Campus News Feed

Summer Tech Camp Offers Weeklong College Experience to Teens with Autism

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is proud to partner with Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) and New Way Academy to host the G33K College Prep Summer Camp, the only program of its kind created specifically for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to take place the week of July 23 – 29, at University of Advancing Technology’s Tempe campus.

Many individuals on the spectrum love computers and possess a skill set well-suited for a career in technology or engineering. Without this camp, there are dozens of young adults who may think that attending college is out of their reach. Because of UAT’s focus on culture and socialization, camp participants are more likely to feel at home.

“The UAT Tech Camp offers a perfectly inclusive and naturalistic learning environment. Every aspect of the campers’ day provides an opportunity to try a different skill needed for college life and for assimilation into the workforce in the future. UAT’s atmosphere is ideal for this program because their faculty and staff have the experience and training to responsibly and effectively nurture our students,” said Brad Herron-Valenzuela, Transition Academy Instructor at SARRC.

During this weeklong camp, SARRC and New Way Academy camp participants will have the opportunity to complete the college admissions process, reside in Founder’s Hall dormitory, attend classes, collaborate in teams, use new technology, complete a group project, eat meals at the university café and take part in student life activities.

The G33K College Prep Summer Camp accepts 10 participants, ranging in age from 16 to 26. The participants fall into three categories: those who are looking to go on to college, those with some college experience and may plan to enroll in the future and those who have never attended college and may lack the confidence to participate in the college experience.

“We look forward to our fourth year of partnering with UAT and welcome our new community partner, New Way Learning Academy. With elements that touch on all aspects of the college experience, our participants are given an inclusive and impactful opportunity to try out college. The results of these experiences can guide and shape future post-secondary academic endeavors,” said Paige Raetz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Transition Academy Director at SARRC.

Participants gain a deeper understanding of all the skills needed for a successful college experience: admissions, academics, extra-curricular activities, life skills and social gatherings with other college students.

SARRC Camp with Dave Bolman

“Without an opportunity to learn how to navigate the college experience, these young adults may find creative STEM jobs to be out of their reach. This is why I am so excited about UAT partnership with SARRC. We are great at mentoring and growing individuals in a tech space. Because of UAT’s approach, camp participants are more likely to feel at home in college settings and ready to take that next step in their lives, pursuing a degree and finding a career that fills a genuine economic need,” said UAT Provost Dr. David Bolman.

At the conclusion of the program, camp participants will celebrate their achievements with family members during a graduation and group project presentation ceremony. After the camp, participants will be offered an online class that they can take on an open entry and exit basis to practice their college skills. Participants who complete the course will then receive college credit.

UAT Professors Present Technology Topics to Local Girl Scout Camp

UAT is doing its part to encourage more females to explore a future in technology. Last week on June 7, UAT kicked off hosting a series of technology-themed workshops for residents of the newly opened Girl Scout camp, the Bob and Renee Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women at Camp South Mountain, which opened last April. The Campaign for Girls in Arizona is an effort by Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council to achieve better outcomes for Arizona’s girls.

The Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) offers camps for girls in three age groups, which include summer technology classes held at UAT. Some topics that they are learning include coding, game art, science, stage makeup, digital video and business, taught by knowledgeable UAT Professors on our technology-filled campus.

UAT is an advocate for women, especially in STEM degrees, making this collaboration a perfect partnership opportunity in the Phoenix community.

UAT Hosts STEM Workshops in Partnership with New Girl Scout Summer Camp

Christina Spicer, GSACPC’s Senior Associate of Fund Development said, “Encouraging young women to explore STEM skills and careers is critical to the development of our workforce. We are so thrilled and fortunate that our new Parsons Leadership Center is right down the street from UAT, as their tech expertise and resources can really help us advance these young ladies. They even supplied the computers for our office!”

Camp Director Crystal Dingott said, “UAT has been instrumental in our first summer of instruction here at Parsons. Almost all of their faculty will be teaching sessions at our camps this year. They have so many knowledgeable staff that are genuinely excited to help our girls learn and lead, the school is an asset to our community.”

UAT’s Provost Dr. David Bolman said, “Girl Scouts of America, especially the Arizona Cactus-Pine organization, have a tradition of guiding young women to be great citizens, great leaders and basically the best humans that they individually can be. Our future is going to be stronger as more and more Girl Scouts enter into technology spaces. Few things cause us more joy than having these young women on campus interacting with technology and experiencing first-hand how these tools expand their thinking and creativity. As a college, we see great potential in these girls who embrace the values that the Girl Scouts of America teach combined with the drive to become future technology creators.”

