UM-Flint College of Innovation & Technology

02/19/2025

5pm - 6:30 tonight at the UM-Flint Thompson Library - food plants and houseplants seeds and cuttings. This event is open to the public, so come through!

The UM-Flint Seed Library is sprouting! As Spring approaches we invite you to bring dried seeds from vegetables, fruits, and flowers to swap with other attendees or donate to the...

02/12/2025

Sometimes collaboration, vision, and timing come together to create an unforgettable learning experience.

That’s how all of us at CIT feel about last week’s Data Science Day featuring .cooper , an Okemos native whose credentials include 2024 Miss USA pageant winner, U.S. Army First Lieutenant, and current graduate student of mathematics at Stanford. Alma delivered an inspirational talk to kids from across the Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD). She even took photos and signed autographs afterwards.

The event was led by and hosted on campus, a result of the solid partnership between Cameron McLeman, director of mathematics and natural sciences at CIT, and Amber Zavicar, GISD's resident K-12 math specialist. Representatives from the offices of Governor Whitmer and Senator Elissa Slotkin also attended and shared encouraging words with the kids.

The students eventually broke off into groups to participate in data science-themed activities run by Cam and Hua Ming, associate professor of computer science. And to top it off, all participants were offered a scholarship enabling them to take our newest data science course for free.

It was a big undertaking to say the least. Thanks to all the students, teachers, and volunteers who made it happen!

Visit the link in our bio to read MLive's great coverage of this event.

11/15/2024

In just a few moments, the UM-Flint Riverfront Conference Center will be buzzing with the click-clack of countless keyboards. It’s time for the Fall 2024 High School Programming Competition!

10/28/2024

Join us for CIT Project Day on December 6, 2024! This is a fantastic chance to showcase your course or research projects to fellow students, faculty, and staff. Don’t miss out! Scan the QR code to register or click the link: https://ow.ly/WTEz50TUOIj. Let’s celebrate innovation together!

10/11/2024

Exciting times at CIT! Our enrollment numbers are climbing, and we’re thrilled to welcome more bright minds into our growing community. With every new student, we’re expanding opportunities, fueling innovation, and shaping a brighter future together.

10/09/2024

Don't miss tomorrow's Inventors Council Meeting!

7:00 PM
Room 390
Murchie Science Building Expansion

Brandon Adolph, Outreach & Marketing Specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be joining us to share insights for seasoned small business owners and budding entrepreneurs alike. Mr. Adolph represents a wide swath of Michigan, including Genesee, Oakland, and Washtenaw counties as well as all of Northern Michigan (beyond Saginaw).

Be sure to stop by and learn from his experience building small business ecosystems with chambers of commerce, downtown development authorities, and economic development organizations.

09/13/2024

Connie Matthews Reynolds has been told for years that you need to be a mathematic or scientific genius to be in cybersecurity. But the founder and CEO of ReynCon, who started her career path as a store manager at TJ Maxx, knows better.

During her presentation at last week's Symposium on Cybersecurity Horizons, Connie shared three simple concepts all budding cyber experts can tap into in order to thrive: problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. It was an inspiring moment for students in the audience, many of whom were looking for guidance as they considered their professional futures.

We thank Connie for sharing her wisdom and experience with us. And if you missed UM-Flint's inaugural cybersecurity symposium, keep an eye on our social channels in the coming days for more gems just like this one.

09/13/2024

Some people know him as "The Godfather of Tech."

We're proud to call him our newest professor of practice.

Of course we're talking about Timothy E. Bates, who has joined the College of Innovation & Technology at the University of Michigan-Flint as a professor of practice. A Detroit native, Bates is passionate about making tech education accessible to all, particularly underrepresented communities.

His innovative approach to bridging the gap between academics and industry—fueled by his decades of experience at top organizations like General Motors and Deloitte—will prepare students to become the next generation of tech leaders.

Welcome to UM-Flint, Tim!

Read the full story here: https://go.umflint.edu/01ci6

UM-Flint has named Tim Bates as a professor of practice in the College of Innovation & Technology.

09/10/2024

Let’s take a moment to appreciate last week’s “Symposium on Cybersecurity Horizons: Unveiling Pathways, Tackling Challenges, and Shaping Research & Innovation.”

The conference was an unmistakable success, thanks in large part to the leadership of Khalid Malik, Director of CIT’s Center for Cybersecurity, who coordinated the event. It also lived up to its name, presenting numerous career pathways and detailing some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.

Chief among the day’s proceedings was the signing of a historic partnership between UM-Flint and NetSTAR, a world-class pioneer of cybersecurity solutions. Distinguished speakers from Microsoft, Amazon, General Motors, Virginia Commonwealth University, Ivy Tech Community College, Eastern Michigan University, and many other institutions shared their insights in front of a full house of fellow academics, students, and industry professionals.

