“With the rapid progress in AI tools, many businesses, especially small ones, struggle to understand how to apply AI to improve efficiency and solve problems, “said Tom Villani who leads the new division. “Our mission is to provide expert guidance and services to help organizations seamlessly integrate AI solutions into their operations and stay ahead of the competition.” The division will operate a public facing “AI Job Shop,” working closely with businesses to develop tailored AI solutions that address specific operational challenges. This approach allows organizations to leverage the latest AI technologies without requiring in-house expertise or extensive resources.

NJII partners with NJIT’s world-class resources, including its high-performance computing facilities and renowned research faculty, to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions. Through its unique relationship with NJIT, the division provides valuable internship opportunities for students, particularly international students who may face limitations in traditional internship programs. These hands-on experiences allow students to work on real-world AI projects while helping New Jersey businesses innovate. “By combining NJIT’s academic excellence, research expertise, and advanced computing infrastructure with NJII’s industry connections, we’re creating a powerful ecosystem for AI innovation in New Jersey,” added NJII President, Michael Johnson “Our students work alongside experienced professionals and world-class researchers, gaining invaluable experience while helping to solve real business challenges. Our goal is to make New Jersey a leader in practical AI implementation while providing exceptional learning opportunities for the next generation of AI professionals.” The AI division stems from the success of its previously-launched AI Lab, which has already seen success in collaborating with clients across New Jersey in sectors such as health care and law enforcement to help reduce costs and improve efficiency. Organizations interested in learning more about NJII’s AI services can visit https://www.njii.com/ai-ml-overview/.

About NJII

The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a nonprofit corporation wholly owned by New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). NJII applies the intellectual and technological resources of the state’s science and technology university to challenges identified by industry and government partners. Through its innovation labs, NJII brings NJIT expertise to key economic sectors, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, defense, entrepreneurship, and learning & development. NJII has generated over $330M in revenue since 2014 and employs 110+ full time staff.

The post New Jersey Innovation Institute Launches AI Division to Help Businesses Harness Artificial Intelligence appeared first on NJII.

One of NJII’s longest-serving board members, Paranicas brings extensive executive experience and a deep understanding of New Jersey’s health, science and technology sectors, a background that will be instrumental in guiding NJII’s growth and mission to foster innovation, support workforce development and contribute to the state’s economic vitality. He succeeds Robert Medina, who continues as Chair of the NJIT Foundation Board of Directors.

Paranicas recently retired from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), the trade association for the state’s research-based biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies, where he championed New Jersey’s life sciences sector and fostered collaborations across the healthcare spectrum. His legacy at HINJ aligns closely with NJII’s goals to build partnerships, leverage research capabilities, and drive impactful advances in areas such as healthcare, defense, AI, entrepreneurship and professional and corporate education.

“NJII is a key player in New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem,” Paranicas said. “I am honored to be selected as Chair and look forward to the opportunity to build on Bob Medina’s legacy and expand support for NJII as it continues to shape our state’s future through transformative research, public and private alliances and community engagement.”

NJII President Michael Johnson, PhD expressed enthusiasm about Paranicas’ appointment: “Dean’s wealth of experience and strategic insights will be invaluable as NJII continues to elevate New Jersey’s longstanding reputation as an innovation hub. His leadership will help us further strengthen our partnerships with industry, government and academia, building on our progress and ensuring that NJII remains a dynamic force in the region.”

Under Johnson, NJII has made significant strides in these areas, including the recent launching of the NJII Venture Studio, the state’s seventh Strategic Innovation Center focused on high technology and IT, and fostering a robust pipeline of entrepreneurial talent in partnership with NJIT and other academic institutions. NJII has also strengthened its role in workforce development by expanding training programs in cutting-edge fields such as AI, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology, creating hands-on opportunities for students and professionals alike.

About NJII

New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a 501c3 organization wholly owned by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. NJII is focused on accelerating technology and fostering innovation to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. To date, NJII has generated over $330M in revenue during its ten years of operation across its divisions (AI/ML, Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare and Learning & Development) and today has a team of 100+ members. Learn more: https://www.njii.com/about/

About NJIT

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is the greatest producer of technological talent and knowledge in New Jersey and is a nexus of innovation — a physical and intellectual focal point for innovative ideas, actions, and people. NJIT is the only polytechnic university that is an R1 (highest level) Carnegie Classification research university and is designated both an Asian-American and Hispanic serving institution. The New York Times college ranking tool rates NJIT No. 1 nationally among all public universities when you prioritize high alumni earnings, economic mobility, and academic profile, and the Wall Street Journal rates NJIT No. 19 overall and No. 2 among public universities in the United States. Additionally, NJIT stands among the top 100 universities in the country for alumni mid-career earnings, according to PayScale.com, is ranked No. 35 nationally by The Princeton Review as a Best Value College and is rated among the top 50 public national universities and top 100 overall by U.S. News & World Report.

