Inaugural Industry Lab Summit Held at Andrews

On Friday, Sept. 26, 2025

The Industry Lab Summit featured three presentations from faculty and industry professionals. (Photo by Geyvison Ludugerio)

Andrews University hosted the inaugural Industry Lab Summit on Friday, Sept. 26, at the Howard Performing Arts Center. Created to foster partnerships between students, faculty and industry leaders, the summit was themed “Innovation through Industry-Academia Collaboration.” The event included several keynote presentations as well as opportunities to network and share insights.

“Andrews University is a globally recognized institution committed to academic excellence, innovation, and equipping students to make a lasting difference in their communities and industries,” said Matias Soto, director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. “Through initiatives like the Industry Lab, Andrews continues to bridge education and enterprise, empowering the next generation of leaders and world changers.”

The summit began with an opportunity for attendees to meet each other and share their stories. Mark Omwansa, founder of the business Hakikisho Labs, heard about the event through a LinkedIn connection with the organizers. “I make training material for engineering companies, so I came to network,” he said. “We work with companies—like engineering businesses—and we figure out where they have problems or they’re lacking skills … I try to help them find a good fit.”

Senior data science major Jessica Ruvalcaba explained, “I heard about the event from a teacher … and I [thought] ‘Oh! I want to hear what they have to say.’” She added that the presentations seemed especially applicable to her areas of interest, noting, “In the future, I hope to work in either government or health care.”

After a welcome and introduction from the summit organizers, Ackley Will, chair of the Department of Computing, gave the first keynote address. His talk was titled, “From Pixels to Decisions: Vision AI in Healthcare and Industry.” After explaining the basics of artificial intelligence and computer vision, Will detailed a variety of its potential uses, including projects currently being explored at Andrews. In particular, he emphasized its impact on the fields of medicine and safety. “Great AI doesn’t replace people,” he shared. “When we keep humans at the center of our project … we start to be responsible.”

The second address, “Product Development at Andrews University School of Engineering: Strategies, Processes and Outcomes,” was shared by Gunnar Lovhoiden, chair of the School of Engineering. Lovhoiden explained how the Industry Lab has helped redesign senior engineering projects at Andrews, making them more hands-on, practical and customer-centered. Students now have opportunities to solve real-world problems, encouraging accountability and teamwork.  “We are trying to provide students with an experience that parallels industry,” he noted.

The final presentation was given by Ryan K. Roeder, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame and founder of HAPPE Spine. He spoke on “Industry-University Partnerships (Both Big and Small),” sharing his personal journey of collaborating between industry and academics as a company founder. “Let the University do what it is good at (idea/talent creation, scientific validation, etc.),” he proposed, “and let the company do what it is good at (product-market, etc.).” He added, “We’ve got to get in the valley together and figure out how to do it.”

The event closed with additional opportunities for participants to network and ask the speakers questions. Lisabeth Tuffour, senior computer science major, shared that the speakers covered topics that were relevant to her future career, including project development and artificial intelligence. “I’m hoping to become a data scientist and later a project manager,” she said, explaining that she aspires to “learn more about that field because I’m not so much on the business side—I’m more on the tech side.”

The Industry Lab Summit is a product of Andrews University’s Industry Lab, which offers Andrews’ industry partners innovative programming, technology laboratories and tailored services from University students and faculty. The lab was launched by the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and School of Engineering in 2023 with support from an Academic Partnership Grant. In 2024, it was expanded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, enabling further outreach and collaborative efforts like the summit.

“At Andrews University, we are deeply committed to the success of our students and our community,” shared Jorge Cardenas, Industry Lab coordinator. “This summit was designed to provide a unique opportunity to connect academia and industry, inspiring innovation and fostering meaningful relationships with community leaders.”

Beyond the summit, the Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship has planned several events, workshops and competitions for those interested in innovation and industry collaboration. For more information about future opportunities, visit the office’s website.