Good news for campus IT and other tech-oriented administrators planning to attend UB Tech® 2020: What happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas. The tech trends, ideas and insights heard and discovered will come home with attendees and their colleges and universities will be all the better for it. View the full agenda at ubtechconference.com and then join us Monday, June 15, through Wednesday, June 17, at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, a new venue for this year. Here are seven can’t-miss conference highlights to look forward to.
1. Women in Technology Summit
Now in its third year, this preconference event is a time for women (and men) to learn about unconscious gender bias in the higher ed workplace, get tips for moving up and mentoring others, and hear how women are reshaping campus IT. Amy Diehl, a gender bias expert as well as the associate vice president and chief information technology officer at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, will deliver the keynote address. Other speakers include Marilyn Delmont, chief information officer for the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, and Elizabeth Clark, deputy CIO of Harvard Business School. The event will also feature time for interactive networking with other attendees.
2. Conference keynotes on blockchain, student success and student engagement
The main event kickoff is Monday afternoon, when internationally known blockchain expert Primavera De Filippi from Harvard Law School’s Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society will speak on the promise of blockchain and its impact on higher education. Freeman Hrabowski, president of The University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will inspire attendees to renew their commitment to ensuring student success for all students during Tuesday’s keynote. And on Wednesday, Timothy VanNorman and Brent Warner of Irvine Valley College in California will explore student expectations for being engaged in their courses and how high-tech tools can be integrated into the classroom to meet those expectations.
3. Dozens of sessions on core UB Tech topics: AV integration, classroom IT, active classrooms and instructional technology
Program partners who are once again helping to bring the best speakers and content to UB Tech include CCUMC, the Consortium of College and University Media Centers; FLEXspace, the Flexible Learning Environments Exchange; and AETM, the Association for Audiovisual & Education Technology Management. These sessions will offer in-the-trenches ideas and solutions of interest to technology administrators at all levels.
4. The return of the popular esports track, new last year
This full track of sessions is provided by NAECAD, the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors. Besides intro-level sessions for colleges just getting started with esports, the program will feature sessions on advanced topics aimed at institutions where esports is already in place. At the Esports Pavilion in the Expo Hall, attendees can network with their peers at other institutions as well as experts in the field.
5. An expanded technology leadership track
Created for and presented by campus CIOs and other top tech leaders, presentations in this track cover hot topics such as cybersecurity, enterprise IT, cloud computing and change management. These sessions, which will also explore the evolving role of the campus CIO, are ideal for administrators looking for big-picture perspective and advice.
6. The UB Tech Expo Hall
From the opening night reception to the closing networking reception and lunches and breaks in between, the expo floor promises to be buzzing with excitement. Product categories to explore include active classroom furniture, networks, cybersecurity, online learning platforms, displays and AV systems, student information and success solutions, document imaging and more. The Expo Hall is the place to be for attendees looking to get up-close and hands-on with the leading technology products and to have conversations with industry executives focused on higher education applications.
7. Three days of networking opportunities for individuals and teams.
Many administrators attend UB Tech along with others from their campuses, so they can get the most out of the show and bond as a team. (Not to mention, one registration at full price qualifies all other team members for a half-off discount.) But both individuals and groups attending UB Tech have plenty of opportunities to network with other attendees and talk to speakers during refreshment breaks and in between sessions—ensuring they travel back home having met new friends from campuses across the country and beyond.
Melissa Ezarik is senior managing editor of UB.
