Category: Education & Outreach

Memorial Day: Adjusted Hours at the Help Desk & Learning Spaces  

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The UFIT Help Desk and Learning Spaces will have adjusted support hours during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

All UFIT Learning Spaces (Architecture, CSE, Weil Hall, Norman Hall, and the Hub) will close at 5 p.m. Friday, May 24, and reopen Tuesday, May 28, at their respective opening times. Marston Science Library will also have adjusted hours during the holiday weekend but will be open on Memorial Day from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

The UFIT Help Desk will have normal business hours and support services through the weekend but will be closed with limited phone support available on Monday, May 27. Walk-in assistance will be available again on Tuesday, May 28, at 7 a.m.

As always, please visit UFIT’s self-help page for general troubleshooting instructions and video resources.

Popular Practicum AI Series Now Available to Everyone

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) is making its popular Practicum AI beginner series of courses available online through UF Professional and Workforce Development. The series is available to anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including UF alumni and members of the public that want to understand and apply AI tools. Developed to introduce a broad audience to hands-on applied artificial intelligence applications, the Practicum AI series assumes no prior knowledge of coding or AI, and is a great introduction for professionals in any field where AI can be applied. The beginner series has four courses:

1. Getting Started with AI: An introduction to AI, AI models and their development, and AI ethics. 

2. Computing For AI: An introduction to the computational tools used in AI: Git and GitHub.com and Jupyter Notebooks. Participants will use these tools on either a high-performance computer system or in Google Colab. 

3. Python for AI: An introduction to Python programming and data science tools used in AI. This class focuses on the core aspects needed for applied AI. The course also introduces strategies for working with AI coding assistants to accelerate your skills. 

4. Deep Learning Foundations: An introduction to neural networks, deep learning, and how to train AI models using the skills you’ve gained in the previous three courses.

Each course earns a completion badge, and participants who complete all four courses will earn the Practicum AI Beginner Series digital certificate, issued from Credly. The courses are available to anyone at a modest cost — only $20 per class or $50 if purchasing all four at the bundle price. Practicum AI is free for UF faculty and staff (use discount code “ufstaff”) and for students (use discount code “ufstudent”).

With the beginner series of courses now live, UFIT’s Practicum AI team has begun work creating the Intermediate series. The first of these — Computer Vision — will be offered in-person in Summer 2024. Natural Language Processing and Generative AI courses are also in development. For additional information or questions, please contact UFIT’s Research Computing Training Team leader Matt Gitzendanner (magitz@ufl.edu).

Summer Training Opportunities are Plentiful with UFIT

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) is offering a robust training schedule this summer. Commit to enhancing your skillset over the quieter summer months! From May 13 through August 9, 2024, faculty and staff can select from many instructor-led, self-paced, and virtual workshops. There are options for using AI tools, improving Zoom meetings, understanding how DocuSign works, and learning Microsoft collaboration tools and applications. All UFIT training is free.

On the schedule this summer are three self-paced, introductory AI trainings:

  • AI in the Workplace
  • Introduction to AI Image Generator Tools
  • Prompt Engineering: Working with AI Text Generators and AI Image Generators

A two-part Qualtrics workshop series will also be offered twice, with participants who complete the series earning a Qualtrics certificate. For those looking to use non-research survey tools for administrative needs, registration is also open for Google Forms and Microsoft Forms web training.

UFIT Training provides year-round training on numerous topics to enhance the academic and professional skills and academic needs. Plan your summer training by starting with the IT service catalog listing: https://it.ufl.edu/services/it-training. Anyone with questions about our training or would like to discuss a custom training for their department is welcome to email ufit-training@ufl.edu.

Learn R Programming This Summer

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UF Information Technology’s (UFIT) free eight-module introductory R Programming course returns this Summer. The online, self-paced course will run from May 13 to July 19. UF faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and teaching assistants are welcome to enroll.

The Summer 2024 course syllabus is available for review for anyone considering taking the course. Registration is open through 5:00 p.m. on May 10. Participants can sign up for any of the eight sessions, but beginners are strongly encouraged to attend the first three sessions that cover the basics. The eight modules of the course are:

  • Introduction to R
  • Data Preparation
  • Exploratory Data Analysis
  • Mean and Median Comparison
  • ANOVA, Correlation, and Bivariate Linear Regression
  • Multiple Linear Regression
  • Proportion Comparison
  • Logistic Regression

All registrants must have completed at least one graduate-level course in statistics prior to the May 13 start date. Anyone with questions about UFIT’s R Programming training can email the instructor, Dr. Jose Silva-Lugo.

Prepare to Leave UF’s GatorCloud Environment

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Commencement is around the corner, which means graduating Gators should prepare for life after college. For those graduating or not continuing to take classes at UF following the spring 2024 term, Gators should prepare to lose access to multiple digital services. Review the following list of resources to make the appropriate arrangements:

GatorMail: Your UF email account will be deactivated 365 days after graduation or 365 days since last being registered for a class. If you have signed up for any third-party services (such as Instagram or Spotify) using your GatorMail email credentials, change your login and account recovery information on those accounts before you get locked out. Also, forward any important attachments or information you may have kept in your GatorMail to another email account or storage option.

GatorCloud: Apps and files in your GatorCloud, including Office 365 and Google Suite, are accessible up to 365 days after graduation. Plan ahead by transferring all files to a separate cloud storage and downloading all ongoing projects saved on a GatorCloud application to another location.

UFApps: Access to UFApps is deactivated once you are no longer a student. Allot time to go through UFApps and transfer any useful coursework files and unfinished projects you want to keep to a personal storage option.

