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Tech Week 2024: Showcasing Innovation, Collaboration, and the Future of Computing in Grand Rapids
September 20, 2024
As Tech Week: Grand Rapids is coming to a close, the College of Computing was a part of some amazing events that highlighted innovative and creative ways technology is being used. Make sure to join us in the final event tomorrow, the Confluence Festival! Keep reading to hear more about Tech Week: Grand Rapids 2024!
Technology Showcase
Tech Week: Grand Rapids started off strong for the College of Computing at GVSU by participating in a Tech Showcase held at Kent Career Tech Centers alongside the Padnos College of Engineering. At the tech showcase, there were approximately four hundred 9th-12th grade students that had the opportunity to do hands-on coding experiences. This effort was led by a group of faculty and staff: Dr. Kamrul Hassan, Dr. Christian Trefftz, Dr. Rajvardhan Patil, and Tim Denshaw. They interacted with around four hundred students. It was a great experience to expose students to computing and the opportunities they could have post high school graduation.
Tech Talks: Healthcare and Technology
The week continued on Tuesday, as a panel of experienced health technology experts discussed trending topics within the field. The speakers came from a wide range of businesses and organizations, including Mentavi Health, Kozen, Spindance, BAMF Health, and Corewell Health.
Assistant Professor at Grand Valley, Dr. Zach DeBruine, talked about the intersection of loneliness and rare diseases. Dr. DeBruine oversees a lab at Grand Valley State University where he works with students on multimodal models on genomics intelligence, or full sets of DNA. Their research has led them to the launch of a new company called Herd Social.
Just after launching Herd Social they landed in the Top 10 and earned the Judge’s Choice Award at Demo Day 2024, an entrepreneurial event held by Start Garden. The application is a social platform where those with rare diseases can find community and comfort. Dr. DeBruine’s belief in artificial intelligence’s role in the personalization of medicine drove the idea behind the program.
He also talked candidly about his experience with rare diseases, as his son was born with a disease which he only had a one in 100,000,000 chance to have. Eventually, he met another family with a daughter with the same disease. The overall experience enlightened Dr. DeBruine as the other family expressed the peace they found being able to talk with another family going through something similar. He stated, “And that's what it's all about. We can make one in a billion connections happen regularly with AI.”
Dr. DeBruine ended his talk by saying, “This is a revolution that will enable us to act on our genetic data through natural language, allowing us to understand what our DNA and what our genetics says about our collective health history.” AI can help people empower themselves through their own health information.
Tech Talks: Data and AI
The second Tech Talk during the week brought together seven exceptional speakers who are working on projects about the intersection between artificial intelligence and data. One of the largest ideas discussed across all the presentations was that AI is powerful, but how can we continue to optimize our uses of it and be creative?
Joshua Engelsma, a senior scientist at Rank One and alumn of the College of Computing, explained how AI has been introduced alongside traditional methods of scanning fingerprints to make it more efficient, accurate, and secure. Their new program can recognize fingerprints within 15 seconds, a vast improvement compared to other fingerprinting technologies.
College of Computing Dean Marouane Kessentini ended the event by stating he was encouraged to hear the perspectives on AI and data from the speakers. Tech Talks: AI and Data continues to reinforce that it's critical to bridge our gap between academia and industry.
“We want to move from having professors thinking about what should be best in terms of training or research to actually hearing about your relevant problems,” Kessentini said. “We were hearing today about problems that are very important for society, and actually, our job is to try to innovate with you.”
By using artificial intelligence in new and creative ways, we can open up new possibilities and change the landscape for the future of learning within the College of Computing.
Digital Transformation and the Future of Computing
The College of Computing hosted a Tech Week: Grand Rapids event titled “Digital Transformation and the Future of Computing,” which drew approximately 80 attendees. This event followed up on the brainstorming sessions held in August. A panel of faculty members shared recent curriculum innovations in the cybersecurity program and updates on proposed majors in artificial intelligence, software engineering, and human-centered computing. Dean Marouane Kessentini and Dr. Jonathan Engelsma also introduced plans for a new Center of Innovation and Digital Transformation and the Blue Nucleus Clinic. Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to network with industry professionals as well as GVSU faculty, staff, and students.
The curriculum innovation session was led by Dr. Jared Moore, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Outreach. Moore welcomed guests and provided an overview of the changes made by faculty since the August discussions. The panelists included Dr. Jonathan Engelsma, Dr. Rahat Rafiq, Dr. Samah Mansour, and Ira Woodring. Each of the proposed majors in AI, software engineering, and human-centered computing are currently going through the university’s approval process. During the session, each panelist shared updates on their respective programs, discussed the outcomes of the August discussions, and provided detailed explanations of the newly developed courses. Mansour specifically highlighted the recent changes to the cybersecurity program, which helped it achieve the prestigious CAE-CD designation from the National Security Agency.
Kessentini and Engelsma then discussed the future of computing. Engelsma reflected on the work of the Applied Computing Institute (ACI) since its launch in January 2019, highlighting recent innovations, including the creation of the Blue Nucleus Clinic as part of the Blue Dot ecosystem. The Blue Nucleus Clinic operates similarly to a healthcare clinic, allowing students to work within a company for several years, gaining hands-on experience while being mentored by seasoned professionals. This model provides a low-cost solution for companies while offering students the chance to offset tuition costs and develop real-world skills to advance their careers.
Kessentini emphasized that, through his evaluation of ACI, the Blue Nucleus Clinic, and meetings with local tech companies in the Greater Grand Rapids area, it became evident that there is a strong need for a center that connects industry with applied research, faculty expertise, and federal grant support. The upcoming Center of Innovation and Digital Transformation aims to address these needs while offering a low-risk partnership model for companies. More details about the center will be available in the coming months.
As Kessentini put it, the goal is all about “nurturing talent.”
Global Detroit's International Talent: Key to Becoming a Tech Hub
Global Detroit’s hosted “International Talent: Key to Becoming a Tech Hub” with Dennis Beste moderating a discussion between TaRita Johnson, Senior Vice President of Talent & Diversity for the Right Place, and Dean Marouane Kessentini. Beste provided an overview of how businesses of all sizes can hire international talent. Johnson and Kessentini both shared their insights on why international talent is key to making Grand Rapids the tech hub of the Midwest.
Johnson discussed the tech strategy that the Right Place is facilitating. The Right Place focuses on people, place, and prosperity. As the Senior Vice President of Talent & Diversity, Johnson stated “companies do not have the choice–they must hire international talent to flourish and grow.”
Kessentini spoke on how the College of Computing is connecting international students with local industries. Faculty and staff are working to create a pipeline of talent that equips them with the technical and soft skills necessary to meet the needs of the tech community in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
The conversation concluded with a shared understanding that international talent is not just a benefit, but a necessity for the region's continued growth as a tech hub. Both Johnson and Kessentini emphasized the importance of building strong partnerships between academia, industry, and talent development organizations.
With the collaborative efforts of organizations like The Right Place and the College of Computing, the Greater Grand Rapids area is well-positioned to become a thriving tech hub, leveraging global talent to shape its future. The event left attendees with a clear message: the key to unlocking the region's full potential lies in embracing diversity and cultivating international talent.
Article co-written by Shelby Harrison and Maxwell Ritchie.