The GVSU College of Computing brought together students, faculty, industry leaders and community partners during Tech Week Grand Rapids 2026, highlighting the ways technology is shaping health care, workforce development, research and STEM education across West Michigan.

A centerpiece event of the College’s participation was AI Futures in West Michigan: Talent, Research, and the GVSU–Van Andel Institute Partnership, a full-day event hosted by GVSU, the College of Computing and Van Andel Institute. The event connected two sides of the region’s AI future: preparing people for an evolving workforce and advancing interdisciplinary research.

The morning’s “Hire or Reskill?” session invited attendees to consider how organizations should respond as AI changes the skills needed in health care, research and biomedical fields. Industry leaders from Van Andel Institute, Corewell Health, HealthWest, NxGen MDx, BAMF Health and Callahan Ventures joined the conversation, exploring the skills and judgment increasingly important in an AI-driven workplace.

The afternoon marked a major milestone for the College with the launch of the AI Research and Innovation Institute (AIRII), a joint initiative between GVSU and Van Andel Institute. AIRII brings together GVSU’s growing expertise in artificial intelligence with VAI’s biomedical research, creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary research and graduate education. Dean 

Marouane Kessentini helped introduce the partnership, which also includes a new Ph.D. collaboration between the institutions. Faculty and researchers shared their work through lightning talks, while student and VAI research posters demonstrated applications spanning health care, data science and human-machine collaboration. 

GVSU students were also an important part of the college’s Tech Week presence. Diana Opiyo, a graduate student in Data Science and Analytics working with Dr. Suhila Sawesi, presented research using machine learning and a single ECG signal to help identify patients who may need a full sleep study. Opiyo developed the research into a working web application, and the project received Best Poster at Tech Week Grand Rapids.

College of Computing faculty also participated in programming beyond the college-hosted event. During the Confluence Festival Thought Series, Samah Mansour, director of the Cybersecurity Graduate Program, joined a panel examining how West Michigan colleges and universities are responding to advanced technologies. Dr. Kevin Maupin, assistant professor of Information Science and Technologies, participated in “Smart Medicine: Advancing Healthcare with AI,” exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and health care.

The College of Computing also co-hosted the STEM Youth Coalition Roundtable with Stemming Ideas. The gathering brought educators, nonprofit leaders, and community partners together to strengthen connections among organizations serving young people, share resources and explore ways to expand access to STEM learning throughout West Michigan. That focus on community engagement continued throughout Tech Week, with the College participating in the Student Tech Showcase, STEAM Day at John Ball Zoo, and Stemming Ideas STEM Celebration. These events created meaningful, interactive experiences primarily for K–9 students, giving young people opportunities to explore STEM and computing through hands-on activities and engagement with the college.

Together, these events demonstrated the breadth of the College of Computing’s impact, from student research and faculty expertise to AI innovation, workforce development, biomedical collaboration and K–12 outreach. More importantly, Tech Week created opportunities to bring that work beyond the campus through connecting the people and ideas shaping computing at GVSU with the organizations and communities shaping the future of technology across West Michigan.