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UBIT Blog

We want to hear your ideas about how information technology can continue to improve the way we learn, teach and work at UB. Join the conversation with UBIT's leadership.

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Recent Posts

UBIT Blog

  • UB Students at a Lake LaSalle cleanup watch some geese flying overhead.
    Sustainable technology and UB’s Climate Action Plan
    6/8/22
    The University at Buffalo is on track to be carbon neutral by 2030. How can IT support these efforts?
  • Two professionals wearing masks talking at a desk in a UB office.
    Together again: returning to “normal” in the post-pandemic office
    4/25/22
    The office is not the same place it was before 2020. To some of us, the old routine doesn’t feel quite the same. To find our way to a new workplace culture that works for everyone, we may all need to re-examine some of our assumptions about in-person work.
  • A researcher in a lab coat loads a biological sample into a piece of lab equipment.
    Stronger together: keeping UB’s systems resilient
    1/20/22
    At UB, the resiliency of our IT systems is the prime responsibility of the VPCIO area. But the threats—and what it means to be resilient in facing them—are evolving. How are we evolving in kind?
  • A professional portrait of Sue Huston.
    Thanking Sue Huston for over 40 years of insight and leadership
    7/30/21
    As one of our longest-tenured colleagues retires, we reflect on the power and positive impact of a career’s worth of insight and institutional knowledge.
  • Jason Briner, UB Geology faculty, participates in a Zoom meeting with a potential grad student.
    “Plan for the worst, hope for the best:” what’s your backup plan?
    7/22/21
    Imagine it: you’re writing a paper, and your deadline is looming. Or, you’re about to join a remote class over Zoom. You open your laptop and… nothing. The screen is black. You hit the power button and wait. It won’t power on. You plug it in, but it won’t charge. What’s going through your head?
  • Jason Briner, UB Geology faculty, participates in a Zoom meeting with a potential grad student.
    Making a connection, making an impact: UB faculty on teaching remotely
    7/8/21
    What does a remote teaching success story look like? Our talented faculty offer approaches that are as innovative as they are diverse, but the common thread is the personal connection they make with their students.
  • Virtual Vic.
    Preparing UB for the future of connected life and work
    7/6/21
    Connectivity is the lifeblood of our work as students, faculty and staff at UB. UBIT’s Network and Communication Services is always exploring new and better ways to deliver that connectivity.
  • Virtual Vic.
    How UB is helping "reimagine" the digital divide
    6/16/21
    A statewide commission has been working for the past year to reduce the digital divide and increase opportunity for New Yorkers. The University at Buffalo has played an important role in these efforts, and the positive impact will be felt right here in Buffalo.
  • Virtual Vic.
    Welcoming Virtual Vic’s powerful technology to campus
    4/7/21
    If you’ve visited the UBIT website recently, you may have been greeted by Virtual Vic, UB’s new customer service chatbot. This unassuming virtual assistant hints at the power of emerging technology to boost UB’s potential in the years to come.
  • Students participate in 100 level chemistry labs in the Natural Sciences Complex in October 2020. Students demonstrate proper use of face coverings and other PPE while working in a research lab, in keeping with current guidelines.
    Lessons from today in supporting the students of tomorrow
    2/1/21
    How do we define our role supporting students in a post-pandemic world?
  • A researcher in a lab coat in a stylized image set in one of UB's research facilities.
    Practical steps for protecting UB’s connected culture in 2021 and beyond
    1/12/21
    At research universities like UB, we create and share knowledge and information in good faith—and we’ve been using the internet to do it since before it was the internet. But what it means to be online is changing, and as we put our information security strategy into place, we’re taking those changes into account so UB can keep sharing the right way.
  • Students participate in 100 level chemistry labs in the Natural Sciences Complex in October 2020. Students demonstrate proper use of face coverings and other PPE while working in a research lab, in keeping with current guidelines.
    Talking about projects: UB’s strategic portfolio management
    11/23/20
    UBIT is committed to advancing the university’s mission by working with our campus partners to do the right technology projects, the right way, and in the right order. The first step is a conversation.
  • Students participate in 100 level chemistry labs in the Natural Sciences Complex in October 2020. Students demonstrate proper use of face coverings and other PPE while working in a research lab, in keeping with current guidelines.
    Tomorrow is here: re-assessing the classroom of the future
    11/16/20
    In 2017, we were imagining the classroom of the future. Three years later, we’re seeing that vision become a reality. But we never could have predicted the path we would take to get there, or the challenges we’d face along the way.
