The Office of the Provost Funds $1 Million in Educational Innovations Across UC

The Office of the Provost announced today $1 million in funding to colleges and organizations across UC for resources to enhance teaching and research through the new Provost Technology Innovation Awards. 

These competitive awards were initiated to spur the development of information technology, computing infrastructure and instructional design to advance the UC educational experience and to keep students and faculty equipped with innovative academic assets. 

“Investing in new programs and technology is a key step in modernizing the student experience,” said Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Beverly Davenport. “I am excited to see how these progressive ideas will turn into real hands-on experiences for students, improving their academic journey here at UC.”

The 2016 Provost Technology Innovation Awards funds an array of projects including an architecture robotic lab to research robot-aided construction and 3D printing; a virtual clinical experience platform for UC Academic Health Center students and a game development laboratory to prepare students to join an industry worth $91.5 billion. In addition, the award will finance the establishment of a video and digital media creation studio at the Walter C. Langsam Library as well as upgrades to the Bartlett Television Center with professional-level video production technology. The award will fund new video hardware and software for implementation across the curriculum at UC Blue Ash, and the Center for Cognition, Action and Perception will add state-of-the-art hardware and software to support its virtual and cyber-based research.

The Office of the Provost created this award program to support advancements in educational resources that are collaborative and interdisciplinary in nature with the potential for broad impact, benefitting a large number of students. Through the awards, the Office of the Provost continues its mission of ensuring quality learning and research opportunities for students and faculty by expanding the technological infrastructure that supports academic excellence.

In total, nine projects were funded across UC colleges and organizations, including the College of Nursing; College of Medicine; College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services; College of Allied Health Sciences; College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning; University of Cincinnati Blue Ash; College of Engineering and Applied Science; as well as the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; the College Conservatory of Music; the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, the UC Libraries, the Digital Media Cluster and Student Government.

Recipients of the Provost Technology Innovation Awards are expected to begin the development of their projects within the upcoming academic year.