The Girl Scout camp runs from June 7- July 21, on UAT’s campus located at 2625 W. Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283.

Girl Scouts—Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) is Arizona’s leading organization dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. In partnership with more than 10,000 adult volunteers, GSACPC serves 20,000 girls grades K-12 in more than 90 communities across central and northern Arizona.

World renowned thinker and speaker of technology futurism to accept UAT Honorary Doctorate Degree at Commencement

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is honored to announce that Jamais Cascio, known for his insightful and provocative ideas in the realm of technology futurism, will accept one of this year’s Honorary Doctorate Degrees, to be awarded at UAT’s Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 5, 2017, at the Mesa Arts Center.

Cascio’s passions coincide with UAT’s interests in emerging technologies and some of his more profound work lies in environmental dilemmas and cultural transformation. Cascio specializes in the design and creation of plausible future scenarios. His work focuses on the importance of long-term, systemic thinking, emphasizing the power of openness, transparency and flexibility as catalysts for building a more resilient society.

Cascio speaks about future possibilities around the world, running in the same circles as UAT Professor Natasha Vita-More, who has worked with Cascio in her studies of futurism and holds his opinions in high regard.

Jamais Cascio, 2017 UAT Honorary Doctorate recipient

Professor Vita-More said, “Jamais Cascio is a provocative futurist who thinks big, and thinks broad. Being listed as one of the “Top 100 Global :DThinkers” by Foreign Policy Magazine in 2009, he navigates through surprising and unsettling pathways of technological and cultural change. Cascio’s ability to mitigate techno-challenges is in keeping with UAT’s mission to educate and innovate for the future. His unique background aligns with UAT’s values through applied strategic analysis.”

As an honorary doctorate for UAT’s graduating Class of 2017, Cascio shares a few words of wisdom for UAT graduates.

“The technologies and tools we make are as much artifacts of our culture as artifacts of our science. What a technology means — its social utility, its ethical footprint, its role in our lives — increasingly matters as much or more than what a technology does,” said Jamais Cascio.

Watch UAT’s Commencement featuring Jamais Cascio’s Honorary Doctorate acceptance speech online here.

UAT’s Tech-Infused Campus Welcomes Young Programmers for a 24-Hour Development Competition, Two Years Running

For the second consecutive year, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) co-sponsors and hosts CodeDay Phoenix, the largest 24-hour youth coding challenge in the state, on UAT’s Tempe technology-infused campus. The event kicks off on Saturday, February 18, at noon, with coders competing continuously for 24 hours and closes with an awards ceremony led by a panel of judges at noon on Sunday, February 19, 2017.

CodeDay Phoenix empowers over 110 students ages 8-16, putting the focus on engaging young adults in underserved populations and areas with limited technical resources. UAT is proud to co-sponsor alongside State Farm and provide mentors to the next wave of young advancing computer science majors and game programmers, hoping to further the STEM initiative locally with Arizona adolescents, making our state a technology hub for the future.

As an educational institution offering degrees in Computer Science and Game Programming, UAT is aware of the lacking number of students enrolled in STEM-related degrees and supports community outreach events like CodeDay Phoenix and is honored to host the event.

Previously, UAT sponsored the 2015 Great Arizona Code Challenge, where UAT awarded scholarships to the winners. Over the years, UAT has created and maintains longstanding relationships with a pipeline of future technologists from the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), and promotes the need for a greater focus on STEM education nationwide. By hosting the largest CodeDay in the state of Arizona, UAT aims to increase the chances for the younger generation to spark an interest in technology.

UAT Provost Dr. David Bolman said, “It is absolutely incredible that teens and pre-teens can come together, team up and spend 24 continuous hours from start to finish creating a new and complete game, mobile app or website. It is equally incredible that so many teachers and developers volunteer to spend a day and night mentoring these future technologists. The Arizona community is counting on these teens to choose to study STEM in college and then go on to spend their lives creating and supporting the information tools that drive our economy and allow us as people to routinely do things we could only imagine. Events like CodeDay Phoenix are among the best way to prepare us and them for what the next few years has coming.”

