FEATURING

• Dr. LeeBrian Gaskins, Senior Associate Vice President of IT/CIO at University of Houston-Clear Lake
• William Huang, Deputy CIO, University of Texas System

KEY POINTS

• UT System declared 2024 "the year of the student," serving 256,000 students through leadership-focused programs and AI-enhanced education.
• UHCL's 50-year NASA partnership established it as an aerospace education hub, now pioneering 24/7 AI tutoring systems for student success.
• Both institutions demonstrate how cross-campus collaboration, not competition, drives innovation—sharing AI infrastructure across 14 institutions and regional resources.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Student-Centered Innovation in Higher Ed

• UT System declared 2024 as "the year of the student," implementing the 25-year-old Archer Center Fellows program that brings 30-40 undergraduate, graduate, and medical students to Washington D.C. for leadership development
• The UT System's 12-week summer internship program provides students with 9 hours weekly of professional development alongside functional work in IT, business, accounting, and legal areas
• UHCL prioritizes graduate education growth through collaborative approaches with other Houston institutions, rejecting the "zero-sum game" mentality in student recruitment to create shared student success

Enterprise AI Implementation Strategy

• UT Health Houston formalized a major partnership with OpenAI to provide advanced AI tools for medical students and clinical faculty, representing one of several mission-specific AI implementations
• UT System has deployed a multi-node private AI cluster at their shared data center for all 14 institutions to develop business use cases, creating a secure on-premises AI environment
• UHCL is developing 24/7 AI tutoring systems that help students identify knowledge gaps before exams and using AI analytics to mine historical student data for previously unrecognized improvement opportunities

Cross-Campus Collaboration Framework

• The UT System achieves economies of scale by site-licensing Microsoft tools for all 256,000 students, faculty, staff and clinicians across its 14 institutions
• UHCL collaborates with neighboring Houston campuses to create consistent experiences for faculty who teach across multiple institutions and share licensing resources
• Regional partnerships between campuses with similar demographics (like Hispanic-serving institutions) enable targeted technology solutions for specific student populations

Space & AI Educational Innovation

• UHCL was established through direct partnership with NASA, whose director requested graduate education facilities near the space center 50 years ago
• The university houses NASA archives through the Space Act and maintains strong aerospace engineering and space exploration business programs
• UT San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio jointly created one of the first programs combining a medical degree with a master's in AI, featuring three years of medical education, one year of AI focus, and a capstone integration year

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro and Welcome 
01:37 - William Huang's background and DJ experience 
02:00 - 2024: "The Year of the Student" and Archer Center Fellows 
04:42 - Enterprise AI Strategy across UT System 
07:58 - UHCL's AI Policy and Student Success Applications 
10:53 - Balancing System-Wide Initiatives Across 14 UT Institutions 
12:00 - Regional Collaboration Between Houston Area Campuses 
16:24 - UHCL's NASA Connection and Aerospace Focus 
19:25 - How AI Will Transform Digital Transformation

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"AI is going to be the watershed piece forward because AI is going to give us insights into doing digital transformation that we never had before." - Dr. LeeBrian Gaskins

"We don't all have to have a zero sum game with this... students can take things at different campuses. We all can win when the students win." - Dr. LeeBrian Gaskins

"Listen to your customers, your students, right? Pay attention to what's happening because in some cases, what we used to do a decade ago, or two decades ago, may not be appropriate." - William Huang

Connect

• 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
• 🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste
• 🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
• 📽️ Subscribe here: ‪https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Partners

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our Podcast & Newsletter Partner

• SentinelOne: Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers
• Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most. Check out the solutions built for first responders: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/
• Carahsoft: Did you know TechTables is on the Carahsoft Master Contract? Speak to your Carahsoft rep today about special discount pricing only through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership, and email [email protected] if you have any questions!

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🎥 Live Events: Join us at TechTables live events—whether hosted by us, in partnership with industry leaders, or private roundtables with The Collaboratory — we bring together senior technology leaders. Experience exclusive networking, collaborative sessions, and inspiring discussions that spotlight and elevate public sector leadership.

See Upcoming Events: https://www.techtables.com/

4. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at [email protected]