Florida Tech will offer AI and space science workshops for high school teachers this summer
ABOVE VIDEO: Florida Tech President John Nicklow, acknowledging the large and rapidly growing impact of artificial intelligence across society, told faculty and staff at his State of the University address Wednesday that Florida Tech will greet this new force with education, integration, and excitement.
The university is preparing a new Bachelor of Science degree program centered on applied math, artificial intelligence and data science that could be available as soon as Fall 2024.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech President John Nicklow, acknowledging the large and rapidly growing impact of artificial intelligence across society, told faculty and staff at his State of the University address Wednesday that Florida Tech will greet this new force with education, integration, and excitement.
“It is a fast-evolving area, and Florida Tech is working quickly to offer our students and faculty the resources they need to contribute in this field,” he said during his address at Gleason Performing Arts Center.
The university is preparing a new Bachelor of Science degree program centered on applied math, artificial intelligence and data science that could be available as soon as Fall 2024.
Elsewhere, AI will be discussed at and integrated into the University Experience course, a one-credit seminar for first-year students that will help start building AI literacy among these young learners.
This summer, Florida Tech will offer AI and space science workshops for high school teachers. And the university is exploring the idea of offering AI certificate and micro-credentialing programs.
“This is a great start—but probably not enough,” Nicklow said in his remarks. “We must keep looking ahead to ensure we’re keeping pace with the speed of innovation in this area. AI is about to be a major part of each of our lives. The more we know about its capabilities, its responsible and ethical use, and how it can be a positive tool in our work, the better.”
Other topics addressed at the State of the University presentation:
■ Enrollment: Based on initial data, Florida Tech is on track to have another strong undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2024. Inquiries about a Florida Tech education are up 34% from this time a year ago and applications are up 17%.
The impact of the well-publicized national delays in the critical federal form for financial aid known as FAFSA will not be clear for months. Graduate student enrollment has seen a slight uptick in deposits, but Nicklow said there are opportunities to strengthen this area. One way that the university will do that is to consider tweaking the research incentive programs that support graduate students.
■ Office of Sponsored Research: Research is part of the DNA at Florida Tech and critical to its future. When new provost John Z. Kiss arrives in May, a presidential priority is to build out the Office of Sponsored Research as it evolves into the Office of Research.
“My goal is to provide faculty with greater support in identifying research opportunities, in preparing proposals and budgets, and in building the right interdisciplinary teams that attract funding,” Nicklow said.
“This is fundamental to our plan to grow our grant and contract expenditures.” Hamid Rassoul will serve as new senior associate provost for research.
■ Faculty Awards: Nicklow announced four major faculty awards and recipients at the end of his address. They are: Kerry B. Clark Award for Faculty Excellence in Teaching to TJ O’Connor, assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science and cybersecurity program chair. Charles E. Helmstetter Award for Faculty Excellence in Research to Toufiq Reza, associate professor in chemical engineering. Andrew W. Revay Jr. Award for Faculty Excellence in Service to Hamidreza Najafi, associate professor in mechanical and civil engineering Gavel Award to Al Brown, Faculty Senate president.
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