Events
Tech Week Grand Rapids
WMU Grand Rapids is returning to host a series of events as a part of Tech Week Grand Rapids 2025, a participant-driven “unconference” of events, discussions, demos, and showcases that are led by those who live and work in our community. As the proud organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids, The Right Place works alongside other community leaders to discover ways to establish Greater Grand Rapids as a leading destination for technology and innovation. WMU's panel discussions feature WMU faculty and industry leaders from the community, discussing topics around digitization, tech advancement, and how industry and careers are responding; all events will be hosted in the AMP Lab @ WMU at 200 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids.
Art Prize
WMU Grand Rapids is delighted to serve as an official venue for the highly-anticipated Art Prize 2025. From September 18 to October 4, we’ll proudly showcase ArtPrize’s first-ever all-digital gallery exhibit, featuring over 20 artists from around the world. The fifth floor of WMU-GR will be transformed into the Resonant Gallery, with its inaugural exhibition titled “Ripple Effect.” A second New Media exhibit, titled “Prismatic Gallery,” will also feature five pieces of art on the first floor of the building. Both galleries are curated by WMU Kinetic Imaging faculty and students. Resonant Gallery will also include featured artist Jess Tucker with a one-time, live audio-visual performance held in the gallery on Saturday, September 20, from 6 to 7 p.m.
Upcoming Events
Making Waves: Artists in Dialogue About Technology's Creative Promise and Provocations
Tuesday, September 16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Join featured artists from Resonant Gallery's "Ripple Effect" exhibition as they explore how technology shapes, disrupts, and transforms artistic practice. From AI collaborations to analog-digital hybrids in moving image and performance, discover how artists navigate the creative possibilities and ethical complexities of the current technological moment.
Moderator:
- Jacklyn Brickman, assistant professor and area coordinator of kinetic imaging, Gwen Frostic School of Art, WMU
Panelists:
- Lorelei d'Andriole, Resonant Gallery artist
- Kristin Reeves, Resonant Gallery artist
- Eric Souther, assistant professor of kinetic imaging, Gwen Frostic School of Art, WMU
- Jess Tucker, featured Resonant Gallery artist
Graduate Program Open House (with MSW Open House)
Tuesday, September 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Join Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids for a Graduate Programs Open House in the Design Lab on the first floor of WMU-Grand Rapids. Meet faculty and staff from graduate programs based in Grand Rapids and explore opportunities to advance your education.
At the same time and location, the Master of Social Work (MSW) Open House will be happening — an opportunity to connect with MSW faculty, program director Chris Smith, and current and prospective MSW students as we kick off a new semester. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Questions? Contact Chris Smith.
This event is free and no registration is required.
Graduate Programs represented:
- Counseling Psychology
- Counselor Education
- Cybersecurity
- Industrial Engineering
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Public Administration (MPA)
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Organizational Change Leadership
Ribbon-Cutting: OT Pediatric Clinic
Wednesday, September 17 from 9 to 10 a.m.
Join us on the fourth floor at WMU-Grand Rapids for a ribbon-cutting celebrating the OT Pediatric Clinic’s return “home” to campus. This move from an off-site location expands the portfolio of occupational therapy clinics available in our building and strengthens access to pediatric OT services in Grand Rapids.
Building the Future: The Digital Transformation of Manufacturing
Wednesday, September 17 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a revolution as it integrates tools like digital twins, automation, and cloud computing. Today’s discussion brings together industry and academic leaders to explore how we can prepare students and companies alike for a future shaped by these rapidly evolving technologies.
Moderator:
- Dr. Steve Butt, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, WMU
Engineering a Healthier Future: Tech Talent & Innovation in Healthcare
Thursday, September 18 from 10:30 a.m. to noon
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, technology and talent are reshaping how care is delivered, accessed, and improved. Today’s discussion will spotlight how industry and education are coming together to address workforce needs, innovate care delivery, and prepare students for a rapidly changing future.
Moderator:
- Dr. Joanne Roehm, senior director of strategy and operations, WMU-Grand Rapids
Advanced Aviation Innovators Gathering
Thursday, September 18 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Join Anzen Unmanned and Western Michigan University for a networking event bringing together innovators in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) from across West, Central, and Northern Michigan.
This gathering is designed to foster communities of interest and partnerships that will advance collective success in the rapidly growing fields of drones and advanced aviation. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with peers, share insights, and learn about emerging projects shaping the future of aviation technologies in our region.
Held in concert with Grand Rapids Tech Week—and coinciding with the opening day of ArtPrize (with WMU’s top floor serving as a venue)—the event offers a unique chance to network and explore innovation and creativity all in one place.
This event is free, but registration is appreciated.
Hosted by Anzen Unmanned.
Art + AI Workshops with Jess Tucker
Friday, September 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. (High School) and 1 to 2:30 p.m. (College)
Join artist Jess Tucker at the Resonant Gallery inside WMU-Grand Rapids for hands-on workshops exploring AI and real-time performance. Students, teachers, and classes will experiment, play, and see what’s possible with emerging systems.
A community lunch discussion will take place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the same location. Workshop participants are invited to join before/after their session; registration is required.
Tech on the Menu: Lunch with WMU Experts
Friday, September 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Join us for lunch with WMU experts on their current work in the community and how it is integrated with advancing technology.
Moderator:
- Dr. Joanne Roehm, senior director of strategy and operations, WMU-Grand Rapids
Panelists:
- Kuanchin (KC) Chen – Upjohn chair of business administration, director of the Center for Business Analytics, and professor of business information systems at the WMU Haworth College of Business
- Jacklyn Brickman – assistant professor and area coordinator of kinetic imaging, WMU Gwen Frostic School of Art
- Eric Souther – assistant professor of kinetic imaging, WMU Gwen Frostic School of Art
- Kyle Jehnzen – faculty chair, WMU College of Aviation
- Yufeng Hu – master faculty specialist and senior design coordinator of civil and consruction engineering, WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Hexu Liu – associate professor of of civil and consruction engineering, WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Nancy Hock – chair of occupational therapy, WMU College of Health and Human Services
- Lusike Mukhongo – associate professor of communication, WMU School of Communication
Audio-Visual Performance with Featured Artist Jess Tucker
Saturday, September 20 from 6 to 7 p.m.
For the opening weekend of ArtPrize, artist Jess Tucker will activate the gallery space with a live performance expanding on her video work "Against All Odds" and "Gravity," featured in the exhibition "Ripple Effect" at Resonant Gallery. This one-time performance fuses live music and embodied interactive video into an immersive, multilayered experience.
Through a hybrid of performance lecture and multimedia experimentation, the artist deepfakes herself into absurdly face-first bodies that tease both human and algorithmic vision. Tucker’s work exposes how algorithmic gazes relentlessly pursue, decode, and reassemble our identities, revealing how technology manipulates our collective desire for certainty, control, and recognition.
This event is free, and no registration is required.
Occupational Therapy Clinics Open House
Wednesday, September 24 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Visit the fourth floor at WMU-Grand Rapids to explore WMU’s three community OT clinics—Adult Neuro, Hand Therapy, and Pediatrics. This free, public open house showcases the clinics and the no-cost services available to community members.
AMP Lab Family Open House
This free event, held on Saturday, April 12, was geared towards families with kids ages 5 through 12 and allowed attendees to discover, explore, and engage in a variety of STEM activities. If you missed this journey into the wonders of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, please visit our links to explore additional resources and opportunities available through WMU and our event partners.
Visit Experience WMU to explore additional unique opportunities.