11 Nov
MEDIA ALERT: Nov 11 CBIC Tech Tour Back In Person
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Media are encouraged to accompany onsite tours for great coverage of the students’ learning in action
18th Annual Event Held Friday, Nov. 11, 2022
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, November 10, 2022 – The 2022 CBIC Tech Tour, a local event to introduce area middle and high school students to the dynamic high technology world that exists in the Charlottesville/Albemarle County metro region, will kickoff on Friday, November 11, at two locations: PVCC’s Earl Dickinson Center and North Fork in Northern Albemarle County.
In its 18th year, produced by the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC), this day-long technology-focused program is aimed at exposing students to the engaging and diverse career possibilities offered by our diverse regional technology business and innovation ecosystem. The CBIC Tech Tour is designed to help students envision themselves as technology employees, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the next wave of tech advancements in our area.
At North Fork, students will hear from Signature Science Director, Sara Szmania, about her path to a career in science, followed by an engineering-themed team-building activity. Five companies located at North Fork will participate in student tours and demonstrations, including Perrone Robotics, the UVA Biocomplexity Institute, SRC, the UVA Center for Applied Biomechanics, and Solis.
“The Tech Tour is a signature CBIC event, with 23 companies and organizations donating their resources to support local students and tech employers. The event advances CBIC’s mission of education in support of the greater Charlottesville’s technology community – helping to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship in the Central Virginia region – by inspiring our community’s next generation of entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts,” said Tracey Greene, Executive Director of CBIC.
“We are especially appreciative of our tech tour sponsors, representing organizations that understand the importance of STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education to building a vital technology workforce, a critical ingredient to the success of our region’s burgeoning innovation-based ecosystem. We are pleased to have many new and returning sponsors this year, including Castle Hill Gaming, Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development, Felton Group, Lighthouse Instruments, Liquet Medical, North Fork, PVCC, Virginia Diodes, and Venture Central, along with the Economic Development Offices of both the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle.”
Twenty-two groups of more than 300 students, including 16 regional school systems and home-schooled students, will spread out across the region. Half of the students will begin with a virtual introduction from PVCC and then travel to local businesses. The other half of the students will begin in North Fork and then tour businesses in Northern Albemarle county. This year’s tour features companies with technologies ranging from robotics and artificial intelligence to performance theatrics and bioinformatics. Participating tour host organizations include:
Afton Scientific
Apex Clean Energy
Bio-Cat Inc.
Biocore
CareTaker Medical
Castle Hill Gaming
Center for Open Science
Design Electric
GA – CCRi
Gropen
Jefferson Technology
Lighthouse Instruments
Microaire
NBC 29
Performance Signs
Perrone Robotics
Rivanna Medical
Solis Applied Science
SRC, Inc.
The Link Lab
UVA Biocomplexity Institute
UVA Center for Applied Biomechanics
UVA Medical School Simulation Lab
All participating Junior and Senior high school students are eligible to apply for two $2,500 annual scholarships for the purpose of continuing education. CBIC’s Tech Tour Scholarship Program continues the non-profit organization’s ongoing commitment to growing the future technology-based workforce. Since 2003, CBIC has granted $45,000 in scholarships to local students. Applications for CBIC’s Tech Tour scholarships, which will be selected in early 2023, will open soon and be available online through January 31, 2023 at cvilleinnovation.org/tech-
ABOUT CBIC
As the region’s technology council, CBIC promotes innovation and entrepreneurship and supports growth and success among the Charlottesville region’s technology-focused organizations. CBIC provides a forum for ideas and a collective voice on behalf of the technology sector. Through collaborative partnerships, educational resources and strategic relationships, CBIC enhances, publicizes, and champions technology initiatives that strengthen economic and social vitality in our area. For more information, please visit our website at CvilleInnovation.org, follow us on Twitter at @CBICouncil and follow the 2022 CBIC Tech Tour #CBICTechTour.