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Gold Moves Lower, Rumble Shares JumpValpo stuns Davidson: With just 8 seconds left, Davidson looked to have the game in the bag. The Wildcats led 17-10 and were lining up to punt, hoping to flip the field on Valparaiso and give the Beacons nothing more than a last-ditch heave at a win. Instead, Valparaiso blocked the punt. Davidson would fall on the loose ball but it set up the Beacons at the 17-yard line with 4 seconds to play. Caron Tyler hit Gary Givens in the back of the end zone with no time on the clock. The Beacons then converted the 2-point conversion for the win. The victory improved Valparaiso's record to 5-7 to close out the season. WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL VU pair honored: Two Valparaiso volleyball players were named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team on Saturday. Ava Helming and Jessica Pickett were selected as some of the conference's top freshmen. Helming ranked second on the Beacons in points and kills this fall. Picket tallied the third-most blocks in the conference for the Beacons. It's the first time since 2017 that Valparaiso placed two or more players on the MVC All-Freshman team.jiliko 155 。

In preparation for the global Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2025, set to take place in March 2025 in Paris, France, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Fruit of Sustainability convened a Stakeholder Dialogue at the Avari Hotel in Lahore. The dialogue, titled “Partnering for Healthier Food Systems & Nutrition: SMEs and Food Regulators in Focus,” aimed to address critical challenges in regulatory compliance, innovation, and collaboration to improve nutrition and food safety in Pakistan. The N4G Summit is a global platform dedicated to mobilizing financial, political, and community action to combat malnutrition and ensure healthier food systems worldwide. This Stakeholder Dialogue is a crucial initiative to connect local challenges and solutions with the global discourse, contributing actionable insights to the summit’s agenda. The dialogue brought together diverse participants, including representatives from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), regulatory bodies, and nutrition experts. The event began with a welcome address by Sarim Mehmood, CEO and Founder of Fruit of Sustainability, followed by opening remarks from Mr. Faiz Rasool, Head of Policy & Advocacy at GAIN Pakistan, who provided an overview of Pakistan’s malnutrition landscape and emphasized the role of SMEs in transforming food systems. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha, Director General of the Punjab Agriculture Food & Drug Authority (PAFDA), delivered special remarks highlighting the regulatory landscape in Pakistan and opportunities for fostering innovation and compliance. Participants were then divided into thematic focus groups to discuss key issues: Regulatory compliance and fostering innovation. Building SME capacity for sustained growth. Strengthening collaboration between SMEs and food regulators.The joys of homeownership are varied and abundant. The ability to roll out your tool collection and make incredibly personalized renovations to the place you call home is a big reason that many people ultimately strive to own their own house or apartment. Big-name brands make a wide collection of popular tools for DIY projects , giving homeowners inspiration as they seek improvements that benefit their lifestyle and home. But the benefits also carry their own drawbacks. For anyone living in a flood-prone area, homeownership also means the responsibility of dealing with the aftermath of a rising tide or torrential downpour. Fortunately, lots of tools can be leveraged to handle these repair necessities, too. The Ryobi catalog of tools and accessories is quite deep, and many are aimed directly at repair works after this type of misfortune befalls your home. Even a few tools in Ryobi's discontinued range like the 18V ONE+ Hybrid Surface Dryer would come in handy in the event of a flooded room. Homeowners will naturally have to look to the brand's current range, but within that catalog, there are plenty of solutions. These are some of Ryobi's best options for handling standing water and the damage it can leave behind. The first thing you need to do when dealing with floodwaters is reduce the flooding. No matter how your home has flooded or where the water is contained, you'll need to evaluate the extent of the damage and work quickly to move the water out of the space. A submersible water transfer pump should be your first port of call. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ 20 GPM Submersible Water Transfer Pump delivers significant relief from standing water in a place it shouldn't be found. The 1/6 horsepower motor moves water at 20 gallons per minute, and with a 23-foot head height, it can lift floodwaters a significant distance. This allows the pump to be used in basements and other low areas that need to evacuate water up a floor to ground level. The pump features runtime sensor options that turn the device off after five, 10, or 15 minutes of continuous use, or once water is no longer detected in the target area. It can drain water to 1-1/6-inch, leaving just a small amount of cleanup remaining once the pump has finished its duties. The pump is powered by Ryobi's 18V ONE+ battery system and features an enclosed battery case with a 15-foot tether to protect the power supply from contact with