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At NJII, we are proud of our proactive approach to cybersecurity. Our recent HITRUST and CMS certifications cover all divisions of NJII, not just the healthcare sector, showcasing our commitment to upholding the highest standards of security and compliance organization-wide. Achieving these certifications involved rigorous audits, comprehensive policies, and the implementation of advanced controls to safeguard sensitive data across all our operations. These milestones reinforce our status as a trusted partner and demonstrate our ongoing efforts to strengthen our security posture.

In our pursuit of excellence, we have also adopted modern cybersecurity frameworks to protect our systems against evolving threats. These cutting-edge technologies work together to create a resilient and secure environment, ensuring the safety and integrity of our clients’ and partners’ data.

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I encourage everyone at NJII and beyond to prioritize safe online practices, stay informed, and actively participate in our security initiatives. Together, we can build a resilient organization that inspires trust and confidence.

Sairaj K Setty
Senior Director, Information Technology & Security
New Jersey Innovation Institute

The post Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month: NJII’s Commitment to Excellence appeared first on NJII.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 
• Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST (Doors open at 2:00 PM, followed by Code and Cocktails reception at Tinjune) 
• Location: Newark Museum of Art, 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ 07102 
• RSVP: Register here to save your spot

What to Expect at Newark Demo Day

This exciting event will showcase 10-12 innovative startups from the New Jersey and New York City regions, selected from nominations across the co-hosts’ extensive networks. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from local entrepreneurs and explore groundbreaking solutions across industries. The day will kick off with opening remarks by New Jersey’s top tech leaders, followed by startup presentations. Networking cocktails and exhibition booths will feature key investors and stakeholders from the region’s vibrant tech ecosystem. 

Demo Day aims to drive investment opportunities for the participating startups, helping to activate downtown Newark as a thriving hub for tech innovation. Our goal is to foster connections that spur partnerships, investment, and business growth throughout the region. 

Spotlight on NJII Ecosystem Startups

Three of the featured startups are part of the NJII ecosystem, each participating in one of our programs.  

• OculoMotor Technologies: Specializing in neurotechnology, OculoMotor is developing advanced tools for diagnosing and treating eye movement disorders using artificial intelligence and machine learning. 
• Portable Diagnostics Systems: This startup is transforming healthcare with portable diagnostic devices, offering fast and accurate results ideal for both remote and point-of-care settings. 
• PureNanoTech: Innovators in nanotechnology, PureNanoTech is developing breakthrough applications in healthcare, energy, and environmental technology. 

NJII Expert Tom Villani Judges

The event is centered around a spotlight pitch competition, simulating real investment pitches that attendees can spectate. The judging panel will include leading experts and investors from across the tech and venture capital space, including NJII’s Tom Villani, AVP of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, who brings a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship and startup scaling. 

Conclusion

Demo Day is one of many events hosted during Newark Tech Week. Check out the other amazing opportunities and events that are taking place during the week throughout the city by clicking here. We hope to see you at demo day! 

The post Join NJII and Industry leaders for the Inaugural Demo Day at Newark Tech Week!  appeared first on NJII.

The event was hosted by Michael Johnson PhD, President of the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) and YPO member, with a keynote address by renowned AI expert Zack Kass. Zack Kass is the Former Head of Go To Market (GTM) for OpenAI where he built sales, partnerships, and solutions teams. Today, Zack is a top booked AI keynote speaker, and his mission is to champion a future of abundance by demystifying AI and helping leaders around the world prepare for the impending technological revolution. 

The objective of the event was to empower business leaders with the tools and insights needed to harness AI’s potential in their organizations. “At NJII and NJIT, we are committed to being at the forefront of technological innovation. This event is a testament to our ongoing efforts to position NJIT as an Innovation Nexus—not only for the state of New Jersey but for industries across the globe. AI is not just a tool of the future, but a powerful force for today’s businesses,” said Michael Johnson PhD in his opening remarks.  

