Data science is an important tool that can help researchers tackle challenges ranging from mobility and health to public safety and education. But having access to information comes with great responsibility, so researchers at the University of Michigan are working to ensure data science is not misused to disproportionately harm underrepresented groups.
Three hundred high school girls from southeast Michigan visited the University of Michigan for the inaugural Get-IT summit on Tuesday, October 1, at the Michigan League. The event gave female students the opportunity to connect with other women and girls who have an interest in the tech industry.
Perry Samson, U-M atmospheric science professor, has developed a backchannel tool to encourage his students to ask questions during class. He says this new participation model has increased the overall level of inquiry in his classes and has allowed underrepresented student’s voices to be heard.
This month’s Tech Tip is a little different than my previous tips. Rather than sharing a specific tool, I wanted to share some resources created by Karwai Pun on the topic of designing for accessibility. These easy-to-read posters cover designing for many different users: those with low vision, who are hard of hearing, experience dyslexia, and more. In… Read More »
In the movie “Hidden Figures,” the computing power of a group of women drove successes in the early space program. In fact, the early history of computer science is filled with stories of the accomplishments of women. So why aren’t more women interested in computing careers? UMSI assistant professor Barbara Ericson has some thoughts. Much of her research has centered on… Read More »
Students, faculty, and staff can now designate their extended ethnicity in Wolverine Access using the new “Extended Ethnicity” tab within the Campus Personal Information section. This information will not be published or displayed publicly, but may be used for statistical reporting, approved research, and for Student Life; Human Resource; or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. Some current students… Read More »
Emily Ravenwood has come back to her literal and intellectual hometown of Ann Arbor. She recently granted an interview to Teri Horton, senior instructional consultant, about her work with LSA Technology Services as the manager of the Learning and Teaching Consultants team. Michigan IT News also caught up with Ravenwood to learn even more about learning tech tools. … Read More »
Although many features of Sites computer labs are responsive to the needs of disabled students, there are some types of accommodations that can best be provided from a customized location. This location is the James Edward Knox Adaptive Technology Computing Site, commonly known as the Knox Center, which completed its move to the second floor of the Shapiro… Read More »
Ron Eglash, professor of information and of art and design, was recently featured in a wide-ranging interview on NPR affiliate WBEZ’s program Worldview. Eglash discusses his passion for bringing the sophisticated math and computing ideas at the center of cultural traditions to classroom settings to inspire underrepresented students to pursue studies in STEM fields. According to Eglash, indigenous… Read More »
Lovida Roach was recently interviewed about her work with MLearning, her views on customer service, and balancing work and life while working full time and pursuing an MBA.
The tenth anniversary of Researchpalooza brought together more than 4,000 faculty, staff, and students. The HITS Research Engagement team was on hand to showcase IT services geared especially for Michigan Medicine researchers.
Formerly incarcerated individuals—or returning citizens—struggle to find work and reintegrate due to a lack of digital literacy, according to a recently published article by U-M researchers. “For some returning citizens, there’s a ‘Rip Van Winkle effect’ when they are offered digital technology upon reentry,” said Kentaro Toyama, senior author of the study. Many returning citizens rely heavily on… Read More »
When we think about the technological divide between urban and rural communities, our minds likely go to infrastructure—a lack of a physical grid, wiring, or towers to connect those in remote communities. While this is a large part of the issue, School of Information doctoral student Jean Hardy says a bigger concern is the lack of innovation in the way… Read More »
First-year medical student Jacob Lowy has moderate-to-severe hearing loss in his right ear. Working together, HITS, ITS, and other units on campus leveraged IT that has transformed his experience—including adding captions to lecture videos and setting up realtime captioning (CART) during lectures. Lowy realizes that when something isn’t visible, it’s not always easy to understand. This often happens… Read More »
The City of Westland and UM-Dearborn’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) have joined forces to create an innovative way to target STEM’s gender gap. “Studies have shown that the middle to high school transition is when some young women start shifting away from things like engineering and computer science,” says Jeanne Girard, director of Extended Learning… Read More »
Watch this video that showcases a new set of Guiding Principles for Accessibility that ITS published to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy the services it offers to campus.
SEISMIC, a coalition of American research institutions striving to create a more accessible STEM curriculum to underrepresented minorities, held its first annual summer meeting in June on the U-M campus. Over four days, nearly 40 representatives from the 10 participating universities, which collectively enroll about 350,000 students, gathered to discuss how to foster a mindset in which STEM… Read More »
U-M professors were a key part of the DIA Plaza/Midtown Cultural Connections international design competition’s winning submission, called Detroit Square. The project provides the opportunity “to leapfrog the current generation of technology and do something that is very progressive and future proof,” said team member John Marshall, an associate professor at the Stamps School of Art & Design.… Read More »
A new ITS webpage outlines progress to make its workplace more diverse, inclusive, and equitable: Over 450 DEI course completions by 276 staff, a new set of Guiding Principles for Accessibility, and more.
Michigan IT News recently interviewed Health Information Technology and Services staffer Mahathy Kuchibhatla, M.S., about her work building and managing the Patient Portal (MyUofMHealth.org). An undergraduate project that used Artificial Intelligence got her interested in computers that has led to a 10-year career in IT that improves patient engagement. Tell us about your background. I have a master’s… Read More »