UA Little Rock Dedicates State-of-the-Art Mainstream Technologies Collaboration Studio
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has unveiled a cutting-edge collaboration studio and classroom designed specifically for computer science students.
The new facility, the Mainstream Technologies Collaboration Studio, is designed to promote interactive learning and teamwork, featuring advanced technology and flexible workspaces that cater to the needs of aspiring tech professionals and enhance the educational experience on campus.
Classroom dedications like this give the campus community the chance to recognize and celebrate longtime industry partners and celebrate the support they continually provide to the university and its students.
“At UA Little Rock, we are focused on upgrading our living and learning environments to ensure that our students learn in an environment that meets their needs and has the latest technology,” Provost Ann Bain said. “One amazing example of that is this collaboration studio that is made possible through the generous support of UA Little Rock alum and longtime friend John Burgess and Mainstream Technologies.”
Mainstream Technologies generously donated $25,000 in support of the Mainstream Technologies Collaboration Studio in the Engineering and Information Technology Building. The company also sponsored the computer forensics lab in 2019.
John Burgess, co-founder and president of Mainstream Technologies, graduated from UA Little Rock in 1988. He is a big supporter of STEM education and has served on the Donaghey College of STEM Leadership Council, formerly the EIT Leadership Council, since 2009 and is a past chairman.
“My personal partnership with UA Little Rock started almost 40 years ago when I enrolled here in computer science,” Burgess said. “I am proud to say the education I received here trained me for my initial career as a software developer. It enabled me to be a successful entrepreneur and business owner. I’ve been proud to see how the student experience has continued to improve since I was here in the 1980s, and I’m proud that Mainstream Technologies has taken the student experience a step further with the support of this cutting-edge classroom.”
The state-of-the-art digital studio and classroom significantly enhances the Department of Computer Science’s ability to meet the challenging demands for collaborative education and to more activity engage remote participants in classes, seminars, and meetings.
“Your investment in our students and university is ensuring the department provides educational services to a more distributed population of individuals who are well prepared to join the IT workforce in Arkansas,” Bain said.
Dr. Al Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science, demonstrated some of the new technology in the studio, which includes dual interactive touch screen displays, a presenter camera with real-time face detection and tracking, wide field-of-view audience camera, beamforming microphones for class participation, and digital audio over IP system for networked audio.
Baker said most of the room’s technology was put together by a university team, which saved the university 60 percent as opposed to hiring a commercial team. The team included Colin McNerny, computer science student, Chris Thompson, administrative assistant, and Hadi Rashid, systems administrator in the Emerging Analytics Center.
“We thank John Burgess and Mainstream Technologies for their gift as part of our ongoing Centennial Campaign,” said Dr. Jeff Connelly, interim dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. “We now have 2027 in our sights as not only the 100th anniversary of this institution, but also the culmination of our campaign and its goal of a quarter of a billion dollars.”
Find out more information about the UA Little Rock Centennial Campaign by visiting ualr.edu/centennial.
