UITS Monitor: Robots put to work in IU’s COVID-19 testing labs

Technology is key to faster results, cost savings.

As part of ongoing efforts to manage and control COVID-19 on its campuses, IU has started operating its own labs for COVID-19 testing, resulting in faster results and cost savings. The new labs, located in Bloomington and at IUPUI, will ultimately be able to conduct 25,000 tests per week, with turnaround time likely 24 hours or less, according to the latest message from IU President Michael A. McRobbie.

Staff work with a variety of technologies to analyze thousands of mitigation tests per week. Robots handle and process the saliva samples, enabling the lab to determine if genetic material from the virus is in the sample. If genetic material is detected, the test is positive. If not, the test is negative for COVID-19.

Learn more about IU’s COVID testing

With migration over, users are urged not to create any new Box documents.

Now that Box files have been migrated to Microsoft or Google storage, you are reminded not to create new documents in your personal, group, organizational, or BEDA Box account. They will not be migrated again, and you will lose that data when IU’s contract with Box expires.

Take some time to get settled in Microsoft storage (accessed via Teams, OneDrive, or SharePoint) or Google storage. Join a webinar or watch a recording by the UITS IT Training experts.

Sign up for an IT training webinar

Students, faculty, and staff can take thousands of online courses.

IU Human Resources has partnered with LinkedIn Learning to offer students, faculty, and staff free access to 15,000 expert-led courses and videos on skills related to your area of study or interest.

Popular courses include:

• Introduction to Data Science
• Supporting the Whole Self at Work
• The Six Morning Habits of High Performers
• Confronting Bias: Thriving Across Our Differences
• Body Language and Women at Work
• Strategic Thinking

Skill-based courses include Zoom, Microsoft, Adobe, and more.

Access LinkedIn Learning via One.IU—use your IU Login credentials to log in.

Activate your account and start learning

Exclusive early access is underway.

Dell sales are underway, with doorbusters launching on Nov. 5 and continuing through Nov. 15. Additional savings through November include:

• Nov. 16—Main savings event begins with standing offers and doorbusters
• Nov. 26—Thanksgiving hourly doorbusters launch from 1 to 10pm
• Nov. 27—Black Friday hourly doorbusters launch from 8am to 10pm
• Nov. 30—On Cyber Monday, look for separate offer details

To take advantage of these holiday offers, please visit your dedicated Dell/IU site. As a reminder, doorbusters are first come, first serve and limited in quantity.

Go to Dell/IU discounts

Opportunities for programmers and non-programmers.

The Exosphere Project and Jetstream Cloud open-source virtual hackathon is underway. Participation will enable scientists to accomplish more with research clouds.

Jetstream Cloud offers powerful, flexible cloud computing resources for science and engineering research. Exosphere is an open-source software project that provides a user-friendly interface for Jetstream and other research-cloud infrastructure.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, IU’s Jetstream is the first production science and engineering research cloud system for the nation.

Sign up for the hackathon

Fellows will help improve digital course materials.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for accessible, digital course materials. To aid this effort, IU Libraries, with support from the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council, has established the Course Material Transformation Fellowship. Fellows will adopt or create course materials that align with their learning objectives. Participants in the program will:

• Receive a $2000 stipend
• Attend three professional development workshops
• Benefit from the expertise of librarians and instructional technologists

The program is open to any instructor of record for fall 2021 at IU Bloomington, IUPUI, or IUPUC.

Apply for the fellowship by Dec. 1 >>

• Still time to sign up for the supercomputing conference (SC20) >>
• IU media prof analyzes Twitter activism opposing violence against women >>
• Luddy researchers aid study that designs 3D swabs >>
• IU’s active learning program, Mosaic Initiative, celebrates fifth anniversary >>
• Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research speaker Nov. 5 >>
• Zoom tips on privacy and security >>
• Visit the UITS Tech Tidbits YouTube playlist >>