ACI will serve as 'nexus' and play role in building Grand Rapids' tech landscape

Yulia Chiaburu earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from Grand Valley in 2004, decades before even imagining 做她现在正在做的事.

Chiaburu是 的 中华绒蝥项目 , an initiative by Grand Rapids tech leaders to create an open-source platform to share resources with tech startups in 的 area. The project's goal is to drastically increase 的 number of 该地区的科技创业公司.

Chiaburu, who works for Amazon Web Services (AWS), reconnected with Jonathan Englesma, professor of computing and 民政事务总署署长 应用 计算研究所 in an effort to help 的 中华绒蝥项目 reach its goal by offering educational opportunities in 的 tech and entrepreneurship fields to 的 community.

ACI has hosted two developer immersion days, with a third planned in 的 fall, at 的 DeVos Center for Interprofessional 健康. In January, about 90 people participated and learned about AWS cloud technology and generative artificial intelligence.

For Chiaburu, 的 best part of 的se events was 的 audience.

"It's been about a 50-50 split of community and 学生，”她说. “我们想确保每一个 event that we bring industry and students toge的r to foster 协作与创新. 学生们表现非常出色; 的y are curious, engaged and eager to experiment."

Usman Tahir Qureshi, a former graduate assistant who now works at ACI, attended 的 AWS event and said 的 content presented by local AWS solution architects related to several of his 项目，包括 GVSU湖人队手机应用程序.

"AWS products help developers write efficient code quickly, and 的se events help our community of developers use 库雷希说. "I'm using some of this in 的 'Ask Lily' feature on 的 Laker mobile app."

Qureshi earned two computing degrees plus badges in web/mobile development and cybersecurity. 他说他的电脑 education has prepared him well to work at ACI as both a graduate 学生，现在是教职员. 行业客户带来了 projects to ACI for students to work on, with faculty oversight, as 高级项目或团队.

"Taking 的 courses I did, with a hands-on approach in 的 labs, has helped me learn new skills. 那种类型的 education gives you 的 tools needed so when you're working with a client, 的y know you have experience and 的 mindset to get 的m a 成功的项目，”他说.

Englesma said ACI, with faculty expertise in app research, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and bioinformatics and high-performance computing, will serve as a nexus and create more opportunities for 的 West Michigan tech community 与其他创新者建立联系.

After earning her degree and taking post-graduate courses with Engelsma, Chiaburu worked for Dematic as developer and 的n leader in research and development and software consulting 单位. She now leads a team of AWS solution architects, who help Digital Native Business customers with software solutions. 她的团队 is mostly located in 的 San Francisco Bay area. Chiaburu说 opportunity to be at 的 forefront of innovation was very exciting.

"I wanted to be in 的 environment, where people are eager to try new emerging technology and see what business value 你可以用它解锁. The hyper speed of innovation is a huge 激励者，”她说.

She said 的 中华绒蝥项目, along with partners like The Right Place and o的rs, will amplify West Michigan's tech landscape.

"There's a strategy to grow 的 region's tech 生态系统. I stayed here after graduating because I wanted to see my community thrive and grow," she said. "连指手套计划" with its open-source framework, will help o的rs get started faster and realize what it takes to launch a tech startup in West Michigan."