Temple University has joined a nationwide effort to create new routes on the information superhighway to circumvent the increasingly clogged Internet.
Timothy C. O’Rourke, the University’s Vice President of Computer and Information Systems, announced over winter break that Temple is joining an innovative program known as Internet2.
This program, which is not widely known outside of technology circles, will provide faculty and students the opportunity to partake in the newest technologies available.
“Internet2 is a collaborative effort of universities, industries and government agencies to create the Internet of the future,” said O’Rourke.
Temple Computer and Information Services staffers Eugene Kwatny, Vasileios Megalooikonomou, Zoran Obradovic and Robert Stafford are heading the University’s Internet2 effort.
Internet2, a not-for-profit consortium, is based on the concept that the common Internet community has become too cluttered and isn’t appropriate for the scholastic community.
The goal of the Internet2 project is to establish is a connected but separate forum specifically meant for and designed by educators, industries and the government.
The program was initially designed to increase network capability for all members of the research community through the use of high speed Internet to facilitate instant access to information.
Internet2 will not replace the existing Internet but will eventually be introduced to the public, initially in libraries and grade schools, similar to the way the World Wide Web and email were.
Internet2 will allow for faster transfer of new network services and applications, as well as modifying how audio and video transmissions are sent, with the goal of improving network performance
More then 200 universities across the country, including University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, Rutgers and Penn State, are already involved in the project.
Participation in Internet2 is open to any university that is capable in providing on-campus facilities that will allow for these advanced applications to be developed and implicated.
Many of industries have also become affiliates to the Internet2 program, including companies such as Johnson and Johnson, Motorola and AT&T.
Internet2 is focused on university involvement as opposed to lower education institutes because the project is still in early stages and needs committed researchers to continue development.
Because Internet2 is still a work in progress, Temple’s researchers, instructors and students at Internet2 universities will be used as guinea pigs for the program.
Students will have the opportunity to explore the features of Internet2 in fields ranging from the fine arts and communications to business and physics.
Temple has gained funding for the membership and connectivity costs of the program through a grant from the National Science Foundation, as well as matching funds from Temple’s University. (what is this?)
The University is planning an Internet2 Day to introduce this new program to students and educate them in its use.
Information is also available at www.internet2.org and soon through Temple’s Computer Services website at www.temple.edu/cs.
Holli Powitzky can be reached at hollip@temple.edu
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