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RISE Together Showcase | The Future of Tech at FSU
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ITS RISE Together Showcase

ITS RISE Together Showcase

April 8, 2025
1-4:30PM
Florida State Conference Center

Register 

 

Innovative solutions and groundbreaking work take center stage at the ITS RISE Together Showcase.

Join Information Technology Services (ITS) for the second annual technology showcase. The half-day conference is open to the FSU community and dedicated to fostering collaboration to drive innovation and modernization across FSU. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, participate in live sessions and discover groundbreaking work that is shaping the future of technology at FSU.

Schedule

1:00-1:50PM | Session 1

Automate Your Way to Happiness
Presented by Jorge Merlano (Systems Architect)

Room TBD

Automate Your Way to Happiness

Presented by Jorge Merlano (Systems Architect)
Room TBD

This presentation will showcase the automation implemented in our daily tasks using Microsoft Automate. The automation includes grabbing Salesforce tickets related to Power BI Premium workspaces and refreshing Power BI datasets for reports published to the Power BI online service.

Track: AI and Automation

Breaking Away from the "Prison of Two Ideas" in IT
Presented by Chris Hart, Ph.D. (Systems Administrator)
Room TBD

Breaking Away from the "Prison of Two Ideas" in IT

Presented by Chris Hart, Ph.D. (Systems Administrator)
Room TBD

Are you, your employees or your department unknowingly stuck in the "prison of two ideas?" Breaking away from this "prison" means moving beyond the limiting perspective of considering only two opposing options or viewpoints when solving problems. Instead, it involves embracing a more nuanced perspective that explores a wider range of possibilities and innovative solutions beyond binary "either/or" thinking. This session will explain the concept, provide ways to escape the "prison" and share industry and FSU examples of the "two idea prisons" in IT.

Track: Professional Development

Building Intelligent Systems: A Deep Dive into Agentic AI Workflows
Presented by Sathish Sundaramoorthy (ERP Analyst III)
Room TBD

Building Intelligent Systems: A Deep Dive into Agentic AI Workflows

Presented by Sathish Sundaramoorthy (ERP Analyst III)
Room TBD

Agentic AI is revolutionizing various industries by enabling systems to autonomously perceive, decide and act, thereby enhancing efficiency and decision-making processes. This presentation will explore the core principles and practical applications of Agentic AI, focusing on real-world use cases. Attendees will gain practical insights into the concepts of agentic AI and how to enhance organizational workflows, leading to improved efficiency and innovation.

Track: AI and Automation

How Can I Request (and Fund) New Technology Project Ideas?
Presented by Anne Neidhardt (Director of Project Management), Tom Morgan (IT Project Manager)

Room TBD

How Can I Request (and Fund) New Technology Project Ideas?

Presented by Anne Neidhardt (Director of Project Management), Tom Morgan (IT Project Manager)
Room TBD

This presentation will provide options for submitting new project requests through ITS and Student Technology Fee awards. ITS is rolling out a new project intake process in Spring 2025 to allow for the coordinated submission and review of technology projects. ITS will start to invite an annual call for projects in addition to the Student Tech Fee proposal process for technology implementations supporting instructional technology. The presenters will walk through options for submitting requests, expectations on awards and funding options.

Track: Professional Development

Research Computing Center 2025 RISE Update
Presented by Casey McLaughlin (Research Technology Specialist), Marcelina Nagales, (Manager of Research Applications), Alex Birkovsky (HPC Operations Manager), Paul van der Mark (Director of Research Computing Center), Alex Townsend, Ph.D. (Scientific Applications Specialist)
Room TBD

Research Computing Center 2025 RISE Update

Presented by Casey McLaughlin (Research Technology Specialist), Marcelina Nagales, (Manager of Research Applications), Alex Birkovsky (HPC Operations Manager), Paul van der Mark (Director of Research Computing Center), Alex Townsend, Ph.D. (Scientific Applications Specialist)
Room TBD

The Research Computing Center staff will be sharing cool and exciting things that are happening at the Center. These include, but are not limited to, the acquisition of REDCap support and management, new liquid-cooled HPC infrastructure, implementation of a multi-petabyte Ceph archival storage system, increasing our GPU saturation with the HPC cluster, outreach and education initiatives and how we use AI at the Center.

