President receives Governor’s Technology Award

Dr. Joseph Savoie, president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, received the 2013 Governor’s Technology Award for Best Application of Technology in Louisiana.

The award was presented by the Louisiana Technology Council during a ceremony in Baton Rouge on Monday. This is the 10th year that the Council has recognized groups and individuals for innovation and achievement.

Savoie was honored for several UL Lafayette technology-based achievements under his leadership. They include creation of a Center for Visual and Decision Informatics, exceptional faculty development for online teaching, and the launch of an Enterprise Resource Planning system.

The National Science Foundation has recognized the University’s Center for Visual and Decision Informatics as the nation's only NSF Center of Excellence in the area of “big data.” CVDI is the first such NSF center in Louisiana and is one of only 17 NSF-funded centers in computer science. UL Lafayette partnered with Drexel University to create the CVDI.

“The university's reputation as an innovator in computer science education and research dates back to 1962, when we offered the nation’s first master's degree in computer science. Our recent NSF designation recognizes that we’ve stepped up ‘big data’ research in a big way,” said Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, interim vice president for Research at UL Lafayette. He accepted the award on behalf of Savoie, who was unable to attend the ceremony.

The University’s Office of Distance Learning recently earned the 2013 Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching for “demonstrating exceptional leadership and real success in advancing online education.”

The University has launched an Enterprise Resource Planning system and has begun implementing academic analytics software to improve strategic decisions and reduce costs, while protecting quality and competitiveness in its education, research and public mission.

According to LTC Chair Robert Shreve, the Governor’s Technology Awards is a cooperative program that recognize technological advances around Louisiana that have made a positive impact on the state’s economic growth.

Two other higher education administrators in Louisiana were honored by the LTC this year.

Dr. Richard Koubek, dean of Engineering at Louisiana State University, received the award for Outstanding Leadership in Technology. Dr. Margaret Kilcoyne, director of the Northwestern State University School of Business, was awarded Technology Educator of the Year.

Global Data Systems and cellcontrol were recognized respectively for company and product of the year.