NIU Today | HAVI Center for Analytics and Technology grand opening showcases tech, hands-on learning

Watch the recap of this celebration.

Located on the third floor of Barsema Hall, this new lab represents our college’s commitment to experiential learning and cutting-edge technologies. Through real-world projects in partnership with HAVI, business students will be prepared for occupations of the future.

The lab enables industry-relevant, hands-on learning experiences in artificial intelligence and analytics, including machine learning, blockchain, big data, Internet of Things (IoT)
and data visualization.

“We are excited to partner with the NIU College of Business to launch the HAVI Center for Analytics and Technology,” said Rodney Brown, senior vice president and chief supply chain officer at HAVI. “This initiative will be a game changer for HAVI and our partners, not to mention NIU students and data analytics leaders of the future. Our success as an organization depends on attracting and retaining top talent, and HCAT will be an important part of our strategy to attract top Huskie talent to HAVI. Access to outstanding faculty researchers will also enable HAVI to stay at the forefront of solving difficult challenges in the areas of analytics and supply chain, and provides access to the latest technology in this space.”

He added, “NIU’s commitment to innovation in the space of data analytics made them the ideal partner in this initiative.”

HAVI, a global leader in supply chain analytics solutions, has made a significant financial and engagement commitment to this project, recognizing the need for intellectual talent in the field of AI and analytics. HAVI’s values align with our college’s mission to nurture young minds to be leaders who transform the world.

“There is such a buzz about this new space in our building, and we are so thankful to our partner, HAVI, for their incredibly generous investment in our students. We expect the lab to be a hub for collaborating with other tech-rich disciplines across the whole NIU campus, and we are happy to share these state-of-the-art resources with all our Huskie students,” said Dean Joan Phillips-Hernandez.

The Operations and Management Information Systems (OM&IS) department in our College of Business will play a key role in bringing together talent across the college and campus to bring our vision of the lab to life.

Our College of Business is committed to providing students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the rapidly evolving field of data analytics. The establishment of the HAVI Center for Analytics and Technology showcases this commitment and a significant step forward for our college.

“The HAVI Center for Analytics and Technology will especially be used for projects, as there are eight pods for four students to work together on a 32-inch shared monitor. One of the coolest items is the ‘BenQ’ — an 86-inch monitor that allows you to write and draw on it and then erase it later. It’s like the tech that the networks use for football coverage to diagram plays on a live screen,” said Department of OM&IS Chair Charles Petersen.

“Our students get excited when they see that they get to use these spaces. It also opens their eyes to possibilities beyond the classroom, and that there are alumni and business professionals who care about them and want them to succeed,” he said.

To learn more about our NIU College of Business, go to cob.niu.edu.

Leave a Reply