The hands-on training sessions, led by Kass and NJII, offered participants a rare opportunity to delve deep into AI applications, learning how to integrate cutting-edge solutions into their operations. Attendees left with actionable strategies tailored to their unique business challenges, from optimizing supply chains to enhancing customer engagement. 

The success of the event underscored NJII and NJIT’s commitment to driving innovation and supporting the growth of local and global businesses. By hosting such high-impact gatherings, NJIT is solidifying its role as a key player in the AI ecosystem and a vital hub for technological advancement. 

Hands-on events like this YPO gathering serve as a reminder that the university is a place of experiential learning with underpinnings of applied research and leadership in emerging technologies. The collaboration between NJIT, NJII, and visionary leaders like Kass positions the institution as a catalyst for change in the AI space and beyond. 

Learn more about AI at NJIT and the NJII AI Lab. 

The post NJII Hosts Young Presidents Organization Event on AI at NJIT, Positioning Itself as a Leader in Innovation appeared first on NJII.

Q. I’d love to start by hearing a little bit about your background. How did you get started at NJIT, and how did your role evolve to where it is today? 

A. Yeah, absolutely. About 8-and-a-half years ago, I got an opportunity to be a 3D-printer technician in a physics lab. I was wrapping up my master’s in Science, Technology, and Public Policy and got this opportunity to start collaborating with a lab that was working on a handheld multispectral camera. And this newfangled technology that was just becoming accessible to consumers, 3D-Printing, was on the market, and some of the professors thought it would be a good idea to use it to build housing and kind of rapidly prototype ideas. I had done a little bit of engineering in my undergrad; I didn’t actually finish my engineering degree, I got more of a general studies bachelor’s. But I had enough CAD background that I picked it up quickly, and next thing I knew I was offered a position in the lab. I worked my way up there, turned it into an additive manufacturing lab itself; we founded something we call the ADLAB, short for additive. And it was a way to get going while the Makerspace was getting set up. They had a much bigger goal in mind, so it took a little while for them to become accessible to the rest of the community at NJIT. So, in the meantime, we just bought a few printers and got to work. But a lot of the funding for that lab came from Picatinny Arsenal and the US army. And so I started to get more involved in the grant writing and the reporting, and business development with the army. Then I got to meet Bill Marshall, and he and I took a liking to each other, and I became his Chief of Staff. Long story short, here we are. 

Q. Did you always have an interest in additive manufacturing or did that develop over time? 

A. No, I mean it definitely developed over time, in part because I’m old enough that for much of my life I didn’t know it was a thing! Now I know people who’ve been in the industry for as long as I’ve been alive. I’ve been lucky enough to meet people that were working on 3D printing 30-plus years ago. But it was a really niche field then; million dollar machines that took days for – what we would now look at as – mediocre parts. It was about a decade ago now that the ‘consumer revolution’ for 3D printing became a thing, because a lot of patents expired, so cheaper machines were able to get on the market, and it allowed people to get access to it. And now, I hire people that have been doing 3D printing since they were kids. We actually have an intern this summer, I think he’s in his early 20s; he’s been 3D printing for 10 years. He’s been in 3D printing for longer than I have! 

But I have always been interested in engineering. I went to school initially for mechanical engineering and learned that I wasn’t well suited for the daily work of being an engineer, but I like being around the projects. At the time I was coaching high school basketball and track & field, and I’ve always really liked building teams and helping to facilitate teamwork and collaboration. It took me a while to figure out how to plug that all together, but I joke that nowadays I basically coach engineering. 

Q. What is something about additive manufacturing that people might not know about? 

A. One of the things that we work on out here are 3D printed, additively manufactured electronics. There are people in the industry that may be working for polymer, plastic, 3D printing companies, that aren’t even aware that 3D printed electronics are really a thing. So it’s a pretty early-stage part of the industry. The machines are still very temperamental and getting them to work effectively is still an uphill battle. But I think the promise that they represent – combining the ability to print plastic, metal, ceramics, and electronics – it’s still decades out, but the idea of the Star Trek replicator… maybe! 

Q. The COMET program – How and when did it originate? How has the program developed over the years? 

A. So it’s kind of tough to pick the exact point, but Bill and I were having lunch with one of our army collaborators near Picatinny at the Rockaway Mall. We were looking at the empty Sears building, and we thought “geez, wouldn’t it be cool if we could repurpose this wasted retail space as an additive manufacturing center where we do workforce development, and educate people on the possibilities of the technology”, everything we’re doing now at COMET. 