the water to be pumped. Another pump to consider from Ryobi, the 18V ONE+ HP Transfer Pump moves water with less speed but greater lifting capability. The pump features a 1/4 horsepower motor (so more potent than the submersible option) that features a 54-foot head height and a 17-foot lift height. Because the pump doesn't sit in the liquid to be moved, the task isn't quite the same, but with the use of an intake hose rather than setting down the pump itself, the transfer pump allows all but the last 1/16-inch of water to be removed from a target area. This pump also features three-speed settings, ramping up to the full 10 gallons per minute. The reality is that more than one pump may be necessary when dealing with significant flooding in your home. You might have a room filled with water, requiring hundreds or even thousands of gallons of liquid to be moved out of the space (the average four-person hot tub houses about 200 gallons and a bathtub roughly 40, for comparison's sake). The more pump capacity you can muster, the faster you can get working on all the rest of the restoration tasks that come after the water has been cleared away. This is a solid addition to your arsenal. Once you've removed the standing water, the next phase of the project begins: deciding what can be salvaged and what needs replacing. Cloth and fabric items sit on the fence of this decision-making process. Some fabric goods can be cleaned up while others might soak up the liquid and be totally ruined by floodwaters. For anything salvageable, the first step is thorough cleaning. Even if you're going to gut the space and start from scratch, a good vacuuming is necessary to clear away any leftover debris. However, you can't use any old vacuum system to clean up flood damage. A wet/dry vacuum is essential here because it won't get clogged up or bogged down by soiled debris and moisture. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ Bucket Top Wet/Dry Vacuum Kit is a great choice. Rather than investing in a hefty vacuum, the bucket top kit allows you to place the topper onto just about any 5-gallon bucket you have lying around — or a larger container with the same opening dimensions at the top — and get straight into cleaning. The system fits snugly onto a bucket and includes a filter bag. The vacuum kit is compatible with Ryobi's 18V ONE+ system batteries and is ultra-portable, weighing just 4.25 pounds. It fits most 1-1/4-inch hose accessories and features a crevice tool and swiveling connections for extreme versatility. The vacuum handles sopping wet debris, letting you start stripping back the room as soon as your pumps are done. A finish nailer should be high on any renovator's list of must-have tools when dealing with the aftermath of a flooding incident ( in comparison to a brad nailer that offers a little less versatility). Water damage affects different parts of a room in unique ways. You'll almost certainly need to pull up carpeting and unprotected hardwood floors (although laminates might survive a short bath, and vinyl is potentially salvageable, as is tile that hasn't seen anything hard drop and chip its surfaces). Similar problems come into play along the walls. You'll potentially be chopping away sections of drywall and perhaps even replacing wiring and socket faces, not to mention the baseboards that tend to be made of MDF and are among the first elements exposed to water. Bloating and disfigurement are common among wooden features exposed to water. Replacements are often necessary, and with a finish nailer, securing new detail work in place is incredibly simple. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ AirStrike 16 Gauge Finish Nailer can sink nails up to 2-1/2 inches into hardwoods, making it a good option for both the installation of features like hardwood flooring and softwood trim work (such as MDF baseboard or new cabinet faces). The tool features a depth of drive adjustment lever that doesn't need any additional accessory tools to utilize, and it features a 78% reduction in the nose size compared to its predecessor for easier alignment and faster workflow throughout your restoration project. Another excellent tool to keep on hand is a staple gun. Combination stapler/nailers are even better as they allow you to fasten workpieces with a wider range of options. The Ryobi USB Lithium 4-in-1 Craft Stapler/Nailer is a workhorse in this category and a tool that can make significant inroads into the restoration of a room or home that's been affected by floodwaters. The tool is powered by Ryobi's lithium battery pack and rechargeable via an included USB cable for quick, on-the-go power. It's a great option for stapling material out of the way temporarily or reupholstering chairs and other items that may have seen some damage but can be upcycled or salvaged with a little know-how (something that car owners often pick up when repairing seat tears , for instance). A stapler that transitions into a brad nailer is a versatile tool that can also be used in the installation of new insulation. If your walls have been badly damaged and new insulating material is required, this tool is a go-to solution for tacking in new heat-holding material behind the drywall faces. After you've started the cleanup process, you may find that there's lots to scrub in order to return certain parts of the room to their former glory. Indeed, not all damage that comes from a flooded home requires a total replacement, and some metal and other fixtures can instead be cleaned up to