  • An educator lectures in a physically distanced UB classroom.
    Thank you to educational technology support teams supporting faculty this fall
    10/27/20
    The work of learning is necessarily challenging—and we are all learning new things this year. I want to thank two groups in particular who have been putting in the challenging work of learning how to better support our faculty in a time of great change.
  • A student works alone on a laptop in a UB classroom.
    Digital literacy is key in the new world of learning
    9/30/20
    We’ve all invested so much into changing the way we work and learn in the wake of COVID-19, and it’s becoming clear that these changes will leave a lasting impact on how we work. What can we do today to make the most of our investment going forward?
  • A student stops to take pictures of spring flowers with his phone on UB's South Campus.
    Fall 2020: by the numbers
    9/14/20
    2020 is a year that defies comparison.
  • A finger extends to touch manipulate the screen of a tablet.
    Combating “Zoom fatigue”
    6/23/20
    The number of Zoom meetings we've all attended has grown in recent months. With most of us working remotely, virtual meetings are a convenient and effective way to stay productive and get things done.
  • A woman dances at Baird Point in front of a laptop.
    Lessons learned from faculty in the response to COVID-19
    5/28/20
    Within a ten-day span, UBIT worked closely with UB faculty to transition over 4,000 courses to an online format. We learned a great deal in the process about how we can help them deliver the best possible education, no matter the circumstances.
  • A student learns on a laptop while sitting in the window of his home during the COVID-19 crisis.
    Supporting students through the COVID-19 crisis
    5/18/20
    Students have faced great challenges in the transition to emergency remote learning. How have we shifted our focus to better support them? What more could we be doing?
  • IT staff with masks on prepare 200 laptops in Silverman Library in Capen Hall.
    Thank you to UBIT staff who turned services “inside out” in response to COVID-19
    5/12/20
    While Governor Cuomo announced that UB and other SUNY schools would begin mandatory distance learning in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus, UBIT staff were already hard at work preparing to support students, faculty and staff for that eventuality.
  • Staff meeting.
    Seven guiding principles for a better information security practice
    4/27/20
    Cyber threats can make our increasingly online world feel like a wild frontier. We don’t always agree how to navigate this wilderness, but there are some goals and ideals we do agree on. 
  • A student sits alone working on a laptop on UB's downtown campus.
    IT resources in response to coronavirus
    3/11/20
    UB, like many institutions, is working proactively to respond to the international coronavirus outbreak. IT resources for working and learning remotely are an important part of the university’s continuity planning.
  • Two students sitting at a table with laptops, looking behind them.
    The CIO of the future stays focused on people through the transformation
    2/10/20
    What are the unique opportunities and challenges facing the CIO of the future in higher education?
  • Colleagues talking.
    Future-proof skills for the IT professional of today (and tomorrow)
    1/21/20
    Few areas are as dynamic and unpredictable as IT. IT professionals today need depth and breadth, and personal skills tailored to weather the changes.
  • Colleagues talking.
    Welcome Kelly Duran to UBIT
    12/10/19
    In October 2019, we welcomed Kelly Duran to our team as Assistant CIO and Director of Strategic Portfolio Management. Her appointment makes our organization more focused and better positioned to prioritize the needs of UB’s departments and decanal units.
  • Colleagues talking.
    From page to potential: the merits of an IT book club
    11/11/19
    Where do good ideas come from?
  • A research scientist at UB.
    “Digital evolution” is key to the IT organization of the future
    10/2/19
    UBIT’s latest strategic report begins with a question: what will the campus of 2030 look like?
  • Staff meeting.
    Two-step verification secures UB's most valued asset—trust
    8/9/19
    Creating and sharing knowledge, and everything we do to support that process at UB, requires trust, both on an interpersonal and institutional level.
  • Two students in the Silverman Library.
    Partnership between IT and University Libraries hints at future of the cognitive campus
    5/13/19
    UB’s campus is changing. The UB2020 initiative is transforming the Heart of the Campus into a learning landscape that supports student success, broadly defined. 
  • A research scientist at UB.
    UB’s new biorepository: a bright sign for data, research and partnership
    5/13/19
    Some of the University at Buffalo’s most exciting work is being done in clinical and translational science: revelatory medical research, conducted in community partnership, for the betterment of patients and new professionals alike. Data is the lifeblood of that research, and our IT organization has been developing valuable new approaches to supporting this work.