UAT President Jason Pistillo couldn’t agree more, as he said, “In addition to our work with code camps like this, we are very active in Arizona’s K-12 community, partnering with districts and charters to help them with their curricular and hardware needs. We remain vigilant in our efforts to mentor youth in STEM areas such as robotics, computer science and cyber security – allowing students access to our on-campus Cyber Warfare Range – the first in Arizona. The delta between national demand for programming students and the number of potential graduates is both alarming and something we at UAT take very seriously. We are pleased that so many other local colleges have begun to address this need, many of whom have adopted UAT programs and curriculum.”

About CodeDay Phoenix:

CodeDay fills the gap between in-school programs, which explain how to code, and the eternal question of students: why do I need to know this? Students start out CodeDay by pitching ideas for projects, and then spend the next 24-hour coding the most interesting ideas in small groups. Throughout the event, students get help from our staff in the form of workshops and during-event mentorship. CodeDay is a national program supported by Student RND.

Technology continues to evolve around us changing the landscape of businesses and how they operate on a global scale. On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Arizona Technology Council is pleased to present a roundtable with U.S. Senator Jeff Flake speaking on the current state of “Technology & Commerce,” including International Trade (BAT, NAFTA, TPP) and many other technology-related topics such as H1-B’s, patent reform, Email Privacy Act as moderated by Steven Zylstra, President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

UAT faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend this opportunity to meet directly with Senator Flake, a strong champion of the technology industry in Arizona and a staunch supporter of free trade.

What: “Technology & Commerce” Roundtable with Senator Jeff Flake
When: Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 1:30 – 2:30 P.M.
Where: University of Advancing Technology (UAT) Campus in the Theater

Please join UAT President Jason Pistillo and Provost Dr. David Bolman in welcoming Senator Flake and the Arizona Technology Council to our technology-infused campus. For those who cannot attend in person, you have the option to watch the presentation in live stream here.

UAT is offering veterans a chance to pursue a STEM career by partnering with Warriors Heart to advance job skills of alumni who complete their 28-day peer-to-peer healing program.

Warriors Heart is the first and only private treatment center for “Warriors Only” (veterans and first responders) in the U.S. dealing with substance abuse, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or psychological effects of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI).

The partnership began when UAT President Jason Pistillo met with Warriors Heart CEO and Co-Founder Josh Lannon at a Young President’s Organization (YPO) meeting. Pistillo recognized the need to offer scholarship for veterans to have an opportunity to pursue a STEM career.

“The service, dedication and sacrifices made by the men and women serving our nation in the United States military are recognized by University of Advancing Technology. Whether active duty, veteran, reservist or a dependent of military personnel, UAT has a variety of program offerings, learning delivery options and financial aid opportunities for veterans to achieve their educational goals. Whether they are seeking to advance in a civilian career, complement their military skills or pursue a fresh path in advancing technology, UAT is committed to their success,” said Pistillo.

UAT is proud to fund these STEM scholarships worth up to $50,000 each for US Veterans coming out of a Warriors Heart healing program. The scholarships will provide our protectors with education opportunities to advance their job skills and help them pursue their life dreams.

We are honored to partner with UAT serving our warriors. – Josh Lannon, CEO of Warriors Heart.

“We are honored to partner with UAT serving our warriors. Our military men and women receive some of the best leadership training in the world. Combined with UAT’s technology courses, this gives our veterans an incredible opportunity to excel personally and professionally,” said Josh Lannon, CEO of Warriors Heart.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces come home to a grateful nation. This partnership provides veterans with the tools they need to successfully enter the workforce and build futures for themselves and their families. These are the kinds of innovative ideas that enable our heroes to achieve the American Dream,” said Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema.

UAT was founded by an Air Force veteran in 1983. The University is a designated Military Friendly Institution and is GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon approved.

High School STEM Students to Participate in Chief Science Officer Training

In collaboration with the Arizona Technology Council, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) will host the 2016 Fall Chief Science Officer (CSO) Institute on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, bringing together high school students interested in STEM for a day-long training session.

In the second year of hosting this event, UAT welcomes 150 high school student leaders to its technology-infused campus for a day of training on how to be effective advocates among their peers and the community for all things STEM.

What is a CSO? A Chief Science Officer or “CSO” is a 6th to 12th grade student elected by their peers to represent their school in STEM and innovation.

The CSO program was developed through the leadership of Dr. Jeremy Babendure, Executive Director of the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, Susan Farretta, Director of Programs and Education at Arizona SciTech and Dr. David Bolman, Provost of University of Advancing Technology.

