A wave of tech centers are emerging on college campuses, not just to cultivate advanced algorithms, but to foster collaboration between students, professors, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders.
George Mason University
Liza Wilson Durant, a professor at George Mason University’s College of Engineering and Computing, and associate dean of strategic initiative and community engagement, said the new Fuse at Mason Square Center will unite students, faculty, collaborators, and industry and government partners working on similar challenges. “They can bounce ideas off each other to create an acceleration of innovation and new technologies,” she said.
The 350,000-square-foot, $250 million building in Arlington, Virginia, is a public-private partnership described as “the nexus of all the work the school does in digital innovation.” The center includes research and development labs, corporate innovation centers, and incubators and accelerators.
Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact at George Mason, said, “It’s a strength of Mason, and it’s also a priority for the region and the state. We’re not just producing graduates; we’re producing the kinds of graduates that can lead in digital innovation and, of course, the computing space.” The center is expected to fully open in August.
Pennsylvania Western University
Other universities are following suit. Pennsylvania Western University is launching the PennWest Center for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies later this year.
“AI is transforming the way we live and work,” said Camille Dempsey, the center’s director and an associate professor of education. “PennWest has a strong cluster of AI-related talent, and the center will leverage that talent to benefit our community of educators and community stakeholders.”
Dempsey, a renowned AI expert, is a faculty research fellow in artificial intelligence through the International Society for Technology in Education. She also serves as a Google Women Ambassador, a Google AI Mastermind for Women, and a Google Educator Group leader.
AI Centers Are Everywhere
Dozens of other colleges and universities are also opening or planning AI centers. These include UC Davis, Utah State University, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Alabama, and the University of Maryland.
“At the University of Maryland, we are leading the way in shaping the future of AI and doing so in a way that promotes responsible, ethical, and trustworthy development and use,” said Provost Jennifer King Rice. “With AI utilization skyrocketing across all sectors of business, the launch of the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business will allow us to amplify the expertise of our Smith School faculty to advance the public good across industries.”
The institutions emphasize that their centers are intended to be a resource for the entire region, and beyond. The University of Texas launched on January 25, 2024, the Texas Center for Generative AI, which is geared towards advancing research in the use of AI in healthcare, biosciences, engineering and image and language processing.
“Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing our world, and this investment comes at the right time to help UT shape the future through our teaching and research,” said President Jay Hartzell. “World-class computing power combined with our breadth of AI research expertise will uniquely position UT to speed advances in health care, drug development, materials and other industries that could have a profound impact on people and society. We have designated 2024 as the Year of AI at UT, and a big reason why is the combination of the trends and opportunities across society, our talented people and strengths as a university, and now, our significant investment in the Center for Generative AI.”
Center Director Alex Dimakis, a professor in the Cockrell School’s Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said “We believe academia should continue to play a leading role in the development of AI. Open-source models, open data sets and interdisciplinary peer-reviewed research is the safest way to drive the upcoming AI revolution. Universities are uniquely suited to shape this ecosystem, and we are excited to be on the frontier of generative AI here in Austin.”
Miami Dade College has also established two AI centers on its Wolfson and North campuses, with a third under construction. The North Campus facility features advanced AI computing classrooms and a robotics lab.
On the Wolfson Campus, the center was designed to resemble the human brain. According to the college, “The left side has deep-thinking advanced computer classrooms, while the right side provides flexible and creative spaces for experiential learning.”