Track: ITS Highlights

2:00-2:50PM | Session 2

Unleashing IT Automation Power
Presented by Breeze Howard (Director IT Infrastructure Services), Nicholas Voran (Engineering/Automation Manager), James Cox (ERP Analyst IV), Bret Whissel (IT Platform Systems Manager)

Room TBD

Unleashing IT Automation Power

Presented by Breeze Howard (Director IT Infrastructure Services), Nicholas Voran (Engineering/Automation Manager), James Cox (ERP Analyst IV), Bret Whissel (IT Platform Systems Manager)
Room TBD

In today’s fast-paced IT landscape, automation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. This panel will explore the automation tools and strategies used in IT to streamline operating system and application management, enforce Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles and optimize workflows. Join our panel of IT professionals as they discuss real-world implementations, lessons learned and the impact of automation on efficiency, scalability and security. We will cover key automation tools, including configuration management systems, CI/CD pipelines and workflow orchestration solutions that enhance operational effectiveness.

Track: AI and Automation

Microsoft Mesh and Immersive Media
Presented by Derek Kooi (Emerging Technology Developer), Zachary Greif (Emerging Technology Intern), Jason Hamilton (Emerging Technology Intern)
Room TBD

Microsoft Mesh and Immersive Media

Presented by Derek Kooi (Emerging Technology Developer), Zachary Greif (Emerging Technology Intern), Jason Hamilton (Emerging Technology Intern)
Room TBD

This presentation will discuss developments with Microsoft Mesh and the potential applications in enhancing educational experiences, from virtual classrooms to collaborative research projects. Additionally, we will delve into the broader subject of immersive media and its transformative impact on higher education. The session foster conversations about the integration of immersive media across various departments and disciplines and will provide ways for attendees to connect and participate in these future discussions.

Track: Emerging Technology at FSU

AI in Education: Good, Bad and Ugly
Presented by Dina Vyortkina, Ph.D. (Assistant Dean for Innovation and Instructional Technology Enhancement)
Room TBD

AI in Education: Good, Bad and Ugly

Presented by Dina Vyortkina, Ph.D. (Assistant Dean for Innovation and Instructional Technology Enhancement)
Room TBD

AI continues to be a hot topic in education. Many are excited, some are unimpressed, some are anxious and others are terrified. You no longer need to be a computer scientist to use large language models to generate an output. This presentation covers use cases of AI in education and human-centered considerations affecting AI adoption. The presentation addresses current and probable changes in and implications for how higher education organizations address their primary functions of teaching, research and service.

Track: Emerging Technology at FSU

How I Really Learned Python by Solving Sudoku

Presented by Matthew Pouliotte (Developer/Database Administrator)

Room TBD

How I Really Learned Python by Solving Sudoku

Presented by Matthew Pouliotte (Developer/Database Administrator)
Room TBD

In November, I attended Live! 360 in Orlando and participated in a two-day workshop on Python and AI. The first day focused on learning Python, but I quickly realized that the best way to truly understand a programming language is to use it. I discovered that Sudoku is an excellent problem to tackle with a new programming language. In this session, I will share my journey of transforming a single day of learning into a deep exploration of Python through solving Sudoku.

Track: Professional Development

Data Vaults in Higher Education: Bridging Business and IT
Presented by Ronald Fowler (Data Engineer), Pramodh Sairam (Data Analyst Intern), Jorge Merlano (Systems Architect)
Room TBD

Data Vaults in Higher Education: Bridging Business and IT

Presented by Ronald Fowler (Data Engineer), Pramodh Sairam (Data Analyst Intern), Jorge Merlano (Systems Architect)
Room TBD

Data vaults are a design methodology rather than a “vault” or “warehouse.” This session will describe how a flexible and scalable DV architecture for storing historical data and changes can support data-driven decision-making across the university. It will also explain how a DV's architecture can easily accommodate new data sources without redesigning existing structures while maintaining complete auditability. The presentation will conclude with an example DV use case to aid in the audience's understanding of the concept and goals for a data vault.