It was right before COVID that we had the idea. We ended up talking to Sears during COVID. It was actually becoming a site where they were doing COVID tests for the state. They had a date where the state was going to get out of there, and we got to the 11^th hour of signing the lease with them to take over the space. But at the last moment, Sears realized “You guys aren’t doing COVID relief. What are you doing?” And they raised the rent on us 10x as we were about to sign the lease. Little bit of a blessing in disguise because I think it was 10 times as big, and it’s been hard enough managing 20,000 square feet let alone 200,000.  

So maybe a month or two later, we were lucky enough to find the listing of the building we’re in now. We rushed out there, basically started negotiating to put an offer in that day, and thankfully we did because the next day 5 more groups wanted to take over this building.  

So, we were able to find that location, but a lot of it was built off work we had done on campus. I ran an internship on campus for four years working on robotics, showing off 3D printing and integrating edge computing into it. That was developed on campus, but in a 2000 square foot room with a couple few-thousand-dollar 3D printers. So, the opportunity to carry those lessons forward into this state-of-the-art facility has been really amazing. 

Q. Where do you see COMET going over the next 5 or so years? Are there any specific prospects that excite you? 

A. One of the things that’s really exciting is the design studio that we’re starting. The Army has worked with us to build out this facility, but they want a developed workforce that knows how to use the equipment. The best way I know how to do that is to put people on the equipment and get them to work. But working on real projects for people that matter, not just toys and made-up things. And so, sometimes that’s in support of the army, but increasingly we’ve had the opportunity to work with startups and small businesses in the state. There are some state programs that help with funding, and other companies are fortunate enough to have cash flow already that they can support this.  

Our facility is well suited to prototyping and low-rate initial production. It’s what we call a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing facility, and I think Mike Van Ter Sluis from NJII had done a study a few years ago showing that a facility like this would be an accelerator to innovation in the state. But it’s not really a money maker on its own. So, the fact that we were able to leverage the resources to do the defense application, but then have excess capacity on the machines, means that now we can be a design studio to help develop those MVPs (minimum viable products), get their ideas out of their head, off napkin sketches, and into the hands of potential investors. We have a pipeline of really great talent from NJIT with their industrial design program, let alone all the engineers and scientists, and so we can support industry in that way. 

These sorts of facilities make sense to address regional workforce needs and industrial needs. We have Northwest Jersey taken care of; we’ve got students commuting over an hour from here. But that’s starting to stretch how far the reach should be. So, figuring out how we might deploy some additional sites to target other industries is something we would be excited to do. And the figuring out how we can network them for defense and for the civilian world, having distributed capabilities like this, so that if a tornado or hurricane comes through or an earthquake or if something more malicious happens, you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Figuring out how to network manufacturing capabilities like this is something else we’re working on. 

Learn more about the COMET program here.  

Q. NJII’s Defense Division works with both private companies and public institutions like the US military. How have those partnerships helped lift our projects and programs, and do you find that these relationships become stronger over time? 

A. Absolutely. Another way I could have answered the question of “how did comet become a thing?” is through a decade of relationship building on my behalf, that built on decades of Bill’s relationship building. Nothing that we do happens overnight, and especially in this space, it feels like it’s built on trust with the people. We have very good relationships with Picatinny Arsenal, but also at the joint base and increasingly with the other branches of the DoD. All of this really relies on working with industry as well. Our role, the way we see it, is as an integrator between the academic efforts that happen at NJIT or other universities, the industrial partners we have, and the DoD, and kind of aligning those interests so that we get the most bang for our buck when we work together. 

Another thing that we did before COMET was the ADAPT program, and I was the project manager on that. We brought together a dozen small businesses, about a dozen faculty members from NJIT and a couple people from the University of Delaware to work with Picatinny Arsenal on some interesting technology and try to accelerate the development from the lab to get it in the field as soon as possible. And on that, it was really built around in team building. So, if you’re a big prime, like Raytheon or a Booz Allen, you might have divisions that can all work together to build final products, or you have people in your supply chain. These were small businesses, though, that kind of tackled one slice of a product on their own. So, we had, a battery company, software, a 3D printing electronics company, an antenna company, and separate from that a testing company. So together, if they’re properly aligned, they can do the development that typically only primes could do. 

