Greetings everyone,
It is wonderful to see our campuses bustling again as another academic year gets underway. I want to thank our technology professionals across Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Flint, and Michigan Medicine for everything you have done to help students, faculty, and staff get off to a strong start.
One date I hope you have on your calendar is Tuesday, October 20, when we will gather for MTech Connect 2026: Innovation for the Public Good.
Registration is now open for this full-day event at the Central Campus Classroom Building, with select sessions available virtually. I will open the program, followed by a keynote address from Anika Gardenhire, chief digital and information officer at Michigan Medicine. Her presentation will explore how designing technology with people, rather than simply for them, can drive innovation. The day will feature breakout sessions, poster presentations, and plenty of time to exchange ideas with technology professionals from across U-M.
This year’s theme speaks directly to why our work matters. Whether we are strengthening cybersecurity, advancing human-centered AI, improving accessibility, or supporting groundbreaking research, technology is ultimately about people and the difference we can make in their lives. MTech Connect is a chance to learn from one another, discover new approaches, and build relationships across our campuses. I encourage you to register and participate.
October is packed with events this year, from Cybersecurity Awareness Month programming to Homecoming. In addition to MTech Connect, there are two events in particular that I would like to highlight.
On Thursday, October 22, from 2–3 p.m., I will welcome Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, for a fireside chat in our Leadership in Technology: Distinguished Lecture Series. Our conversation, “Securing What Comes Next: Cybersecurity Leadership in the Age of AI,” will explore the evolving cybersecurity landscape, AI’s expanding influence, and the leadership and human judgment needed to address emerging threats. Please join us at Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor, with check-in beginning at 1:30 p.m. RSVP here to reserve your seat.
Finally, I hope you will join us for our next University of Michigan AI Summit, “Will AI End Humanity? Risk, Reality, and the Choices Ahead,” on Thursday, October 29, from 1-5 p.m. Experts with differing perspectives will explore AI’s potential benefits and risks, separate evidence from speculation, and discuss how we can shape its future responsibly. The summit will take place in University Hall at the Ruthven Building. Seating is limited to 120 people, so please RSVP here to reserve your place.
Both events are open to the Michigan Technology Community and U-M students, faculty, and staff. Each offers a chance to ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn from perspectives beyond our usual circles. I hope you will join us.
Thank you for everything you do for U-M and for one another. I am especially looking forward to seeing many of you at our events throughout October. As always, I welcome your thoughts and ideas about how we can strengthen the Michigan Technology Community. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Until then, take care of yourselves and those around you.
With gratitude,
Ravi
Ravi Pendse PhD
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
University of Michigan
[email protected]