Track: ITS Highlights

2:50-3:40PM | Intern Showcase & Networking Coffee Break

Mid-afternoon intermission featuring a poster session by ITS student interns and networking opportunities. Light refreshments will be provided.
Atrium

3:40-4:30PM | Session 3

Ruby v2: The Next Generation
Presented by Rutuja Jagtap (Salesforce Developer), Gavin McDavitt (Salesforce Developer Intern), Jody O'Steen (Salesforce DevOps Manager)

Room TBD

Ruby v2: The Next Generation

Presented by Rutuja Jagtap (Salesforce Developer), Gavin McDavitt (Salesforce Developer Intern), Jody O'Steen (Salesforce DevOps Manager)
Room TBD

Experience the enhanced capabilities of our latest Ruby AI chatbot release, showcasing its newly refined features and expanded functionality. No longer limited to Salesforce environments, Ruby can now be hosted seamlessly on external websites. During this presentation, we will offer a live demonstration of Ruby’s ability to assist users with both knowledge base content and advanced large language model (LLM) responses, illustrating the chatbot’s exceptional versatility and value.

Track: AI and Automation

Going Deeper: Immersive Media and Virtual Reality at FSU
Presented by Drew Kocur (Assistant Director of Computing Technology Services), Andrew Opel, Ph.D. (Emerging Media Professor)
Room TBD

Going Deeper: Immersive Media and Virtual Reality at FSU

Presented by Drew Kocur (Assistant Director of Computing Technology Services), Andrew Opel, Ph.D. (Emerging Media Professor)
Room TBD

This presentation will demonstrate new efforts in immersive media at FSU. Specifically, we will discuss the production of video for the dome in the Challenger Learning Center's planetarium, creation of digital twins, which are VR captures of real-life spaces, and a sneak peek of a creative project for the Apple Vision Pro.

Track: Emerging Technology at FSU

Integrating AI in Online Humanities Courses: Challenges and Future Directions
Presented by John L. Crow, Ph.D. (Instructional Design Faculty)
Room TBD

Integrating AI in Online Humanities Courses: Challenges and Future Directions

Presented by John L. Crow, Ph.D. (Instructional Design Faculty)
Room TBD

Artificial intelligence is reshaping online education, but how can it be effectively applied in humanities courses? This presentation explores firsthand experiences using AI for course design, content creation, grading and outcome analysis at Florida State University and another institution. It also examines the implementation of an AI-driven virtual assistant to support student learning. Attendees will gain key takeaways on what worked, what didn’t and how these lessons inform future AI-enhanced teaching strategies.

Track: Emerging Technology at FSU

Design for All: Making Accessibility a No-Brainer
Presented by Teodora Abrams (Senior Course Support Specialist), Christopher Riley (Instructional Technologist), India Bryant (Instructional Technologist), Mary Eichin (Instructional Specialist II)

Room TBD

Design for All: Making Accessibility a No-Brainer

Presented by Teodora Abrams (Senior Course Support Specialist), Christopher Riley (Instructional Technologist), India Bryant (Instructional Technologist), Mary Eichin (Instructional Specialist II)
Room TBD

This presentation aims to emphasize the significance of adopting a proactive approach to accessibility in digital product and platform design, utilizing the core principles of accessible design—perceivable, operable, understandable and robust—to ensure content is usable by all individuals. By integrating accessibility from the beginning of the design process, rather than addressing it as an afterthought, designers can enhance user experience, expand audience reach and meet legal requirements like the ADA and WCAG guidelines.

Track: Professional Development

Innovative Interns: Developing the ITS Intern Application
Presented by Sara Mischler (Intern Cohort Director), Elyse Walcott (Custom Application Design Intern), Matthew Hummel (Software Developer Intern)
Room TBD

Innovative Interns: Developing the ITS Intern Application

Presented by Sara Mischler (Intern Cohort Director), Elyse Walcott (Custom Application Design Intern), Matthew Hummel (Software Developer Intern)
Room TBD

This presentation will cover the entire development process of the ITS Intern Application, from initial research and design to development and testing—all completed by interns. The application will be tested and launched in Phase 1 this summer, with Phases 2 and 3 scheduled for the upcoming school year. The ITS Intern Application project demonstrates the incredible potential of our interns and the value of investing in their development. By empowering interns to take on significant projects, we address immediate needs and foster a culture of innovation and growth within our organization.

Track: ITS Highlights

Add to Calendar

Mark your calendar for the ITS RISE Together Showcase on April 8, 2025.

Add to Calendar 

Presentations

Session 1

Slides will be posted after the event.

Session 2

Slides will be posted after the event.

Session 3

Slides will be posted after the event.

Support

For more information about the ITS RISE Together Showcase, please contact Brandon Casey at bcasey@fsu.edu.

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