Michigan

The state is looking to expose more Pre-K-12 and college students to career paths in STEM fields as the country looks to increase domestic microchip production — a key goal of the CHIPS Act.

The University of Michigan is embracing generative artificial intelligence by providing a custom AI platform to students and staff, including a ChatGPT-like chatbot and a tool to query in-house data sets.

Jayson Cavendish had been filling in as the state’s CSO for months. He’s been officially been appointed the duties that used to belong to current Michigan CIO Laura Clark.

Michigan, in partnership with the National Park Service, has announced the National Park Michigan Mobility Challenge, which will offer companies a chance to test mobility charging and solutions at the popular parks.

The Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification has awarded $506,000 to six companies focused on boating electrification or charging infrastructure as part of its Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge.

Two newly announced programs in the state will prepare military veterans to start information technology careers with the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

A mobility charging hub is under development in Michigan to generate rapid, high-power charging for heavy-duty trucks, while also experimenting with the integration of new technologies like renewable energy production and storage.

Plus, Houston is hiring a broadband director; more governors issue comments on the federal BEAD funding for high-speed Internet; and U.S. senators are fighting for a broadband strategy.

The Midland County Internet Connectivity Committee is making progress towards providing high-speed Internet for all households through a series of government grants, reminding residents of how they can help.

Plus, the White House directs more funds toward rural Internet, Michigan announces statewide campaign to increase Affordable Connectivity Program enrollment, and more.

Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services is partnering with AWS on tech challenge events in which participants use an open-source sandbox to create health-care solutions that support data interoperability.

As both CIO and chief security officer in Michigan, Laura Clark explains how her office is addressing IT recruitment and retention and what they’re doing to modernize major state applications.

U.S. and Canadian officials met in Detroit, Mich., earlier this month to announce the development of the 870-mile Binational EV Corridor that will connect Kalamazoo, Mich., with Quebec, Canada.

A grant program through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will bring scholarships, curricula and training programs to colleges to prepare students for careers along the semiconductor supply chain.

Michigan launched the EV Scholars program, a $10,000 scholarship for students who accept job offers as electric engineers or software developers at 15 companies partnering with the state, to staff growing industries.

Bill Vajda is the new director of a cybersecurity institute in Michigan after serving as CIO for the states of Wyoming and Alaska. He is returning to Marquette, where he once served as city manager.

At the same time, however, government practitioners must not lose sight of the high bar and rigor required to achieve true use of human-centric design. Simply saying a product was created using the practice won’t cut it.

Plus, the Net Inclusion 2023 event brought together digital equity stakeholders; the final awards were announced for the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program; and Missouri launched a survey to guide broadband efforts.