Academic Affairs

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation (CMCF) has awarded the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture a $10,000 grant for the KEEPING WATCH initiative, a three-year project led in partnership with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute.
Working with historians, writers, artists, scientists and environmental experts, KEEPING WATCH is exploring three local environmental issues: plastic waste and recycling (KEEPING WATCH on PLASTICS, 2014), urban streams (KEEPING WATCH on CREEKS, 2015), and air quality and the value of trees (KEEPING WATCH on AIR, 2016).

The Office of International Programs, in conjunction with the International Student/Scholar Office and the International Club, will host screenings of the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony/game and finals/closing ceremony in Norm’s in the Student Union.
The opening ceremony/first game will be from 3 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 12. The finals/closing ceremony will be shown starting at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 13.
“Come join us to watch great games, enjoy refreshments and cheer your team at the most-watched sporting event in the world,” said OIP’s Sayra Brynn.

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, in partnership with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, will present the second annual Charlotte Data Day on Tuesday, June. 17.
A series of presentations, discussions and interactive workshops led by experts in the field will familiarize attendees with Charlotte housing-related data. Topics include homelessness, affordable housing, planning, and the changing real estate market.
The event will be held 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City.

Is “urban agriculture” possible in a city like Charlotte? Can backyard chickens and rooftop gardens solve urban hunger?
The public will get a chance to consider those questions – and sip free martinis made from local ingredients – at the June 13 KEEPING WATCH Clean Martini Screens. This free, public event will be 6 to 9 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City.
The evening includes a showing of “Growing Cities,” a documentary that details urban farming successes across the nation. Short clips from agricultural eco-artist Jean Paul Ganem will be part of the event.

The UNC System Board of Governors has approved UNC Charlotte’s request to offer a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree in Data Science and Business Analytics (DSBA) starting in fall 2014.  This groundbreaking curriculum is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the College of Computing and Informatics and the Belk College of Business, as it links the science and business of data.

University leaders note the curriculum will produce talented graduates to meet the 21st-century demands of business and industry.

Six entrepreneurial startups were selected as the top enterprises at the 13th annual Charlotte Venture Challenge, conducted by UNC Charlotte’s Ventureprise and the Charlotte Research Institute. They will receive more than $60,000 in cash prizes.
Thirty-six early-stage ventures were among the finalists from 100-plus entrants from across the Southeastern United States for the 2014 edition of the challenge. The 36 teams conducted three-minute pitches to corporate and investor judging panels at the finals, held in the UNC Charlotte PORTAL Building.

Joël Gallegos, assistant provost for international programs, will be the guest on the Sept. 4 edition of “The Live Wire,” Inside UNC Charlotte’s streaming webcast. He will talk about what the Office of International Programs offers and what to expect at the upcoming International Festival.
Employees can watch “The Live Wire” at their desks or on their mobile devices starting at 2 p.m.

Congressman Patrick McHenry (10th District) and Brett Keeter (’99), congressional district director and former UNC Charlotte Alumni Association president, recently visited campus to learn more about UNC Charlotte’s Data Science and Business Analytics initiative.

In addition to meetings with Chancellor Philip L. Dubois and Bob Wilhelm, vice chancellor for economic development and research, McHenry and Keeter observed several project demonstrations related to Big Data at the University’s Charlotte Visualization Center.

In a joint press conference, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and UNC Charlotte announced a partnership for an annual reporting on homelessness issues spearheaded by the University’s Urban Institute.

The Charlotte Venture Challenge (CVC) will showcase 39 finalists selected from more than 100 startup competitors located throughout the Southeastern United States. These contenders will be introduced to investors, corporate executives and the business community at the CVC finals, Thursday, May 1.