restore their functionality. The USB Lithium Power Scrubber from Ryobi is a great option when it comes to these parts of the job. The tool is a compact scrubbing solution that offers a 300 rpm spin speed on the brush head. The medium bristle pad that comes with the tool is great for restoring the sheen and cleanliness that you're used to on tile, granite, and fiberglass surfaces, for starters. This makes it a great solution for cleaning away signs of the flood in bathrooms and kitchens, as well as other parts of the home that might be best served by a major cleanup. The tool also features an IPX7 water resistance rating, allowing it to be submerged while you work. The result is a potent scrubber that can be used to begin the job of returning your home to normal, perhaps even as you find yourself in the pump-out phase. Anyone living in an area that's susceptible to flood damage has to contend with the reality that they may lose power at some point during the event. Power outages can last days or even weeks in remote areas or those with highly complex power grid installations. There's no guarantee that you'll be able to rely on power in your home as you begin cleaning up and getting back on track. It's also possible that flood damage has inhibited your home's ability to safely and reliably deliver electricity to your tools and appliances, even if the power is still on. This means that people in flood-risk areas will want to invest in a reliable backup power source. The Ryobi 1,800-Watt Portable Power Station is a solid choice in this arena. The backup power supply can run a full-size refrigerator for up to 18 hours or a 32-inch LED TV for 30 hours. It's therefore a solid choice for routine backup power in case of emergency. But the tool is also perfect for those needing reliable, non-grid power to support battery recharges or corded power tools and light solutions when tackling the early or middle stages of a flood repair in the home. With this tool in your arsenal, you won't be constrained by what's available through the wall socket and can get right to work on your repairs. This is particularly important for restoring rooms after a flood since the longer you leave water to sit, the more damage it ultimately creates. A power tool that's all about cooling, the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Hybrid Whisper Series 20-Inch Air Cannon might not seem like a prototypical flood restoration tool. But appearances can be deceiving, and the value of a hugely powerful fan becomes immediately clear once you activate it in a room that's been damaged by floodwaters. The air cannon offers three-speed settings with a max output of 6,300 CFM that Ryobi claims can be felt across distances the size of ball fields and warehouses. While that much air power isn't typically going to be necessary in a gutted room, the air cannon's ability to dial in intense air movement is a welcome addition. What the tool brings to the table is a fast-drying component. No matter how meticulously you towel dry the cracks and crevices — and even flat surfaces like walls and floors — there's just no way to completely remove the moisture from the room without giving it time to air out. The Ryobi Air Cannon accelerates this process, reducing mustiness and ensuring surfaces dry fully before repairs like drywall or flooring installations. Installing new drywall, flooring, or trim is pointless if surrounding materials still retain moisture from the flood. The 6-inch all-terrain wheels and sturdy frame, alongside a pivoting head that rotates for precise control, offer expansive utility in all kinds of environments, and the tool sits right at home in a moisture-ridden restoration space. As you move along to the finishing touches of your cleanup, it's a good idea to consider a spot cleaning tool. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ SwiftClean Spot Cleaner Kit is an ideal solution for tackling small area cleaning tasks. Your couches and chairs, for instance, may have made it through the worst of the flooding without too much damage, but a bit of TLC is still worthwhile as you work to restore the space to a livable condition. Moisture in the air can condense and leave behind residue and patchy spots on your cushions that don't require replacement but certainly need to be cleaned up. The spot cleaner utilizes the same 18V ONE+ batteries as the rest of the primary tool lineup, and the vac tool features a spray solution function as well as stain agitator and a powerful suction motor to reduce stains to dust in a hurry. It's a great option for cleaning up other trouble spots too, when the flooding has faded into just a memory. The cleaner can be used on your car seats, as a means of tackling carpet stains, and much more. Lighting solutions are a key feature in any storm and flooding restoration. As is the case with corded power tools needing a backup power source, additional lighting elements that don't rely on main power drawn from the wall can be a difference maker in your quest to repair the damage to your home. Ryobi's 18V ONE+ 360-Degree LED Light is a fantastic solution in this region of the repair space. Area lighting is common in just about any DIY tool kit and allows you to continue working on routine DIY projects long into the night when necessary. Spot lighting is critical for work in attics, as well, even if light fixtures have been installed in your home's overhead storage and utility space. When dealing with rapid response fixes, the last thing you'll want to do is fumble around in the dark or have to call off the project because you can't see what you're working on. With Ryobi's 360-degree light, mounting the illumination device overhead delivers complete coverage of the area, and a potent 3,800 lumens of output makes for a brilliant display of lighting that will make any jobsite completely accessible. The four side panels are adjustable, too, meaning you can dial in the exact positions necessary to shine brightly on the parts of the room that need it most. It also features four brightness modes, including a single panel illumination option for jobs that require just a bit of targeted lighting. The 18V ONE+ Storm Kit from Ryobi features all the essentials you'll need to ride out a storm and get started on the work of fixing the damage once the worst has passed. It features some of the most important tools you'll want to have on hand during hurricane season and is a great starting point when rounding out your emergency preparedness toolkit for natural disasters, too. The kit includes a 150-watt power source that's perfect for charging small devices and keeping basic appliances working. It features standard plug and USB connections for varied usage depending on your needs. The kit also includes a compact radio so you can stay updated on the latest developments in your area, or perhaps even tune into music stations to keep you entertained as you ride out the worst of the storm or begin the process of restoring your home. There's also an area light, two batteries, and a charger, giving you a well-rounded emergency kit. A final pump makes the list. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ 1/6 Horsepower Telescoping Pole Pump is a great option for tackling the water removal tasks that come after floodwaters have invaded your home. The telescoping pole function allows you to reach out up to 3.5 feet away to begin the transfer of standing water from anywhere you may find it. The telescoping pole pump includes the same three timer shutoff settings as other Ryobi pumps, as well as an automatic shutoff component that stops the tool when water is no longer detected in the capture environment. The tool offers up to 26 minutes of runtime on the included 2Ah 18V ONE+ battery and delivers 15 gallons of water per minute transfer speeds with a head height of 24 feet. It also includes a removable mud filter and sediment strainer for use in outdoor environments when necessary, too. It features an LED light as well, giving you the ability to see your workspace better as you tackle the essential job of removing the rest of the standing water from inside your home.

Votes will be counted in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections Here's your 10-point cheat sheet to this big story Most exit polls have predicted a Mahayuti win in Maharashtra. Three exit polls have, however, forecast neither the Mahayuti nor the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would secure a decisive majority to form government. This may lead to a situation where 'resort politics' may happen. In Mahayuti, the BJP contested the largest number of seats at 148, followed by the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at 80, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at 52. Mahayuti candidates are contesting in six more seats. In the Opposition MVA, the Congress contested 102 seats, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) 96 seats, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 86 seats. Two seats were contested by Samajwadi Party and two seats by smaller MVA allies. This was the first election after splits in the NCP and the Shiv Sena. In the 2019 elections, BJP won 105 seats, the undivided Shiv Sena 56, undivided NCP 54, Congress 44, independents 13 and others 16 seats. The results today will have huge implications for all the parties, particularly NCP and Shiv Sena. Uddhav Thackeray lost his chief ministerial position due to a split in his party in 2022 and the party has been keen to prove a point in the assembly polls. His key rival Eknath Shinde also gained popularity due to welfare measures of the Mahayuti government. And now there is a seeming clash over who is the true inheritor of Balasaheb Thackeray's legacy. The NCP also suffered a split with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance as Deputy Chief Minister in July last year. His uncle Sharad Pawar kept a tight campaign and has been keen to see that there is no dent to his long legacy in politics. A lot is at stake for the Congress in Maharashtra after the party is seen to have bungled its prospect in the Haryana assembly polls earlier this year. The BJP formed its third successive government in Haryana earlier this year. In Jharkhand, while the ruling JMM-led alliance is banking on its work and promises, the NDA is hopeful of getting people's support on its promises and the work of the central government. The campaign saw BJP leaders targeting the JMM-led alliance over its performance and raised the issue of "infiltration" and tribal rights in the state. Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Hemant Soren, wife Kalpana Soren, and sister-in-law Sita Soren from the JMM. Key BJP leaders include former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM), AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto, and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri. Votes in bypolls will also be counted today. In Kerala's Wayanad, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting the Lok Sabha byelection on the same seat that his brother Rahul Gandhi used to represent before he won this time from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli. Bypolls were held on seven assembly seats in Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, a by-election was held in Budhni and Vijaypur. In Uttar Pradesh, votes will be counted in the by-polls in nine assembly seats.PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- University of Phoenix is pleased to announce that Vice President of Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion Kelly Hermann co-presented at the 2024 1EdTech Member Meeting on November 12-14 at the North Charleston Marriott in North Charleston, South Carolina. The presentation, titled “US Department of Justice Guidelines and the 1EdTech Accessibility Rubric,” focused on the importance of ensuring mobile apps and web content are accessible and compliant with the newest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines . “It is crucial for educational institutions to stay informed about the latest accessibility guidelines to help ensure that all learners have equal access to digital resources,” Hermann stated. “Our discussion at the 1EdTech Member Meeting provided attendees with valuable insights into the new guidelines and how tools like the 1EdTech accessibility rubric can support institutions in creating accessible ecosystems.” Hermann’s presentation delved into the new guidelines and offered practical advice on making learning resources, websites, and mobile apps accessible for users. The discussion also emphasized the importance of understanding and leveraging the guidelines to help foster an inclusive educational environment. Hermann chairs the Accessibility Taskforce for 1EdTech and collaborated on the project to develop an accessibility vetting rubric to help institutions improve access for students with disabilities, and to improve trust by evaluating the non-technical aspects of accessibility that can impact purchasing decisions and helping to establish a common tool evaluation framework. Outside of her work with 1EdTech, Hermann’s accessibility leadership is broadly recognized in the education technology community, and she has co-authored a chapter on accessibility to the Routledge text, Leading the eLearning Transformation of Higher Education , as well as other organizational texts by Anthology, D2L, WCET, and OLC, and by leading educational publications including Inside Higher Ed , EdSurge , Diverse: Issues In Higher Education , The evolllution , and eCampus News . Earlier this year, Hermann was instrumental in developing and deploying a survey on workplace accessibility awareness, understanding, and development opportunities . University of Phoenix commissioned The Harris Poll to conduct a study of 459 managers across the fields of information technology, healthcare, and education to better understand workplace commitment to accessibility, accessibility understanding and skills of workers, and opportunities for development of accessibility skills. The survey was developed in collaboration with Teach Access , a national non-profit organization strategically partnering with students, educators, industry, government, and nonprofit advocacy organizations. In her role at University of Phoenix, Hermann serves as the Vice President of Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion. She has oversight of the university’s accessibility initiative, including the evaluation and remediation of curricular resources, the Student Accommodations office, which provides accommodations to students with disabilities, and the Office of Educational Equity (OEE), which works with University stakeholders, community partners, and corporate sponsors to create an inclusive educational environment for the students, faculty, and staff. The OEE supports students and faculty year-round with programs like the Inclusive Leadership Summit and an internal offering for staff and faculty, The Inclusive Café. Earlier this year, Hermann received global recognition as a 1EdTech Leader for her work in creating open, trusted, and innovative digital ecosystems that power learner potential. Learn more about accessibility at University of Phoenix here . About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125291196/en/ CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: Michele Mitchum University of Phoenix michele.mitchum@phoenix.edu KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ARIZONA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES EDUCATION DEI (DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION) CONSUMER OTHER EDUCATION UNIVERSITY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SOURCE: University of Phoenix Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 06:46 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 06:47 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125291196/en

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of Arvinas, Inc. - ARVNSA secures WTC final spot: Impact on India & AustraliaFormer North Carolina State wide receiver Kevin "KC" Concepcion is transferring to Texas A&M. He confirmed the transfer on his Instagram account Sunday. Concepcion, who has two years of eligibility remaining, caught 124 passes for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns, and rushed for two more, in 25 games over two seasons for the Wolfpack. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, when he set program records for a freshman with 71 receptions and 10 TDs. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds, Concepcion is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 player overall and No. 6 receiver in the transfer portal. Texas A&M already has added receivers Micah Hudson, a transfer from Texas Tech, and Mario Craver (Mississippi State). The Aggies have 10 transfer commitments. Concepcion also considered Alabama, Colorado, Florida State, Miami and South Carolina. --Field Level Media