It’s also been kind of the inspiration for our internship. We had 20 interns that had 12 different majors working together last year. We tried to teach and expose the interns to that way of working while they’re young, so that they can learn these lessons early and really apply them through their whole career. My goal is for them to have fun this summer, and if you don’t find this work fun, you’re on the wrong job. 

Q. Working daily operations at Landing 360, what are the most common challenges that come about on a day-to-day basis, and what kind of work do you find yourself enjoying the most? 

A. We’ve been in this building for over two years now and it doesn’t really feel like any one day is like the other. We’ll have days where we all have to chip in, clean up the facility, put furniture together and receive equipment. Recently we hosted a meeting for the state effort around the CHIPS Act Notice of Funding Opportunity 3 Response, with ideation sessions with high level people from the DoD. Then it’s teaching 20 year olds how to do 3D printing or giving a tour of the space to FIRST Robotics Clubs in high school. One of the things that I think makes it so exciting is how varied the work is. And since we kind of view ourselves as that systems integrator, we need to understand what other people in this space are doing to properly align those efforts.  

And so that’s really fun, but also challenging. It requires kind of a high level strategic vision of what we’re trying to do and merging the priorities of NJIT and NJII and DEVCOM Armaments Center; keeping all of those interests in mind while then executing tactically day-to-day. But one thing that’s cool about additive manufacturing is you can get your ideas out of your head and into your hands quickly at relatively low cost. So, you’re able to kind of try something, assess it and reiterate. For better or worse, we have applied that methodology to just about everything we’re doing. 

Q. You are an employee of both NJII and NJIT. Does this affect your job significantly in any way? Do you find yourself working more with one than the other? 

A. Yeah, it does. One of the things that’s funny about this is that I supervise NJII staff members and employees, but because I’m actually paid by NJIT, I don’t always know the processes that you have to go through. Like, I’ve never actually filled out a timesheet or gotten a paycheck from NJII. But the benefit of being between both organizations is that I really understand the processes on both sides of the house; who to talk to, what portals to access, what forms to fill out, how “the sausage” is made on both sides. So, I’m able to get things to effectively move back and forth. There’s a huge benefit to us being able to act as an academic effort at times, put it in grants, and engage with people that way. Then at times move a lot faster. Being able to engage with the government and industry at the speed that they operate at as NJII, but then also leverage the academic resources of NJIT, it really opens up a lot of opportunities. 

Q. What do you enjoy most about working for NJII? 

Oh, my favorite thing about my job is how many interesting people I get to work with. I get to work with young people at the beginning of their career. I often joke with them or other people I’m talking to: They don’t realize what’s supposed to be hard, and I put problems in front of them that I think are damn near impossible, and they just breeze through them in a day. I also put problems in front of them that I think are trivial and it takes them a week to figure out, so it’s always exciting to see what’s going to be challenging on that front. But then I also get to work with people from the state or the federal government, industry, etc. Additive manufacturing is a pretty small industry at this point, so it’s amazing how many people I know in that space. 

And recently, Bill arranged for us to lead an ideation session at Fort Gregg Adams on advanced manufacturing and how the Army will use it in the next upcoming decades. I was lucky enough to actually lead that third day ideation session and report out to several acting generals. That was just an amazing opportunity.  

The post NJII Employee Spotlight: Sam Gatley, Deputy Director of NJII’s Defense Division appeared first on NJII.

Dr. Michael Johnson, President of NJII, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of the COMET Initiative in fostering innovation and industry collaboration. “The COMET Initiative represents a major step forward in our mission to drive technological advancement and economic growth,” said Dr. Johnson. “We are excited to drive positive impact on the industry and the community though this initiative.”

Dr. Atam P. Dhawan, Senior Vice Provost for Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), concluded the remarks on behalf of NJIT President, Dr. Teik Lim, by highlighting the academic and research contributions to the initiative. “NJIT is proud to support the COMET Initiative, which will provide our students and faculty with unparalleled opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research and development,” said Dr. Dhawan.

Distinguished guest speakers included Paul Manz, Chief Technology Officer JPEO Armaments and Ammunition who offered comments on behalf of Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Commanding General of Picatinny Arsenal and Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments & Ammunition. Mr. Manz highlighted the critical role of innovation in national defense and shared Major General Reim’s sentiment, “The collaboration between NJII and Picatinny Arsenal through the COMET Initiative is a testament to our shared commitment to advancing technological capabilities for our armed forces.”

