UBIT Innovative Technologies Award
Student assistants working in the VPCIO area: Want to develop cutting-edge skills, learn problem-solving techniques or work on professional development?
The UBIT Innovative Technologies Award supports learning opportunities in transformative technology and innovation in digital environments. Two annual awards of up to $500* each are given for professional development or learning experiences designed to enhance UBIT Student Assistants’ technical, leadership and problem-solving capacities.
What does the Innovative Technologies Award fund?
- Professional or personal development opportunities, such as a conference, training or seminar
- Software licenses or hardware
- Learning opportunities such as micro-credentialing and badging courses
- Developing an application, tool or other available resource to others
Eligibility
Students meeting all of the following criteria are eligible to apply:
- Current UBIT student assistant in one of the VPCIO areas (EAS, EIS, ISO, ITCE, ITCS, NCS, CIOAO, SPM)
- Full-time UB student
- Student must be in good academic standing, as defined by academic catalog, at the time of application
- The Innovative Technologies Award must be completed before the student’s expected graduation date
Application Process
- Complete and submit applications during the designated period
- The Innovative Technologies Award committee will evaluate and score all eligible applicants
- The committee will contact the awardees
Award Deliverables
Awardees must:
- Submit copies of relevant project materials
- Present the results of their project
Mentorship
UBIT employee mentors may be available to assist with the application and project implementation stage. Mentoring availability will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the project and available resources. For more information about mentoring, please contact ubit-communication@buffalo.edu.
Other Considerations
The application process and project must be completed outside of a student assistant’s work hours for the VPCIO area.
*Taxes will automatically be taken out of the award check. The total award amount is subject to applicable taxes. Consult with your tax advisor if you have questions.
2018 UBIT Innovative Technologies Award Recipients
The 2018 recipients were Samuel Gura, a student assistant with IT Customer Service Field Services, and Patrick O'Shea, a creative/graphic design student with IT Communication and Engagement.
Left to right: Patrick O'Shea, VPCIO J. Brice Bible, and Samuel Gura
Sam’s award funded a CompTIA A+ certification, which provides core knowledge about information technology and operations.
Patrick’s award funded video equipment to start a production company focused on short documentarian, research journalism pieces.