Swaffar: Three things to watch in USD's season-finale against NDSU

Just_Super ETF Overview iShares U.S. Tech Independence Focused ETF ( BATS: IETC ) invests in U.S. technology companies that derive a significant portion of their technological capabilities, revenues, and production from within the United States. The result is a portfolio of nearly 120 large-cap U.S. technology Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MSFT, GOOGL, AMZN either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.No. 4 South Carolina women rout Purdue 99-51

Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in Miami

BUFFALO — The year started with a bang. In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul named UB the home of Empire AI, a new $400 million supercomputing center that will provide UB and partners with breathtakingly powerful resources to harness artificial intelligence for the betterment of society. An avalanche of advancements – all pointing towards UB’s leadership in AI, in New York State and nationwide – followed the governor’s announcement. With interest in AI surging globally, these advancements showcase and build upon UB’s impressive half-century of expertise in AI research and education. They also hint at a brighter future, where AI’s uncanny abilities merge with human ingenuity to tackle society’s greatest challenges. “Traditionally, colleges and universities are at the epicenter of life-changing research and ideas,” said Venu Govindaraju, vice president for research and economic development. “The University at Buffalo is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and data science in fields that are critical to the state’s and nation’s future.” As 2024 comes to a close, here’s a look back at what has been a year of AI at UB. January UB researchers have been laying the groundwork for today’s boom in artificial intelligence for decades. This includes pioneering work creating the world’s first autonomous handwriting recognition system, which the U.S. Postal Service and Royal Mail adopted to save billions of dollars. Those innovations explain, in part, why Gov. Kathy Hochul chose UB to be the home of Empire AI, a consortium of public and private universities, and foundations, that will harness AI for the public good while driving economic development. “We want to make sure New York State is the capital of AI development ... but I need a home for this supercomputer that’ll power the innovation all over our state. And I’m proud to announce that the home will be right here at [UB],” Hochul said Jan. 26 at the Center for the Arts. Earlier in the month, during her State of the State address in Albany, the governor spotlighted UB student Holliday Sims for her work using AI to improve the child welfare system. February UB was chosen to join the federal government’s first-ever consortium dedicated to ensuring that AI systems are safe and trustworthy. Announced Feb. 8, the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) includes government agencies and top research universities, as well as Microsoft, Apple, Google, OpenAI and other tech companies. AISIC will create standards for AI usage that protect Americans’ privacy; advance equity and civil rights; and promote innovation and competition. Weeks later, UB was among 28 new members to join AI Alliance, an international coalition led by IBM and Meta that is dedicated to promoting open, safe and responsible AI. March On a beautiful spring day, engineering professor Chase Murray and students took to the skies at UB’s Structure for Outdoor Autonomy Research, one of the largest outdoor drone-testing labs among the nation’s colleges and universities. Murray uses AI and other technologies to optimize how autonomous vehicles work together – research that has implications in logistics, search-and-rescue, surveillance and more. Elsewhere, researchers in UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science kept tabs on their AI system that aims to improve indoor farming and address food insecurity. And another research group began using AI to make algae fuel production more cost-effective. The projects illustrate UB’s commitment to sustainability and social justice. April April brought Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, to campus. The occasion? “Today, we’re here to celebrate something truly amazing: the opening of the new, $20 million, federally funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, and it’s going to be housed right here at UB,” said Schumer. Funded by the NSF and Department of Education, the institute will create AI systems that ensure children with speech and language disorders receive timely, effective assistance. The work, which addresses the nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists, will help ensure that millions of children do not fall behind in their academic and socio-emotional development. May On May 31, UB hosted thought leaders from IBM, M&T Bank, Moog and other institutions for its ongoing chat series on AI and society. “Don’t be an AI user, be an AI value