Mr. Christopher Grassano, Director of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, also spoke at the event, stressing the importance of partnerships in driving research and development. “The DEVCOM Armaments Center is proud to be a key collaborator in the COMET Initiative, which will undoubtedly lead to groundbreaking advancements in armament technologies,” said Mr. Grassano.

“The COMET initiative represents a significant milestone in our journey towards solidifying New Jersey’s position as a leader in innovation across the nation,” said Congressman Kean. “This facility embodies our state’s commitment to excellence, our dedication to fostering talent, and our leading force in technology and innovation. With this initiative, we’ll have positive impacts across New Jersey, such as boosting the local economy and creating more high-tech jobs.”

Final comments were offered by Stephen Luckowski, OSD MII Program Manager. He reflected on the value of partnerships and the importance of advanced manufacturing to the Department of Defense. He stated, “The partnership with NJII and NJIT promises to provide capabilities in workforce training that go beyond what is achievable in the classroom alone. I am extremely excited that COMET will help produce scientists and engineers skilled and upskilled in advanced manufacturing and advanced materials, that understand how to solve DoD’s technical challenges, bringing a new generation of workers to support the needs of the nation.”

Following the enthusiastic remarks was a group ribbon cutting ceremony and unveiling of the equipment floor. Both guided and self-guided tours allowed attendees live demonstrations and interaction with subject matter experts.

The COMET Initiative is designed to foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government to drive innovation in critical technology areas. The initiative aims to create a dynamic ecosystem that supports the development of new technologies and the commercialization of innovative solutions.

For more information about the COMET Initiative and NJII, please visit: https://www.njii.com/defense/new-comet-overview/.

About NJII | New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a 501c3 organization wholly owned by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. NJII is focused on accelerating technology, fostering innovation, and development the workforce in order to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. To date, NJII has generated over $330M in revenue during its ten years of operation across its divisions (AI/ML, Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare and Learning & Development) and today has a team of 120 staff. Learn more: https://www.njii.com/about/

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Newark, NJ (July 18, 2024) – New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), a New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) subsidiary, today announced its second consecutive certification status by HITRUST for information security for its key implemented systems. NJII earned its first certification in May of 2022 and renewed its status by undergoing another validated assessment for 14 months. 

HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certification demonstrates that the organization has met demanding regulatory compliance and industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk. This achievement places NJII in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned this certification. By including federal and state regulations, standards, and frameworks and incorporating a risk-based approach, the HITRUST Assurance Program helps organizations address security and data protection challenges through a comprehensive and flexible framework of prescriptive and scalable security controls. 

“As a company with cutting-edge information security solutions and services, it’s important to meet complex compliance, information protection, and privacy requirements,” said Sairaj K. Setty, NJII Senior Director of Information Technology & Security. “We are pleased to demonstrate to the industry and our customers the highest standards for data protection and information security by achieving the rigorous HITRUST r2 Certification.” 

As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. NJII is focused on accelerating technology, fostering innovation, and developing the workforce to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. Through its divisions (AI/ML, Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare, and Learning & Development), NJII provides a diverse set of services and technologies to both public and private sectors. HITRUST certification will support NJII in its efforts to provide the best quality of programs in a secure form. 

“This certification sets our standard for our commitment to security as a leading health technology organization in New Jersey,” said Jennifer D’Angelo, NJII COO & Executive VP of Healthcare. “HITRUST certification and the stature it places us in supports our ability to continue to seek additional funding opportunities such as the Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicaid Enterprise System (MES) certification that ultimately allows us to better serve providers, patients, and the healthcare community.” 

The NJII Healthcare Division supports programs that aim to revolutionize healthcare through data-driven transformation. The team is focused on improving patient experience and population health while reducing the cost of healthcare with innovation, technology, and metrics. 

“The HITRUST Assurance Program is rigorous and reliable because of the comprehensiveness of control requirements, depth of review, and consistency of oversight,” said Bimal Sheth, Executive Vice President, Standards Development & Assurance Operations at HITRUST. “HITRUST r2 Certification demonstrates NJII is taking the most proactive approach to cybersecurity, data protection, and risk management.” 

Learn more about NJII and how we operate.