  • Staff meeting.
    Four considerations of information security
    5/1/19
    The way we keep our people and technology secure at the University at Buffalo is changing. But what are we really trying to accomplish?
  • Student on phone.
    Multifactor authentication: one piece of a multi-faceted security practice at UB
    4/23/19
    Multifactor authentication is coming to more of the UBIT services our community uses every day, beginning in 2019. This extra layer of security, along with our continuing efforts to promote best security practices, will benefit every single person who works or studies at UB.
  • Students in the Downtown Jacobs Medical Building active learning classroom.
    Information security is a practice
    4/9/19
    The purpose of UB, like any institution of higher learning, is to create and share knowledge and information. In UB’s Information Security Office, our goal is to make sure that can happen as intended, by protecting our systems, data, and talent.
  • Students in the Downtown Jacobs Medical Building active learning classroom.
    2019 UBIT Data Privacy Forum: join the conversation
    3/13/19
    How many of us understand what happens to the data we generate—where it goes, and how it is used? The potential of people and institutions to benefit from the insight their data provides is potentially limitless—but are we ensuring the integrity of what we do with our information?
  • Students in the Downtown Jacobs Medical Building active learning classroom.
    Unified communication at UB: it's about empowerment
    11/27/18
    Communication is central to learning, and so much else that happens at UB. That’s why it’s central to our work in IT. Our goal is to empower the community with the tools and the knowledge to communicate how you want.
  • A students works with technology in a lab.
    Introducing the future of health IT at UB
    11/12/18
    An exciting new group with members from UB’s various health IT organizations is working collaboratively to modernize, secure and better integrate the technology that supports UB’s groundbreaking medical work.
  • Mark Herron.
    Welcome Mark Herron as UB's new Information Security Officer
    10/16/18
    UB’s Information Security Office leads the effort keeping UB secure despite the ever-increasing risk of cyber-attacks. I want to welcome Mark Herron, UB’s new Information Security Officer, whose work will help us address this critical issue in IT and among the campus community.
  • Sign outside a dorm in Ellicott.
    By the numbers: Fall 2018
    9/21/18
    At the start of each fall semester, we explore how UBIT is striving to better support students, faculty and staff. Here’s a look at the semester so far.
  • Olli Shuttle parked in a road loop.
    Laying the first bricks of the cognitive campus
    8/21/18
    Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer the way of the future—it's here today. How can UB leverage its potential?
  • UB Provost Charles Zukoski joins in an exercise where faculty members write "wish list" items for email on post-it notes and categorize them by type of feature on large poster sheets.
    Faculty Liaisons: better technology collaboration at UB and beyond
    5/2/18
    After its first semester, the Faculty IT Liaison program has helped us identify gaps in IT services by bringing faculty together with IT staff for collaborative design sessions. But the project’s future holds even greater potential for research and scalability.
  • UB Provost Charles Zukoski joins in an exercise where faculty members write "wish list" items for email on post-it notes and categorize them by type of feature on large poster sheets.
    Building possibilities with the Faculty IT Liaison Program
    3/8/18
    Designing edtech solutions tailored to faculty, and communicating their value, is a challenge in every higher education institution. At UB, we’re approaching this challenge in a totally new way. 
  • Medical students and professor posing in front of a screen showing an X-Ray of a shoulder.
    UB's leadership in securing private data
    1/22/18
    UB is playing a leading role in the region’s “transformation into a national health sciences hub.” With that role comes new challenges and opportunities in how we manage and secure the data driving our research and clinical practice.
  • Students in a computer lab.
    UB alumni shaping the future of IT
    12/11/17
    While looking to modernize IT structures and services at the University at Buffalo, I’ve found an invaluable resource in our successful and talented pool of alumni.
  • Students in a computer lab.
    Collaboration at the speed of innovation
    10/20/17
    As a leading research university, the University at Buffalo is innovative in its collaboration, whether across departments, campuses, the country and the world.
  • Students on laptops in a lecture hall.
    Welcome back! Move-in by the numbers
    9/22/17
    The 2017-18 academic year has arrived and UB Information Technology is looking forward to working with the campus community to provide better service and support than ever before. If move-in weekend was any indicator of what’s to come, the future looks bright.
  • Professor giving lecture.
    The Promise and Possibility of New Lecture Capturing Software
    5/10/17
    On the heels of an extensive classroom renovation project at UB, we’re looking ahead to the next generation of classrooms.
  • Students on laptops in a lecture hall.
    Looking at the Classroom of the Future, Today
    4/27/17
    UB has done some phenomenal work over the last several years to improve the quality of our central classrooms.
  • Sunrise at UB.
    Building from the Foundation: Achievements in IT at UB
    3/12/17
    To an institution like the University at Buffalo, technology is essential. Just like one professor put it when we asked about the importance of Wi-Fi: "it’s as important to a university today as ink or chalk was 100 years ago."
  • A group of IT staff discuss new and ongoing technology projects at UB.
    January Tech Review Offers Transparency and Collaboration
    1/25/17
    A little more than a week after the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) ended in Las Vegas, UBIT held its own exhibition of the latest developments in technology here at UB. While we previewed recent developments like wireless screen casting and laser light projection, we weren’t just showing off—events like these are crucial for us to solicit feedback from IT staff about new and ongoing projects.
  • Audit.
    Internal Audits and Information Technology
    12/13/16
    My Technology and Innovation class with UB's School of Management recently had the pleasure of seeing a presentation by UB’s Director of Internal Audit, Kara Kearny-Saylor. Before the lecture, she cleared up a few basic yet common, questions about her work, specifically: what is an internal auditor, and what do they do?
  • Class.
    Being an Effective Technology Leader
    11/29/16
    In October 2016, my Technology and Innovation class with UB’s School of Management had the opportunity to have a Q&A with Box’s Chief Operating Officer, Dan Levin, on achieving success and being an effective leader.
  • Julieta Ross.
    Waves of Technology and Innovation
    11/22/16
    Julieta Ross, senior vice president and chief technology officer of M&T Bank, recently spoke with my Technology and Innovation course with UB’s School of Management. She is a seasoned corporate veteran, having worked in over 130 countries and is currently responsible for 1,500 employees.
  • Project portfolio.
    UBIT Project Prioritization Process
    11/14/16
    From email to HUB Student Center to the Internet itself, information technology is central to day-to-day life at UB. That’s why it is also essential to have a structure in place for prioritizing UBIT’s projects according to the needs and goals of the university.
  • Meeting.
    Tech Upgrade Conversations with Central and Distributed IT Staff
    11/11/16
    In response to requests by distributed IT staff, UBIT held its first Future IT Upgrade Tech Review on Tuesday, October 25, 2016. The event was very well attended by over 100 central and distributed IT staff.
  • Brice Bible and UBIT Fairy.
    Welcome Back to UB
    10/11/16
    I’d like to welcome all UB students back to campus and hope you had a great summer. I was privileged to meet with some of you and your families during move-in weekend.
  • UBbox.
    UBbox offers the campus secure storage
    9/21/16
    I’m very excited to share that UBIT has successfully launched a new file sharing and storage solution called UBbox.
  • Saira Hasnain and Brice Bible.
    Many Thanks to Saira Hasnain
    6/2/16
    UB Information Technology recently lost a talented leader in Saira Hasnain. Saira has taken an opportunity in Florida closer to family and we wish her the best of luck in her new adventures.
  • Digital classrooms.
    Innovation through Gamification and Classroom Technology
    3/8/16
    Innovative technology is essential in guiding our students to achieve academic success. UB's faculty and staff work to find new ways to improve education through creative thinking and collaboration. UBIT understands that advanced campus technology leads to enhanced learning outcomes for students.
  • Passwords.
    Where UBIT Is Going In 2016
    1/29/16
    We did a lot of listening in 2015. UBIT participated in meetings with UB student government groups and held focus groups with residence hall advisors and students across varying disciplines. We sent out surveys, all with one basic question at the core: how can IT do better?
  • Passwords.
    January 28 is Data Privacy Day
    1/27/16
    Data Privacy Day is an international effort, held annually on January 28 to generate awareness on the importance of privacy and empower individuals to protect their personal information. The day puts a focus on respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust.
  • Dan Levin Video Conference.
    Box.com Chief Operating Officer Inspires UB Students
    1/21/16
    Dan Levin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Box.com, recently presented during my Technology and Innovation course for the School of Management via video conference.
  • Nadira Persad, Shark Girl, and J. Brice Bible.
    UB Information Security Officer Discusses Challenges of Keeping UB Safe
    1/14/16
    The security needs of an institution like UB are constantly evolving. To keep the university's information safe, we must regularly adapt to handle the latest threats.
  • Julieta Ross.
    M&T Bank CTO Shares Innovation Experiences with UB Students
    1/7/16
    I was fortunate to have remarkable guest speakers present to my Technology and Innovation course for the School of Management during the Fall 2015 semester. Hosting these speakers gave my students exposure to different perspectives and professional experience, and the opportunity to interact directly with professionals.
  • Rick Lesniak.
    Many Thanks to Rick Lesniak
    11/17/15
    IT at UB has seen considerable transformation in the past 40 years. And one pivotal member of our team, who has helped build our organization at every turn over the last 35 years, is retiring as of November 20, 2015.
  • VPCIO Bible and UBIT Fairy.
    Behind the Podium: Seeing Technology Support Teaching & Learning First-Hand
    10/23/15
    As a top-tier research institution, our faculty are our greatest asset. And a lot of our work in UBIT is designed to support our diverse faculty, in everything they do.
  • VPCIO Bible and UBIT Fairy.
    Welcome Back to UB
    9/29/15
    I’d like to welcome all UB students, new and returning, to the university this semester. I enjoyed meeting some of you and your families during my tour of North and South Campus during move-in.
  • Student on laptop.
    Wi-Fi Boost: In Progress
    8/31/15
    Every day, more people rely on the Wi-Fi technology here at UB to keep them connected throughout their day.
  • Steve Wozniak with Brice Bible and Dennis Black.
    Looking Ahead with UBIT
    5/20/15
    It’s the culmination of a great year at UB, and I’m excited as I look ahead to UBIT’s future.
  • Key performance indicators.
    Tracking UBIT's Service Performance
    4/27/15
    As another academic year comes to a close, UBIT continues to reflect on the level of services that we provide to the institution.
  • Students on tablet.
    Students Share Tech Stories on April 1
    3/27/15
    Back to the Future has arrived. While there are no hover boards or flying cars today, certain predictions such as TV glasses and video conferencing have come true.
  • Professor with tablet.
    Predicting the Black Swans
    3/5/15
    Back to the Future has arrived. While there are no hover boards or flying cars today, certain predictions such as TV glasses and video conferencing have come true.
  • Professor with tablet.
    The Future of Instructional Technology
    1/30/15
    I invite you to join your colleagues on February 17-18, 2015 for a program on instructional technology innovation. This two-day event is part of the Digital Challenges Series, co-sponsored by UB Information Technology and University Libraries.
  • Customer service.
    Focusing on our Customers
    12/12/14
    The University at Buffalo has an excellent cadre of IT staff within both UB’s schools and across central administration. These professionals do an excellent job in seamlessly providing IT services to the institution.
  • CCR.
    What's New in Research Computing?
    10/28/14
    Dr. Thomas Furlani has been involved in high-performance scientific computing and data visualization at UB for over 20 years. We welcome him to the UBIT blog.
  • Students on tablet.
    Welcome Back - What's New from UBIT
    9/17/14
    As we begin a new academic year, UBIT is initiating a more active outreach to campus on new and innovative technology opportunities and issues. The goal is to understand your needs and explore ways technology can better serve the faculty and students.
  • Dr. Satish Tripathi.
    President Tripathi Shares Thoughts on Technology and Innovation
    8/27/14
    UB was fortunate to have our president Dr. Satish Tripathi chosen as the Keynote Speaker for the 2014 New York State CIO (NYSCIO) Conference in July 2014.
  • Free sky.
    Net Neutrality: The Debate Continues
    6/6/14
    Net neutrality is the philosophy of an open, free and unrestricted worldwide Internet, and it is a very complex issue.
  • Sunrise at UB.
    It's a New Day at UB
    5/16/14
    It’s a great time to be at UB and I’m excited to join the UBIT team as your new Vice President and CIO. The entire institution is rallying around the UB 2020 vision and focus is becoming clear about our future.

UBIT News

  • 3/22/23 Keep your laptop healthy: Three tips from UB Tech Squad
  • 3/22/23 Need a new laptop? We can help.
  • 2/14/23 Alumni: Explaining your move to Microsoft 365 UBmail
  • 1/31/23 Scam alert: watch for fake invoices
  • 1/20/23 Students: speak out! Join a UBIT/Libraries virtual input session
  • 9/26/22 Retiree accounts to include Duo two-step verification beginning October 18
  • 9/19/22 Gartner IT research available to UB students, faculty and staff
  • 9/19/22 The Future of Wi-Fi at UB
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