Renee Bryce, a professor in the University of North Texas, College of Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Engineering received the 2018 Tech Titans of the Future– University Level Award, which included a $25,000 prize. 

The award honors Dallas-Fort Worth higher education institutions that encourage and support students in pursuing engineering- and technology-related disciplines.

Bryce was recognized for creating the Bug Catcher and Bug Wars programs that have engaged thousands of high school and college students both in DFW and nationally to expose them to the tech field.

“The Tech Titans organization is very generous. I am grateful to be part of the North Texas tech community that works hard to provide opportunities for students in our region through computing-related outreach projects such as: Camps and competitions, robotics teams, volunteering in schools, organizing clubs and workshops at libraries, inviting students to work in research labs, and more,” said Bryce.

Bug Catcher is a software testing competition system where students compete to find the most bugs in problem sets as quickly as possible. The competition is accessible to students with or without programming experience. More than 2,000 high school and undergraduate students have participated in the program. 

Bug Wars provides opportunities for undergraduate students to work on research related to emerging technologies. The program has served more than 60 students and recently has been expanded to reach an additional 30 students. 

Tech Titans represents a quarter million employees in North Texas through its 300 member companies, which range from startups to Fortune 500 companies. It offers the regional technology community a forum to collaborate, share and drive innovations. Its annual awards recognize individuals and companies who are helping transform the high-tech industry.