Dr. Bolman said, “The CSO Training program is special because it offers teens who love science and technology a framework for student government leadership within their high school. They learn the skills to be great communicators about STEM within their high school communities. In turn, these CSO leaders bring more students to the technology and science pipeline – something that is desperately needed to fill Arizona’s workforce.”

Each team of students will participate in a series of STEM-related activities including:

• Team development using robotics, gaming, virtual reality and software development technologies
• Digital storytelling, social media and communication
• Developing STEM vision blogs
• SciTech exploration activities
• Building personal networks
• Team presentations to community

UAT President Jason Pistillo said, “Our country has a problem and UAT continues to try and address it. Without change, the United States will be woefully unprepared for the future.”

“A review of recent Advanced Placement exam statistics shows that more than 10 times the number of students took the AP history exam than those who took AP computer science. That is a conservative statistic, but still illustrates the problem. Growth in occupations over the next 10 years will primarily fall into STEM-related fields, which is horribly incongruent with what young people are currently pursuing after high school,” Pistillo said, “UAT will continue to give 110 percent to help our community engage young people in the various fields of advancing technology, to make a difference for Arizona and the country.”

UAT’s Virtual Reality Degree Makes a Comeback 25 Years Later

The world of Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for decades. Over 25 years ago, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) led the country as the first university in the nation to offer a fully accredited degree in Virtual Reality. Having been created in 1991, the initial VR degree offering may have been a bit before its time, but UAT is pleased to announce that the Virtual Reality degree is back and available to students for the 2016 fall semester.

What is Virtual Reality (VR)? Virtual Reality is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors. Some examples of Virtual Reality devices include Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, both of which can be demonstrated in the New Technologies Lab on UAT’s Tempe campus.

Professor Ben Reichert testing out the HTC Vive in UAT’s New Technologies Lab

The world of Augmented Reality (AR) is also gaining traction. The Pokémon Go movement quickly introduced the general public to the possibility of adapting AR into their daily lives with the simple concept of collecting cute Pokémon characters that are visually projected in your city surroundings. Pokémon Go is an example of VR using smartphone technology.

According to an article published on Forbes.com in May 2016, VR jobs in mainstream technology are on the rise. In a short period of time, VR has spiked in job postings by companies and job searches from seekers. SmartRecruiters CEO, Jerome Ternynck said, “Virtual reality is becoming one of the new forms of user experience and user interface.” Ternynck believes “people will gradually find ways to leverage VR for business applications,” as well.

Companies listing VR jobs on Indeed.com include the likes of Samsung, Google, IBM, Facebook, Apple and Intel, in search of VR specialists with skills in backend system development, software development, user experience and visual art.

In recent years, VR has found true applications in many industries providing solutions for healthcare, construction and skilled trades, military, law enforcement, government, automotive, education, advertising, space exploration, and entertainment.

UAT Provost Dr. David Bolman said, “VR is also being heavily explored as a form of film storytelling. Using the Unreal Game Engine, UAT’s Digital Video department designed “CrossRealm,” which is a system for filmmakers to preview visual effects in real time. This innovation provides proof of concept in this type of storytelling.”

CrossRealm created b UAT Digital Video

Twenty-five years later UAT is excited to return to its roots of leading the way in advancing technology by welcoming the return of its Virtual Reality degree as a bachelor’s degree offering for on-ground students for the 2016 fall semester.

Game Studies Program Champion Derric Clark who remembers UAT’s initial Virtual Reality degree said, “It is exciting to see Virtual Reality technology come full circle. The original VR degree was the predecessor to the degrees in UAT’s Game Studios Suite and now that gaming and other industries are embracing VR, it’s completing the technology circle.

UAT is proud of its history, serving as a leader in technology education for the entire nation. In fact, UAT’s Virtual Reality degree received an award for Best New Program in 1993 by the Career College Association.

In 1996, UAT Virtual Reality students innovated a virtual replica of Bank One Ballpark (currently Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks) using IBM Elysium and Division VR Systems.

Other projects built in early days of UAT’s VR degree-

• An ancient civilization tour of the pyramids, a virtual world atlas, a molecular modeler, and a human body tour for the Ministry of Education in Egypt.

• A virtual walkthrough of the current UAT campus was designed on the Superscape Virtual Reality Toolkit before it was built.

• A virtual cleanroom was created for Motorola to use in its planning stages before the real version was constructed.

• A Product Applications Lab presentation was created using IBM Elysium for US West (currently known as Century Link).

