A guest walks up the amphitheater staircase of UTSA's new San Pedro I facility in downtown San Antonio.
FEBRUARY 2, 2023 — From exploring what’s possible with artificial intelligence to uncovering how data science can identify vulnerabilities in a smart home, there’s plenty going on at San Pedro I, the newest addition to UTSA’s campus in downtown San Antonio.
The new high-tech facility, which opened earlier this month, houses the School of Data Science, the first of its kind in Texas, and the National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC), the state’s largest hub for government, academia and industry partners in national security. The facility houses programs in computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, data analytics and statistics as well as 16 UTSA research centers, institutes and labs including the MATRIX: AI Consortium for Human Well-being and the Open Cloud Institute.
Other lab spaces make room for research and teaching in bioinformatics, cyber-informed engineering, data engineering, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, smart transportation and more.
Here are eight unique projects underway at San Pedro I.
SAY HOLA TO YOUR NEW LANGUAGE TEACHER
Carry on a conversation in Spanish using the VR/AI Language Learning App developed in collaboration between the NSCC, Leidos Inc. and the Sixteenth Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The app, whose software was developed by a UTSA computer science student, is designed to help military service members brush up on their linguistic skills during training without an instructor present. The app also helps tackle the issue of cybersickness when using virtual reality.
CAN YOU TRUST YOUR SMARTWATCH?
Researchers in the UTSA SPriTELab (Security, Privacy, Trust & Ethics in Computing) are studying how sensors on consumer electronic devices can be exploited to capture sensitive and personal information about users.
ROBOTIC TEAMWORK
Researchers are working to control thousands of robots simultaneously, known as swarm robotics, to preform complicated tasks that could benefit different areas in the community from law enforcement to drone deliveries.
DISCOVER AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION
Visiting one of Peru’s oldest temples and walking through a museum of Andean artifacts is all possible with digital anthropology. UTSA researchers are using virtual and augmented reality to enrich our understanding of ancient societies.
HOW SECURE IS YOUR SMART HOME?
As homes become smarter, researchers in the Internet of Things (loT) and Digital Forensics lab are conducting vulnerability analyses and digital forensic analyses on smart home and commercial security devices.
WHEN BIOLOGY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE MEET
UTSA researchers in Computational Biology are exploring how complex, massive biological data sets are being converted into discoveries and improved cancer outcomes.
BECOME A HACKER TO BEAT A HACKER
To protect computing and manufacturing devices, researchers in the UTSA Cloud Lab for Applied Engineering are first learning how to attack or hack them.
CYBERSECURITY PROBLEM SOLVERS
How do Texas non-profit organizations protect themselves and their donors from ransomware and cyber-theft? The NSCC National Security Collaboration Center in coordination with MITRE and the UTSA Department of Computer Science have created a unique academia-public-private program called Project Xander for San Antonio to address threats against non-profits, including youth and faith-based organizations. The initiative is giving UTSA students hands-on learning experience to make them more competitive job candidates for employers.
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All UTSA students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families are invited to march with the UTSA delegation in San Antonio's 38th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March. Free transportation will be provided from the Main and Downtown Campuses.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, 3501 Martin Luther King, Jr., San Antonio, TXWarm up with a hot cup of coffee or a hot chocolate with Wellbeing Services to kick off the start of the Spring Semester! The Wellbeing team will be in the Window Lounge to welcome you to the first day of classes and highlight our events and programs for the semester.
Dreamers Resource Lounge, Main CampusJoin us for Coffee with Vets, a casual social event where veterans can come together, connect, and share camaraderie over a cup of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, meet fellow veterans, and build community in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
Veteran Lounge (JPL 4.03.04,) John Peace Library, Main CampusStop by to ask questions or learn about how you can become involved in Wellbeing Services events and programs.
Window Lounge (SU1.02.00C,) Student Union, Main CampusArt of Wellbeing is a weekly workshop provided by Wellbeing Services! Join us as we use different art mediums each week as a way to improve our overall wellbeing!
Magnolia Room (SU2.01.30,) Student Union, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