creator,” Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of research, told attendees at the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The event included presentations from UB researchers using AI to make advancements in medicine, medical devices, climate change, materials science, pharmaceutical science and other fields. June An electricity grid that uses AI to identify and fix problems before they cause widespread power outages? It could become reality sooner than you think due to research published June 4 and co-led by Souma Chowdhury, who studies how to apply AI to complex systems. He is among more than 200 researchers at UB using AI to address societal challenges. Also in June, more than 300 scholars from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, one of the world’s most recognized scientific organizations dedicated to advancing AI research, gathered at UB for a multiday conference. The scholars represented more than a dozen fields – including machine learning, psychology, political science, the humanities and more. July On July 17, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and state lawmakers visited UB for a roundtable discussion on AI. The attendees learned about UB researchers using AI to identify “forever chemicals,” as well as spinoff companies working on technology to improve treatment for strokes and aneurysms. “We are pioneering AI discoveries that will drive progress in research and economic development, demonstrating UB’s commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit,” Govindaraju said. August The start of the new semester brought record enrollment to UB’s Master of Science program focusing on AI. Launched in 2020 with five students, the number swelled to 73 students this fall, with an additional 50 expected next semester. The program’s growth “shows that we’re providing students with in-demand skills that they can use for the betterment of society,” said Kemper E. Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Graduates have taken jobs at Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, Visa and other companies. September UB was awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education to establish the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI. The center will create AI tools to ensure culturally and linguistically diverse learners in grades K-2, including those in Western New York, receive transformative early literacy instruction. “We believe that, with the right support, all students — regardless of their backgrounds — can succeed in literacy,” says project leader X. Christine Wang, a professor of learning and instruction in the Graduate School of Education. Later in the month, Rep. Tim Kennedy announced UB would receive $475,000 to equip its wind tunnel with equipment that allows it to leverage the power of AI, among other technologies. UB uses the facility to study and improve the nation’s response to hurricanes, wildfires and other extreme weather. October On Oct. 11, roughly nine months after it was announced, Empire AI went live. Gov. Kathy Hochul flipped the switch on a stack of powerful new computer servers at Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The servers represent a fraction of the eventual power of Empire AI, which will be located at a new building on North Campus. On the same day, UB President Satish K. Tripathi delivered his annual State of the University address. “While today, only the private sector has the computing power needed to seriously advance AI research, Empire AI will put New York State at the epicenter of artificial intelligence innovation. This game-changing initiative will enable us to tap the full power of AI to solve complex issues facing our state, nation and world.” November From fake celebrity endorsements to manipulated videos of politicians, the 2024 election was rife with misleading information. Debunking much of this content was the DeepFake-o-Meter, a publicly available tool used by journalists, law enforcement and others. The tool was created by UB computer scientist Siwei Lyu and students. With AI being added to medical devices, the Food and Drug Administration wants to ensure these products meet public health standards. The agency called upon experts, including UB’s Peter Elkin, for insight at a public meeting. Elkin, professor and chair of the Department of Bioinformatics, said the FDA should allow these devices to learn and therefore improve. “AI-enabled devices are no longer just tools; now they are partners in care,” he said. Back on campus, UB hosted the latest in a series of “AI at UB” forums on Nov. 21. Organizers updated faculty and staff on how UB is implementing AI in its classrooms and labs. Presenters also discussed how AI can be a tool to foster collaboration and enhance learning outcomes. December In early December, UB officials detailed plans to create a new academic department focused on AI and its impact on society. The department aligns with the mission of UB and SUNY, both of which are committed to responsibly harnessing the power of AI for social good. Around the same time, UB computer scientist Nalini Ratha published a series of research papers focused on machine learning and encrypted data. One of the papers suggests a new technique for safeguarding personal medical data as it travels from third-party cloud service providers back to patients and their doctors. The work points to a future where medical diagnostics are quicker and more accurate, and patient medical records remain confidential.