If you have any account questions or need assistance before saying goodbye to the university’s digital environment, please contact the UFIT Help Desk by calling 352-392-HELP/4357, or visiting in person at 132 Hub (across from the Starbucks.).

Student Perspectives on AI (Live Event)

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UF Information Technology’s (UFIT) Tech Byte series continues this spring with a unique, student panel event. Current undergraduates from diverse majors will talk about their use of AI in coursework, how AI is showing up in their lives, and about AI’s impact on their career path and plans for the future.  UFIT will livestream this moderated panel on Thursday, April 18, at 2:00 p.m.  If you’d like to submit specific questions to be asked of the student panel, email Associate Director of Academic Technology Ryan Yang.

Register now to watch and listen in to this innovative panel: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqc-irqzkjH9OO23WdTpgkIrMOhW1vdvuc#/registration

For further details on this event or on UFIT’s Tech Byte series, visit: https://citt.ufl.edu/workshops/tech-bytes/

Open: Summer 2024 Canvas Course Requests

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Faculty can now request Summer 2024 Canvas courses via ONE.UF using these instructions. Only instructors of record may use ONE.UF to request courses. Faculty or staff requesting on behalf of instructors will need to do so via myUFL.

If someone normally requests courses for you, please let them know you are handling your own course request. If you do not need a course in Canvas this summer, then follow the instructions above and find the “Exclude Section from Canvas” instructions.

Course auto-creation for all Summer 2024 courses begins Wednesday, May 8, at 12:00 p.m.  Courses not requested or marked as “Exclude Section from Canvas” by that date and time will automatically be created. Instructors who need sections combined into one shell are advised to make their course request before Wednesday, May 8. Any course section added to the Student Information System after auto-creation will still need to be requested.

As a reminder, instructors cannot use Canvas Announcements or Inbox to communicate with students prior to the start date of the course and the course being published. Instructors that want to communicate with students prior to the start of the Summer A/C 2024 semester (Monday, May 13), may use the Class Rolls feature in ONE.UF to do so. Full course rosters will not load into Canvas until after the auto-creation date.

The e-Learning Support team is offering one-on-one consultations to help prepare your course for the upcoming term. Please schedule an appointment at http://go.ufl.edu/CanvasHelp. The consultations will be conducted via Zoom. Please reach out to the e-Learning Support team with any questions:

Intern with UFIT!

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Applications for Summer 2024 internships are now live, with opportunities in wide-ranging IT fields: https://it.ufl.edu/internships/. UF Information Technology’s (UFIT) paid internships offer immersive on-the-job experience supporting a campus of 100,000+ stakeholders with cutting-edge technologies used by Fortune 500 companies. The internships are open to all students regardless of major or year. Prospective applicants can explore the catalog of internship opportunities offered across UFIT’s eight departments:

  • Academic Technology
  • Applications, Development, and Integrations
  • Customer Experience & Resource Planning
  • Data Platform and Analytics
  • Information Security Office
  • Infrastructure & Communications Technology
  • IT Business Center
  • Research Computing

Information systems junior Srinithi Reddy is interning in the Customer Experience & Resource Planning department, where she collaborates with the business relationship managers group to enhance UF’s enterprise IT experience.

“This opportunity has helped me hone my interpersonal communication skills, develop a better understanding of collaborating with a variety of specialized teams, and enhanced my proficiency with MS Visio by transforming complex data into visually engaging and informative charts and diagrams,” Reddy said.

John Wes Miller, a sophomore at American University, is a risk analyst intern for the Information Security Office. Miller said his tasks include classifying data and conducting security assessments of the university’s digital infrastructure.

“This internship can truly set you apart and lay the groundwork for a successful career in information security,” he said. “It has given me hands-on experience in cybersecurity and insights into the real-world challenges faced by organizations in securing their digital assets.”

Internship application deadlines may vary according to department. Have questions about the internship program? Contact UFIT at it-comm@ufl.edu.

On-The-Go Campus Printing with GatorPrint

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) offers black and white, color, and large format poster printing in more than 20 buildings across campus via the GatorPrint program. GatorPrint enables community members to send print jobs directly from their computer, mobile device, or a UF workstation to more than 50 campus printing locations, from on- or off-campus. Students can even send jobs while waiting for, or while riding on, an RTS bus!

Printing costs vary depending on the type of print job but are standard across UFIT’s campus print locations. Once your print job is completed, the charges are posted on your ONE.UF account. Faculty and staff can also arrange bulk printing credits for their department or college.

Check out the printing options, locations, costs, and policies at print.at.ufl.edu. Technology consultants are available to assist you with your print job at the Architecture Lab, Marston Science Library, CSE, Norman Hall, and at Weil Hall. Anyone with questions about campus printing options may call the UFIT Help Desk (352-392-HELP), or stop by the Help Desk at 132 Hub, located across from Starbucks.

Free Training on Administrative and AI Applications

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) offers a robust training calendar that includes instructor-led opportunities and self-paced courses. All UFIT training is free and open to faculty, staff, and students. There are dozens of offerings this semester including the options listed below.

Enhance Your collaboration skills with these instructor-led webinars:

Earn UFIT’s AI Foundations certificate with this anytime, on-demand option:

AI Foundations Certificate Program: Learn different aspects of AI through a series of five courses: Artificial Intelligence in The Workplace, Harnessing AI Tools, AI Image Generators (Self-Paced), and Prompt Engineering: Working with ChatGPT and AI Image Generators.

Become proficient with survey tools for research and administrative use:

Register today and let’s learn together! UFIT can also deliver on-site, custom learning opportunities for a college, department, or unit that has a specific group training need. Email ufit-training@ufl.edu with your inquiry. The training staff are eager to help you more efficiently use campus IT tools and applications.