• A simulated tour of the Caves of Chauvet.

Virtual Reality education and development has not skipped a beat at UAT.

This fall semester, in addition to the VR degree, a course in programming and developing Augmented Reality apps will be offered by Professor Hue Henry, who specializes in game programming. In fact, many Game Studios students have already completed or plan to develop game simulations for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

What is ransomware and how should one handle it?

In the UAT Cyber Warfare Range, Provost Dr. Dave Bolman and ‎Network Security‬ Professor Al Kelly comment on ‪ransomware‬ and how to handle the threat in a FOX 10 Phoenix interview with special assignment reporters Kristy Siefkin and Tishin Donkersley. 

Ransomware – a type of malware that can be covertly installed on a computer without the knowledge of the user which restricts access to the infected computer system and demands that the user pay a ransom to the malware operators to remove the restriction. 

‎Network Security‬ Professor Al Kelly comment on ‪ransomware‬ and how to handle the threat in a FOX 10 Phoenix interview with special assignment reporter Kristy Siefkin.

The topic of ransomware is frequently discussed in the news like the February attack that took over Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center with ransom set at $17,000. The institution’s computers were infected with malware, locking their records until the ransom was paid. The attack forced the hospital to return to pen and paper for its record-keeping, likely a huge procedural inconvenience in the digital age.

So the question is… should you or should you not pay the ransom?

See the full interview here to find out how to handle the situation if you find your data held for ransom.

UAT Acknowledges Technology Entrepreneur at Annual Commencement Ceremony

Each year, University of Advancing Technology (UAT) recognizes inspirational leaders in technology who have successfully forged a path for our graduates to emulate. UAT is delighted to present Brad Jannenga, Founder of WebPT, with one of this year’s Honorary Doctorate Degrees to be awarded at the UAT Commencement Ceremony on May 6, 2016, at Mesa Arts Center.

Jannenga is an investor, an entrepreneur, a veteran technologist highly experienced in software development and an active leader in the burgeoning Phoenix tech ecosystem. As co-founder of WebPT, one of Arizona’s most successful SaaS companies, Jannenga grew the company from idea to bootstrapped startup to more than 250 employees while serving as President & CTO.

Jannenga gives back to the Phoenix tech community with involvement in several organizations, startup investments and grassroots efforts. His involvement with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Arizona Commerce Authority, the AZ Software Founders Group and #yesphx has helped countless Phoenix startups get off the ground and on the path to success. Jannenga is especially passionate about growth in downtown Phoenix, having galvanized multiple organizations to help make downtown a thriving tech hub.

Jannenga was awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young, named one of the “Top Entrepreneurs in Arizona” by the Arizona Republic, a “Tech Titan” and “40 Under 40” by the Phoenix Business Journal, and WebPT has been listed on the Inc. 500 for three consecutive years.

“The University has been serving the Valley for more than 33 years. Our passion and drive to help the Arizona community, especially the burgeoning technology sector, has driven nearly every part of our mission. Mr. Jannenga understands the shortcomings of our technology ecosystem and instead of accepting the status quo, he has sought to take action. His commitments to promoting and growing the Valley as a technology nexus are evident in his success with WebPT, TeamAZ, StartupAZ Foundation and so much more. We are thankful that people like Brad Jannenga are fervent to the cause and helping move the needle in the right direction. It is with great pride that we award this honorary doctorate to a well-deserved individual who continues to raise the bar for us all. Arizona needs more people like Brad Jannenga,” said Jason Pistillo, UAT President.

About WebPT:

In 2006, Heidi Jannenga, a leading sports physical therapist and clinic director, was looking for ways to improve her clinic’s bottom line. After identifying dictation as well as paper documentation management as two of her practice’s biggest costs, she started looking for a less expensive solution to documentation and enlisted the help of then-boyfriend Brad Jannenga, a veteran technologist with deep experience in software development. Heidi knew she needed something that would not only fit her workflow as a PT, but also would be affordable, easy to use, and a cinch to implement in her clinic. The more Brad and Heidi shopped around, though, the more discouraged they became. That was when they decided to partner and develop her clinic’s dream solution. Brad started going to work with Heidi to get an idea of her workflow and documentation needs. In the evenings, the two would regroup and brainstorm on how the software should work. Then, Brad would get to coding and Heidi would get to testing. And piece by piece, WebPT—a web-based physical therapy EMR—was born.