From remote access and specialized software to computer labs and research systems, CEDC IT gives students and faculty the technology to learn, build and solve real-world problems.

A student opens MATLAB from home to work through an engineering problem. A computer science student launches a development environment. A civil engineering student uses specialized software to model water flow. A researcher starts work on a high-performance workstation. A professor walks into a classroom and begins teaching.

The technology may look effortless from the user’s side. Making it work is anything but.

At the CU Denver College of Engineering, Design and Computing, IT supports a technology environment built around the specialized demands of engineering, design, computing, teaching and research. Behind that environment is CEDC IT.

The team maintains computer labs and remote computing resources, supports specialized software and research systems, manages classroom technology and equipment, addresses security concerns and maintains the infrastructure connecting it all.

“Much of our team’s work happens behind the scenes. When specialized software launches correctly, a faculty member teaches without interruption, or a student completes a project remotely, there is a great deal of planning and maintenance behind what may look like an ordinary process,” said Julie Gallagher, IT services manager for the College of Engineering, Design and Computing.

For IT Professionals Day, CEDC is recognizing the people behind that work—and highlighting technology resources students may already have at their fingertips.

Technology Environment Built for Engineers

IT support in an engineering college goes well beyond fixing a computer or resetting a password.

CEDC maintains instructional computer labs in North Classroom and the Lawrence Street Center, along with remote access that allows students to connect to CEDC computing resources beyond campus. Additionally, CEDC students may check out laptops to help with their coursework.

The college also provides access to a wide range of specialized software used across engineering, computing, design and construction. Students can find tools for everything from simulation and computer-aided design to programming, data analysis, geospatial mapping, electronics, structural analysis and digital fabrication.

That includes widely used tools such as MATLAB, Ansys, Autodesk products, ArcGIS, Python, Mathematica, LabVIEW, SolidWorks and many others. Some are available for students to download at no cost; others are available through CEDC labs, including remotely.

Explore CEDC’s student available software →

For students, that can mean access to professional-level tools without having to purchase every piece of software themselves.

Providing that level of access requires more than installing applications.

“Engineering, design, and computing applications often require powerful processors, large amounts of memory, professional graphics hardware, substantial storage, and complicated licensing,” Gallagher said. “At the same time, these systems must remain secure, accessible, and reliable while supporting both instruction and research.”

That means the team’s work can look different from one hour to the next.

“CEDC’s technology needs are unusually broad. A single day might involve troubleshooting classroom audio, deploying engineering software to a computer lab, maintaining a license server, evaluating a high-performance research workstation, responding to a security concern, or helping a faculty member determine whether a new application will work with existing equipment,” Gallagher said.

The work begins long before technology reaches a classroom or student’s screen.

“Our team supports technology across its full lifecycle—from consultation, purchasing, and provisioning — through deployment, licensing, maintenance, security, troubleshooting, and replacement,” Gallagher said. “We also maintain the documentation, automation, infrastructure, and campus partnerships that keep these services running.”

Your Laptop dosen’t need to do it all

For students, one of CEDC IT’s most valuable resources may be the ability to access college computing resources remotely.

That matters when a course requires software that is expensive, resource-intensive or difficult to run on a personal computer. For a student working on a structural model, running a simulation, analyzing data or developing software, that access can turn a personal laptop into a gateway rather than a limitation.

For new students especially, knowing what is already available can be valuable before spending thousands of dollars on technology.

“Before purchasing expensive hardware or software, students should check what CEDC already provides and ask what kind of computer will work best for their particular program of study,” Gallagher said.

It is part of a broader approach to student success: give students access to the technology they need and they can focus their time and energy on learning, designing, building and solving problems.

Those resources are part of how students learn to work in their fields. They use the same kinds of software and systems that support engineering, design and computing work beyond the classroom.

When tech gets Complicated, Start with CEDC IT

Of course, even the best technology sometimes needs help.

Students and faculty do not need to know which campus office owns a particular technology problem before asking for assistance.

CEDC IT supports CEDC-managed computers, labs, printers, software, classroom technology, remote access, network connectivity, security, equipment and technology purchasing. The team also works with university IT, AHEC, Facilities, vendors and other campus partners when an issue extends beyond the college.

“Even when another campus team owns the system involved, the CEDC IT Support Desk is still a good place to start,” Gallagher said. “We can often identify the responsible group, provide useful context, and help move the request in the right direction.”

That makes the support desk more than a place to report a broken computer. It is a starting point for navigating the technology systems that support life inside CEDC.

And students do not need to diagnose the problem before reaching out.

“Most importantly, members of the CEDC community do not need to understand the technology—or know which team owns it—before asking for help,” Gallagher said. “They can start with us, and we will help them find the next step.”

Submit a CEDC IT service request →

A little preparation goes a long way

Not every technology problem can be prevented. But some can be made easier to solve.

Gallagher recommends submitting requests early, particularly when they involve new software, classroom changes, research equipment or technology purchases. Regularly restarting computers gives updates and software deployments an opportunity to finish.

Keeping important work in an approved, backed-up university location can also help protect files.

Students, faculty and staff should install updates, respond to security and compliance notices and quickly report suspected phishing, malware, lost devices or unusual security prompts.

And when something does go wrong, details can save time.

A computer name, room number, screenshot, error message, affected software or upcoming deadline can give IT staff the context they need to identify the problem more quickly. Testing classroom or presentation technology before an important class or event can also prevent a last-minute scramble.

“The more context we receive at the beginning, the faster we can find the path to a solution,” Gallagher said.

Behind the technology is a team

When everything works, CEDC IT can be almost invisible. But keeping classrooms ready, specialized software running, research systems operating and students connected takes a small team managing an unusually broad technology environment.

“We are a small team supporting a remarkably complex environment, and I am especially proud of the care, creativity, and hard work that our Systems Engineer, Aaron Staten, and our student employees bring to the department every day.”

That work is part of the infrastructure of a CEDC education: the software students use to model and design, the computing power they need to analyze and build, the technology that allows faculty to teach and the systems researchers rely on to push their work forward.

Much of this work is invisible by design. But the impact is not. On IT Professionals Day, CEDC thanks the team whose expertise and care make so much of our work possible.

Need technology support? Start with CEDC IT.

Students, faculty and staff can reach the CEDC IT Support Desk at cedchelp@ucdenver.edu, 303-315-7599 or North Classroom 2612, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.