Davenport University is participating in Tech Week Grand Rapids, September 14-19, by hosting several events at its W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus. They include a peek inside the human body, a new video game and how to avoid getting scammed by AI.

Tech Week Grand Rapids is an annual event organized by The Right Place to help establish the Greater Grand Rapids area as a leading destination for tech and innovation. Events on Davenport’s campus are being held September 15-17.

Jeff Martin, computer information systems faculty at Davenport, said Tech Week gives attendees the opportunity to learn about technology in a practical and approachable way. “The events bring together professionals with real-world experience to discuss issues that affect people every day, from cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to online safety and scam prevention. Attendees will leave with useful information they can apply in their personal and professional lives,” he said.

Davenport will be hosting the following events on its Grand Rapids Campus:

Bridging the AI Velocity Gap

September 15 from 9-10:30 a.m.

This session is hosted by Davenport’s Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx). It will feature Rihana Msadek, senior AI/ML engineer at Google, and explore “The AI Velocity Gap.” “We created this event to address the ‘Velocity Gap,’ which is the critical divide between how fast AI advances and how fast a workforce can actually absorb it,” said Dan Rundhaug, vice president of IPEx & Strategic Partnerships at Davenport. “Buying tools is the easy part, but true success comes from preparing your team. Alongside Google AI experts, we’ll help business leaders audit their current capabilities and build a concrete roadmap to close that gap before it widens.”

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Click to learn more about this event from Rundhaug.

Anatomage Demo: The Future of Anatomy Education

September 16, from 4-5:30 p.m.

This session will feature an interactive demonstration of Anatomage software, an advanced 3D anatomy visualization platform used by leading medical and health science programs. Through hands-on tablet demonstrations, participants will explore the human body in digital detail, from skeletal structures and muscles to organs and body systems. 

“Anatomy is usually taught by describing what’s underneath the skin,” said Joseph Brown, department chair of Davenport’s Allied Health and Health Information programs. “The Anatomage Table technology lets our students actually see and navigate through the human body in real time, beyond still images.”

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Exclusive Video Game Launch

September 16, from 6-8 p.m.

During last year’s Tech Week, Davenport’s College of Technology unveiled the game Ashlight: Undercroft at a Beta Bash event. Members of the public tried the game and provided feedback, which was used to improve the game and user experience.

This year’s event will feature the official launch of Ashlight: Undercroft, a mobile action-adventure game where players battle through dungeons, defeat powerful bosses and uncover mysteries hidden beneath the Undercroft. 

“This event is for anyone who enjoys games or is curious about how an indie game gets made,” said David Krogmann, game development professor at Davenport. “Ashlight: Undercroft was developed by Norfic Games, with Davenport students contributing to the project through internships. Attendees will be able to play the game, meet members of the development team, and learn a little about what goes into taking a game from development to release.”  

Those who want to be the first to experience the upgrade and secure exclusive early access to keep playing after the event can stop by anytime between 6-8 p.m.

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Click to hear from Krogmann.

Safe Online: Spotting Scams Before They Hit Home

September 17, from 6-7:30 p.m.

This session is hosted by Davenport’s College of Technology and features a presentation on internet safety and scam prevention.  

The panelists will discuss common online threats, like phishing emails, fraudulent text messages, social media scams, identity theft, account takeovers, online marketplace fraud and artificial intelligence scams.  

“Our internet safety and scam prevention panel will help attendees recognize common warning signs, understand how scams are evolving, and learn practical steps to protect their accounts, personal information, and finances,” said Martin.

This session is perfect for those considering a career in healthcare, healthcare professionals, educators, or those curious about emerging technology.

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Click here to learn more about Davenport’s Tech Week events or to register.

Click here to learn more about all Tech Week Grand Rapids events.