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Q. You’ve been at NJII for over 8 years? What was this organization like when you first started? 
A. When I first joined NJII (in the Healthcare Division), they were in the process of transitioning from the New Jersey Health Information Technology Extension Center (NJ-HITEC) to New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII). They were increasing staffing and improving operations and processes to ramp up for their newest awarded $50M grant, a Medicare Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI) to create a Practice Transformation Network in the state of NJ. It was a fun and interesting time to join NJII. Operations, programs, and resources were expanding rapidly in this early stage of growth and the culture was a typical startup environment: fast-paced, informal, flexible, and valuing creativity, communication, and collaboration. There was a lot of risk-taking, with an emphasis on agility and innovation. NJII’s mission and vision now still follows a lot of those same principles, but with quite a bit more structure! 
 

Q. Initially, how was working at NJII different from your previous roles? 
A. While my roles previous to working at NJII were not necessarily Project Management positions, I always utilized Project Management principles in my prior positions. Additionally, in all my previous roles, I have always been passionate about Operations, Process Improvement Initiatives, and Technology which made me naturally gravitate toward these kinds of projects in all my past roles. I’ve always enjoyed “wearing many hats”, being a “jack of all trades”, and being a high-functioning and productive member of the team often going above and beyond my existing role to additionally support operations and special initiatives which makes Special Projects a great fit for me. 
 

Q. What was your initial role here at NJII? How did your role change/develop over the years? 
A. My initial role at NJII was as a Project Manager for the Healthcare Division. I served in that role for a few months, working mostly on Healthcare IT-related projects. I was quickly moved into a Manager of Administration role where I supported Executive Leadership and Healthcare Operations. After that appointment, I was promoted to Senior Manager and then moved to the Operations Department, managing mostly IT-related projects organization-wide. Recently, I transitioned once again partially back into the Healthcare Division, supporting both Operations and Special Projects for the IT and Operations Departments and the Healthcare Division. 
 

Q. What exactly determines a ‘Special Project’? What sorts of projects are you the most hands-on with? 
A. Special Projects, in general, mostly consist of unexpected initiatives not included in regular operations. Specifically, for Special Projects at NJII, I do work on many Operations projects, IT projects, Healthcare projects, and projects and programs for other divisions and departments. But, often, the projects I am assigned are something new to the organization that we are trying to implement and get off the ground, or a project to innovate, change, or improve an existing process or system. 
 

Q. Which division of NJII do you end up working with the most? Is there a division or group within NJII that you would like to interact with more? 
A. Because of my existing allocation to the Healthcare division and my reporting structure, I spend a decent amount of time with the Healthcare Division. However, I also spend time working on projects for almost all of the other divisions and the support departments as well. One of the largest projects that I have been working on over the past ~2 years is Salesforce. This includes managing all requests for development within the environment, from the creation of design documentation to the QA process in Sandbox and Production. I also facilitate process mapping sessions, support teams with their reporting needs, manage campaigns, guide cleanup efforts, make recommendations on builds, provide training, and create documentation such as data dictionaries and guidelines for use. This specific project has taught me a lot about the software development life cycle and project management skills specific to that area. 
 

Q. What is your favorite part of the project development and execution process? What difficulties often come about? 
A. The project lifecycle consists of multiple phases including Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closure. Personally, I love the Planning and Execution phases. There is nothing quite as rewarding as putting a plan together, executing on that plan, and seeing your project or program come to fruition. Scope creep is a common issue in project management. Due to the agile nature of our business, it’s an issue that often arises. Scope creep is when a project’s scope increases beyond the original description in the project charter. As a project progresses, sometimes additional requirements are deemed necessary by project managers or other stakeholders causing scope creep. 
 

Q. How is the relationship between NJIT and NJII leveraged in your role? 
A. Sometimes, there are projects I manage that require collaboration with different departments at NJIT. I maintain a great professional working relationship and rapport with various individuals in many departments at NJIT. One specific project I worked on with NJIT during the height of the COVID Pandemic was the M2CU (Mobile Medical Care Unit) Project. For this project, NJII worked with the Martin Tuchman School of Management and the Research Department to research, develop, and build mobile medical care units fabricated from shipping containers that could be deployed in times of emergency to communities and organizations that were in need. This was a fun and interesting project to work on and I learned a lot specifically about construction project management during the 2 years I worked on it. 
 

Q. What is your favorite thing about working at NJII? 
A. My favorite thing about working at NJII, especially in my role, is that no two days ever look the same. This keeps my career here interesting and ever evolving. I am also learning new skills, using my existing abilities in different ways, and gaining vast new experience through my work with special projects. 
 

