A Decade of Innovation: UTSA’s Open Cloud Institute celebrates 10-year legacy

Left to right: Jeff Prevost, Sanchita Ghose and Deborah Prevost at the OCI 10-year anniversary celebration.

JUNE 4, 2025 — The UTSA Open Cloud Institute (OCI) recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary with over 40 affiliated faculty, students and alumni in attendance to mark the occasion.

The institute was launched in 2015 with support from Graham Weston through the 80|20 Foundation. Its aim was to make UTSA a national leader in cloud computing research, education and workforce development.

Today, that vision has not only been realized — it has become a driving force in shaping the technological future of San Antonio and beyond.

“Looking at all the faces of OCI, I’m filled with pride knowing that our alumni are out in the world making a real difference,” said Jeff Prevost, OCI director. “It’s been an incredible 10 years, and I’m so grateful for the journey we've taken together.”

“I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years bring in this rapidly evolving, exciting field.”

Jeff Prevost, OCI director, speaks at the 10th anniversary event.

Since its founding, the institute has stood at the forefront of cloud computing innovation, forging deep partnerships with industry leaders, advancing cutting-edge research and preparing hundreds of students for high-impact careers in the digital economy. With its interdisciplinary approach, OCI has fostered collaboration between the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, the College of Sciences and the Alvarez College of Business to ensure that students are equipped with both the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed to lead in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

The institute has supported the development of educational programs focused on cloud computing such as the Graduate Certificate in Cloud Computing. Launched in 2017, the 12-credit program builds on existing cloud coursework to prepare students for advanced roles in the growing field.

The institute also partnered with the 80|20 Foundation to create Catalyst Lab, a 10-week summer fellowship program that matches highly skilled UTSA graduate students with local technology companies seeking expertise in areas like cloud computing, data science, machine learning and cybersecurity. The program aims to bridge the gap between academic training and industry needs in San Antonio.

Students have the opportunity to engage with OCI’s industry partners, including Yahoo, Seagate, Rackspace, Facebook, National Science Foundation (NS, Schlumberger, FileStack and Cisco Systems.

The institute also provides financial support to students engaged in these programs and has granted $1.3 million in scholarships to 183 students to date.

“OCI consistently recognized and supported my work, featuring it in events and social media, including the ‘OCI Women in Cloud’ honor in March 2023,” said Sanchita Ghose ’22, who earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering alongside the Graduate Certificate in Cloud Computing with support and mentorship from OCI.

“That spotlight helped to attract potential research collaborators and students to my projects. They helped me to build critical skills in applied AI, project development and cross-disciplinary communication, which continue to shape my approach to research today,” she added.

After graduating, Ghose began working as assistant professor in computer engineering at San Francisco State University. She serves as the director of the university’s AI Lab for Augmented Multimodal Perception (AI-Lamp) and a researcher on projects backed by NSF and Department of Defense funding.

Ghose is one of over 200 students studying cloud computing and related fields who have received support from OCI.

In addition to its work with students, the Open Cloud Institute has established itself as a key contributor to research at UTSA, managing 33 research projects and 12 cost centers with the involvement of 10 contributing Principal Investigators (PIs). The institute’s research portfolio totals $6.2 million, including $5.9 million in externally sponsored research.

At its inception, the institute received an endowment, called the Cloud Technology Endowment, which supplies $4.8 million in funding from the 80|20 Foundation. Through this endowment, the institute has delivered seed grants to seven UTSA faculty excelling in research and teaching in cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analytics.

These seed grants are designed to support early-stage research, helping faculty develop innovative ideas and generate preliminary results that enhance competitiveness for larger extramural funding opportunities. With this support, UTSA researchers have published their research in journals such as IEEE, arXiv and Research Gate; they have also secured seven U.S. patents.

Beyond the walls of UTSA, OCI has played a critical role in strengthening the San Antonio technology ecosystem. Through workforce development initiatives, industry partnerships and community engagement, the institute has helped position San Antonio as a growing hub for cloud computing and cybersecurity innovation.

Earlier this year, the center created a newly appointed advisory board composed of industry leaders, academic experts and community stakeholders, which is charged with developing a strategic vision for “OCI 2.0.” The new strategic plan will emphasize innovation and collaboration in cloud and AI technologies. The team also expects to play a vital role in the launch and evolution of the UTSA College of AI, Cyber and Computing.

“The new school will attract more students and faculty who are passionate about cloud computing research, and we'll be ready to support and collaborate with them in exciting new ways,” Prevost said. “I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years bring in this rapidly evolving, exciting field.”

— Laurie De La Paz-Noriega and Audrey Gray