UT Dallas External Phone Calls
OIT is aware of an issue affecting some external calls to the University to be disconnected and is working with Microsoft for a solution. Calls to our Service Desk are functioning normally. We will provide additional details as they become available.
Innovation
The Innovation team is a group of technology staff to identify and pilot test emerging technologies by partnering with schools and departments to create solutions for faculty, staff and students. Below is a list of pilot projects and collaborative efforts from the team.
Collaboration Efforts
The Office of Information technology (OIT) has collaborated with campus entities in support of its mission and thus provide valuable services to aid the University in achieving its strategic goals.
OIT is currently engaged in following collaboration efforts:
- STEPP Project with ATEC – Office of Information Technology (OIT) at UT Dallas is working with School of Arts, Technology and emerging Communication (ATEC) by providing the AWS infrastructure for STEPP project. The study, Scaffolded Training Environment for Physics Programming (STEPP Project), tests a novel approach for teaching physics to high school students. This three-year research project uses specialized computer programs to teach students physics. Part of research is the development of a programming platform that allows a student with little or no knowledge of computer coding to build a system of rules and procedures from the ground up.
- Developing AWS Workstreams – OIT is currently working with AWS on Migration Readiness Planning (MRP) in 8 work streams with 5 workloads migration to cloud by adopting AWS based design patterns to support critical business applications and improve operational capabilities. This effort has the partnership with many cross institutional efforts.
Alexa Pilots
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has partnered with UT Dallas’ University Housing to install Amazon Echo Dots in Residence Hall South as part of a pilot program. This program has installed third-generation Echo Dot units in all of the suites, classrooms and study rooms of Residence Hall South. Amazon introduced the “Alexa for Education” program to encourage universities to install Echo’s on campuses with the goal of “personalizing campus life”.
UTD’s focus has always been student-centric when it comes to services on campus. The Alexa project is no different. We want to provide a modern, voice-activated convenience for students on campus to help them with everyday kind of tasks, activities and information.
By providing the service, and its continual enhancement, we hope to be a more innovative campus, thus making it more attractive to prospective students. In fact, a good deal of the Alexa information database is geared toward that population. The students can get on campus information that provides a broad spectrum of real-time information that is consistent and accurate. Information can be through the in-room devices that are installed, or via the Alexa app on iOS or Android mobile devices.
Ask UT Dallas Skill
The Ask UT Dallas skill can answer lots of questions about the university and student life. This skill is enabled automatically on UT Dallas-managed devices. For non-UT Dallas Alexa devices, you can enable this skill by visiting it on the Amazon website.
UT Dallas News Center
The UT Dallas News Center Skill provides news about the university in the form of an Alexa Flash Briefing. This skill is enabled automatically on UT Dallas-managed devices. For non-UT Dallas Alexa devices, you can enable this skill by visiting it on the Amazon website.
UT Dallas Services
The UT Dallas Services skill can answer questions about dining, parking and Office of Information Technology system status on campus. This is a private skill enabled automatically on UT Dallas-managed devices.