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On September 24, 2024, the Google Rapid Innovation Team (RIT) hosted a Project Pitch Session, bringing together innovative minds from various institutions within the Internet2 NET+ GCP community. This session, which replaced the usual Tech Jam, was a follow-up to the initiative introduced during the GCP Strat Call on August 20 by Google's Chris Daugherty. The goal was to present ideas for prototype game-changing solutions addressing real-world challenges in the research and education community.

The RIT Opportunity

The RIT offers a unique chance to work in 6-week sprints with teams from subscribing institutions to build functional prototypes of software applications. These applications aim to enhance research capabilities, improve student engagement, or streamline administrative processes in higher education.

Presented Ideas

Unlocking Historical Insights with AI and Big Data

Sheila Marie Zellner - Jenkins from the University of Maryland, College Park presented "Applying DocumentAI and BigQuery to diplomatic correspondence from the Allied Occupation of Japan." This project aims to:

  • Use DocumentAI for OCR conversion of multilingual documents
  • Ingest data into BigQuery for advanced SQL querying
  • Employ Looker for data visualization and analysis

The project demonstrates the potential of AI tools in converting archival materials, regardless of language, into accessible digital databases, potentially revolutionizing approaches in various academic fields.

Cloud Migration Coach: Simplifying the Path to GCP

Bob Flynn from Internet2 proposed a "Cloud Migration Coach," addressing the challenge of getting started with Google Cloud. This tool aims to:

  • Analyze on-prem architecture diagrams and workflows
  • Provide customized migration plans and cost calculator input recommendations
  • Pull in targeted learning resources from Google Cloud Skills Boost

Modernizing Applications with AI-Driven Analysis

Gabe Geise from Penn State University proposed an AI application to streamline application modernization efforts that builds on the Cloud Migration Coach idea. It does this by:

  • Analyzing GitHub repositories to suggest containerization strategies
  • Recommending relevant GCP services for deployment
  • Providing documentation and training resources for implementation

This tool could assist in modernizing applications, identifying technical debt, and improving long-term code maintenance.

Pacer: Personalizing Student Time Management

Building on an idea initially mentioned during the August Strat Call, Bob presented "Pacer," a tool designed to help students manage their time more effectively. This concept aims to:

  • Create personalized work plans based on students' curricula and commitments
  • Ingest syllabi and class calendars to develop day-to-day personal work plans
  • Integrate with Google Calendar and learning management systems
  • Adapt to individual productivity patterns and preferences

Pacer represents a practical application of technology to address the common challenge of time management faced by students juggling multiple responsibilities. By providing personalized scheduling assistance, it has the potential to significantly improve students' academic performance and overall college experience.

The discussion around Pacer highlighted the importance of user privacy and the potential for the system to learn and improve its recommendations based on user behavior over time.

Next Steps

Following this pitch session, the Service Advisory Board (SAB) and Chris Daugherty will discuss the submissions, maybe add some of their own, and ultimately vote to select the top projects. These projects will be presented to the RIT leadership at a face-to-face SAB meeting on October 10 at Google's NYC offices.

Conclusion

The Google Rapid Innovation Team Project Pitch series of meetings highlights how the NET+ GCP community facilitates collective community conversations and innovative projects leveraging Google Cloud technologies in higher education. As the selection process moves forward, these projects have the potential to contribute to how universities address challenges in research, teaching, administration, and student success, furthering the superpower of collaboration for shared benefit within the higher education community.

You can always find details and recordings of the NET+ GCP quarterly calls on the Cloud Infrastructure Community Program (CICP) calendar. Be sure to check out the other blog posts we've written. As always, feel free to send any feedback to tmanik[at]internet2[dot]edu.