With nearly 200 registered attendees, the stage is set for what is sure to be a regular occurrence at University of Michigan-Flint. We look forward to building off of the success of this inaugural symposium to make it a prestigious cybersecurity gathering for years to come.

Special thanks to UM-Flint’s Office of Economic Development and the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for sponsoring this event.

The indispensable knowledge shared throughout the day can’t be summed up in one post. Stay tuned to CIT’s social channels for more bits of cyberwisdom in the coming weeks!

09/04/2024

Let's meet the rest of our special guests for "Symposium on Cybersecurity Horizons: Unveiling Pathways, Tackling Challenges, and Shaping Research and Innovation." There's still time to register for this free event on September 6 from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM at the Riverfront Conference Center.

We're bringing together industry leaders, academics, and government representatives to discuss advancements in cybersecurity commercialization, AI integration, education, and more. We hope you'll join us for interactive sessions aimed at exploring cybersecurity's future, industry partnerships, and career pathways for underrepresented groups.

Preview the entire line-up of speakers and register here: https://ow.ly/mAcB50TbawS

09/03/2024

Let's meet more of the stellar guest speakers we have lined up for "Symposium on Cybersecurity Horizons: Unveiling Pathways, Tackling Challenges, and Shaping Research and Innovation."

Don't forget to register for this free event! It's happening September 6 from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM at the Riverfront Conference Center on University of Michigan-Flint campus.

You won't want to miss these in-depth discussions on cybersecurity commercialization, AI-driven security, industry-academic partnerships and many more fascinating topics.

Preview the entire line-up of speakers and register here: https://ow.ly/kLGI50Tbar0

08/30/2024

The College of Innovation & Technology at the University of Michigan-Flint is hosting a High School Programming Competition (HSPC) on Friday, November 15.

Participation is limited to 50 teams (2-3 students per team), and your team must be registered by November 1!

The contest will be divided into two experience levels:

Novice - for teams with one or fewer semesters of programming experience

Experienced - for teams with more than one semester of programming experience

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams, and the top 10 will receive certificates of achievement. All teams will receive a t-shirt and assorted CIT SWAG!

While the students are competing, coaches are invited to a continuing education workshop, "AI in the Classroom," by Nick Gaspar, Distance Learning Director and Adjunct Lecturer in Nursing at UM-Flint.

Find full details, contest rules, and a link to registration here: https://go.umflint.edu/hspc

08/28/2024

It’s the first day of classes at the College of Innovation & Technology on UM-Flint campus! Here’s to another great year of innovating, collaborating and getting a firm grasp on our professional futures.

We wish all our students the very best as they dive head-first into CIT’s unique brand of project-based, experiential learning. We can’t wait to see everything you achieve.

08/23/2024

UM-Flint's very own Rebecca Tonietto, associate professor of biology, has been awarded a $1.76 million grant from the National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation!

The funds will enable Rebecca to study the ecological benefits of converting traditional turfgrass lawns into native plant species. The five-year research project, conducted in collaboration with the Chicago Botanic Garden, aims to enhance urban ecosystems by supporting pollinators, improving water filtration, and sequestering carbon, with the goal of making these practices widely adoptable in public and residential areas.

Can you imagine how different the world would be if our lawns supported the environment instead of draining it? Rebecca can, and she's got the grant to prove it! All of us at CIT congratulate her on this incredible effort to reshape our urban landscapes for a sustainable future.

Read the full story here:

Rebecca Tonietto's $1.7M grant will fund research into the effects of converting turfgrass lawns into native plant species.

08/22/2024

Attention, cybersecurity experts and students! Get ready for an immersive convergence of industry and academia.

The Cybersecurity Center at UM-Flint is hosting the Symposium on Cybersecurity Horizons: Unveiling Pathways, Tackling Challenges, and Shaping Research and Innovation.

Date & Time: September 6 from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Location: Riverfront Conference Center on UM-Flint Campus
Note: Registration is free and lunch will be provided.

Over the course of four interactive sessions, you’ll learn about innovating curriculum development, career placement, and potential research partnerships with government and industry.

We invite participation from faculty, staff, and students from 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities, high school teachers and students, and cybersecurity partners from across the spectrum of industry, government, education, and research.

Preview the complete agenda and register here: https://go.umflint.edu/cb6nq

08/12/2024

The College of Innovation & Technology is looking forward to having associate professor Gergely Biczok from the Budapest Institution of Technology onsite for a cybersecurity seminar. The seminar will be held on Friday, August 30th from 12:00-1:30pm in Murchie Science Building room 392. Registration is not required.

07/24/2024

The University of Michigan-Flint College of Innovation & Technology is proud to announce a new memorandum of understanding signed with Hashemite University in Zarqa, Jordan. This memorandum seeks to enhance academic and scientific cooperation between our universities. CIT was represented by our own Director of Computing, Dr. Amal Alhosban.