A groundbreaking ceremony for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit is scheduled from 3-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 2121 Cass Ave.

Angela D. Dillard, the Richard A. Meisler Collegiate Professor of Afroamerican and African Studies and in the Residential College, and chair of the Department of History in LSA, has been appointed to the new role and will begin Jan. 1.

Testing of a new automated shuttle is underway at the University of Michigan’s Mcity Test Facility to ensure the technology is ready to safely serve older adults and people with disabilities in the city of Detroit. Earlier this month, U-M researchers kicked off several months of testing with an automated vehicle provided by May Mobility, a leader in the development and deployment of AV technology. 

University of Michigan graduate Ryan Myers-Johnson, founder and executive director of Sidewalk Detroit, created the festival as an annual event to honor the charm and uniqueness of Detroit’s neighborhood streetscapes.The festival celebrates the vibrant culture and heritage of the Northwest Detroit neighborhood of Old Redford, known for its rich history and diverse community.

Michigan Public Health researchers are leading a new project aimed at improving maternal and child health for Latina women in Detroit. The project — Community-based Collaborative to Improve Birth Outcomes in Latina Women — is funded by a 2-year $350,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Leon Pryor, a University of Michigan alum and a senior game producer at Meta, got involved in robotics competitions when his son competed in a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition in 2018. Since then, he’s led two youth robotics teams to success.

On a Sunday morning in the fall of 1818, young people in the village of Detroit made their way into the new academy built by the fledgling University of Michigania. Eight teachers awaited them. It was the inaugural class of the first Sunday school held in the Territory of Michigan

“University of Michigan has been an amazing partner – they have been able to connect us with tons of resources and tons of knowledge. They are a partner we can count on. Partnerships with U-M are invaluable. They take your work to places may not have imagined. Being able to work with brilliant minds and with folks who look at things differently will push you in your own work.”

~ Camille Johnson, director of development and communications for Eastside Community Network

Scott Shireman, an experienced higher education administrator with deep expertise in global and online education, will become the inaugural director of the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit.