Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science will open the Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure (UICII) this spring. The center is being established with a $1.5 million gift from the Aaron Family Foundation and Ubicquia, Inc.
According to Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, “The Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure represents a major strategic investment in the future of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. This gift allows us to intentionally build a center that connects research excellence with real-world deployment at scale.”
The UICII builds on previous smart-infrastructure research within the college. Faculty and students have worked with the City of West Palm Beach and other organizations to test technologies aimed at improving public spaces. These collaborations helped FAU take on a leading role in the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3), which brings together multiple institutions.
Jason Hallstrom, Ph.D., professor in FAU’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and executive director of FAU’s Sensing Institute, has been appointed as UICII’s first director. Batalama said, “I could not have found a better person to direct the Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure. I was truly happy when Dr. Hallstrom accepted my offer. His leadership as FAU’s lead investigator in the NSF Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes and his longstanding role guiding our collaboration with the City of West Palm Beach provide a strong foundation as we launch this new center.”
The university aims for UICII to serve as an example for how academic institutions, cities, businesses, and donors can collaborate on data-driven infrastructure solutions.
Hallstrom stated, “I am honored by the opportunity to lead the Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure. This center creates a unique platform to translate research into scalable solutions that benefit communities while educating the next generation of engineers and computer scientists.”
