact with Aaron Nelson from Roofing Technical Services and Burt Carver from Apex Building Sciences and visited their operations in Seattle and Abbotsford. Without IIBEC I wouldn’t have fostered these relationships.”

Leona Peters continues as a student in the construction engineering technology program at New York City College of Technology (City Tech). She plans on volunteering this summer with the IIBEC Metro New York Chapter and on graduating in the spring of 2028.

Kiki Ruan is joining the SSOE Group’s Atlanta office as an intern. She was also awarded a $3,500 college scholarship from the Atlanta CSI Foundation as she continues her studies in architecture and data analysis at Georgia Tech.

Pranoti Varpe graduated from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte with a master’s in construction and facilities engineering. She has accepted a full-time opportunity with Lane Construction as a field engineer in Charlotte.

Muhydeen Oyewole is completing the building science program at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada. “The experience has definitely helped me better understand the industry and strengthened my confidence in pursuing a career in building science and building enclosure consulting.”

Samantha Muller has one more year at the Illinois Institute of Technology where she is completing her master’s degree in architectural engineering.  She is interning this summer at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. in Chicago, Illinois.

Alexis Lopez Torres is currently doing a summer internship with NVIDIA’s construction project management team in Santa Clara, California. He plans on completing his undergraduate degree in construction from University of California Sacramento next year.

“Thanks to IIBEC, I have gained a much deeper understanding of the importance of building enclosures and the impact they have on overall project performance and quality,” Torres said. “That knowledge has helped me stand out among my peers and has given me a stronger perspective as I continue growing in the construction industry.”

Bo Li is working on his master of science in building technology and diagnostics at Carnegie Mellon University. He is set to graduate in the spring of 2027, and plans to find a full-time job in the industry as a building science or envelope consultant.

“What I remember most about the convention was the guest lectures and how welcoming everyone was,” Li said. “It is clearly a very tight-knit industry. My experience with IIBEC has already been very helpful because it allowed me to get in touch with firms like RDH that work on the projects I am interested in, which has really paved the way for my career next year.”

This summer Li will be working as an architectural and construction intern at Tesla.

Maria Rojas is currently a third-year structural engineering student at Western University located in London, Ontario. She is completing a 16-month co-op placement with WSP in its building science division.

Joshua Baran is a third-year structural civil engineering student at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. He is currently completing a 12-month co-op at the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory in London, Ontario.

These students returned home not just with new knowledge, but industry connections, with a deeper passion for building enclosure, and a stronger sense of where they belong.

None of this would have been possible without the support and commitment of our donors. Because of you, the next generation of building enclosure professionals is more engaged, more informed, and more ready to make a difference than ever before. Donate here.