Q. If you could describe your experience at NJII in one word, what word would you choose? 
A. Collaborative. It’s great to be part of a team that is so supportive and cares equally as much as I do about the important initiatives on which NJII is working. As a manager of special projects, my success depends greatly on my ability to motivate, engage, and collaborate with project resources, and doing that at an organization where most employees are eager contributors makes meeting and exceeding project goals that much more attainable. 

About NJII

New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a 501c3 organization wholly owned by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. NJII is focused on accelerating technology and fostering innovation in order to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. To date, NJII has generated over $330M in revenue during its ten years of operation across its divisions (AI/ML, Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare and Learning & Development) and today has a team of 120 staff. Learn more: https://www.njii.com/about/

The post NJII Employee Spotlight: Carly Cricco, Director of Operations & Special Projects  appeared first on NJII.

New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) has appointed Stacey Clark as the Vice President of the Defense Division and Sam Gatley as Deputy Director.  These changes come alongside the announcement of General William (Bill) Marshall’s transition from leading the division.  He will remain as an Advisor for Special Projects. 

Bill ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌distinguished‌ ‌leader who has spent years serving the public good. Before joining NJII, Bill served ‌more than 35 years in the New Jersey National Guard, where he achieved the rank of Brigadier General. Overlapping with most of this, he spent 29 years with the Montclair, NJ Police Department, where he retired as captain. ‌His‌ ‌work‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌Department of Defense (DOD)‌ Advanced Development of Asset Protection Program (A.D.A.P.T.) ‌‌has‌ ‌received‌ ‌national‌ ‌acclaim‌ ‌and‌ ‌was‌ ‌recently‌ ‌mentioned‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Army’s‌ ‌“Gold‌ ‌Book”‌ ‌recognizing‌ ‌significant‌ ‌contributions‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌DOD. 

According to NJII President, Michael Johnson, Ph.D., “General Bill Marshall has been the driving force behind our Defense division since NJII’s inception and can be credited with supporting dozens of faculty members, hundreds of students, and building the robust Defense division that we have today.  We are thrilled to have him stay with us on special projects to ensure a smooth transition and the continued utilization of his expertise.”   

NJII’s vision to double in size by exceeding $70M in revenue by 2030.  Defense division initiatives play a key role in driving the diversification of revenue streams and launching new divisions and programs.   

For the last 15 months, Stacey has been leading the Defense division at NJII as Deputy Director.  Her oversight of the division as the Vice President will be crucial to the expansion of capabilities and government programs, utilizing her experience in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards development, materials science and systems engineering. 

With over three decades of experience with the United States Army, Stacey is an innovative leader in the materials engineering field.  She held the position as Deputy Division Chief, Materials and Manufacturing where she dedicated 27 years to the practical use of engineering to advance research and development of technology for the Army.  Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Materials from Rutgers University and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Stevens Institute for Technology. 

Sam Gatley moves from Director of Operations overseeing key initiatives to Deputy Director of the Defense division in recognition of his accomplishments.  Sam launched the Collaborative Operationalized Manufacturing Engineering and Training (COMET) initiative in partnership with the United States Department of Defense.  Today, COMET is a highly collaborative relationship with the United States Army that drives agile innovation for next generation problem solving while supporting workforce development. 

Stacey adds, “I met Sam Gatley nearly a decade ago when he was one of the first NJIT staff working in the field of additive manufacturing. I am awed by his work to establish the COMET initiative at NJII’s Advanced Manufacturing Center, Landing 360. I look forward to working with Sam to enhance our capabilities, train a new set of summer interns and be a resource for New Jersey manufacturing and the defense sector.” 

Learn more about Bill, Stacey, Sam and the rest of NJII’s leadership team here.  

About Defense Division 

At NJII, the Defense division has been developed to help identify, build, and implement innovative solutions that identify and operationalize advances in technology.  The key outcomes are workforce development, improved protection of military personnel and critical assets, and improved efficiency of military operations.  To achieve these outcomes, NJII aligns and advances emerging technologies to operationalize them, with a particular focus on advanced manufacturing, contested logistics, and AI/computer vision.   

About NJII 

The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a 501c3 organization wholly owned by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).  As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic.  NJII is focused on accelerating technology and fostering innovation in order to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. To date, NJII has generated over $330M in revenue during its ten years of operation across its divisions (AI/ML Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare and Learning & Development) and today has a team of 120 staff.  

The post NJII Announces Leadership Changes to the Growing Defense Division  appeared first on NJII.