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Campus: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo -- January 25, 2002
Cal Poly Joins Internet2 Consortium - The Internet's Next Frontier
Cal Poly has become the third California State University to hook
up to Internet2, a new private Internet system linking 180 member universities
and colleges and 60 corporations at speeds light-years faster than offered
on the commercial Internet.
The Internet2 connection will allow Cal Poly students and faculty access
to expensive equipment, advanced software applications and graphic research
databases at other member campuses. Examples of equipment available for
'remote control' operation by Cal Poly faculty and students via Internet2
include the $4 million electron microscope at CSU Hayward; the twin towers
of the Gemini Observatory (one in Hawaii and one in Chile); and the nanoManipulator
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a network of scanning
probe microscopes enabling users to see, feel and manipulate samples ranging
in size from DNA to single atoms.
Other university technology available to Cal Poly students and faculty
via Internet2 includes the 3-D brain-mapping project at the University
of Pittsburgh, the Space Physics and Aeronomy Research Collaboratory at
the University of Michigan, and the 3-D medical anatomy database at the
University of Chicago.
"Our membership in Internet2 is essential to our continuing role
as one of this nation's leading polytechnic universities," said Cal
Poly President Warren J. Baker. "This Internet2 connection will allow
our faculty and students access to the latest research and developments
across the United States, as well as "hands on" experience with
expensive high-tech equipment the university would otherwise not be able
to purchase. Our connection to Internet2 is critical to carrying out our
educational mission."
The arrival of Internet2 capability at Cal Poly will also benefit local
students in grades K-12. Through a partnership with the San Luis Obispo
County Office of Education, K-12 teachers and their students will have
access to data, graphics and research available on Internet2.
With the activation of Internet2 on campus in the Kennedy Library computer
lab today, Cal Poly joins two other CSU campuses (Hayward and Pomona)
and all nine University of California campuses (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine,
Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa
Cruz) as Internet2 members.
Initial membership in the Internet2 consortium cost Cal Poly roughly $45,000.
The university will pay about that much annually to maintain Internet2
membership and access. Cal Poly spent another $25,000 on equipment to
provide a single Internet2 access point in the Kennedy Library and each
of the colleges. The initial costs and the first two years of Internet2
fees were paid for by federal grants awarded to Cal Poly with the assistance
of U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara).
The Department of Defense grants were awarded to the university for its
California Central Coast Research Partnership.
The partnership is being formed to create a technology park on the Cal
Poly campus to house public and private partners interested in technology
research and ventures. Partners in the planned "C3RP" technology
park will have access to Internet2 for their research and development
operations, and will pay for that access.
Dean of Research and Graduate Programs Susan Opava explained that the
seed funds to stimulate development of the research park and pay for the
Internet2 startup costs came from two federal sources: DOD and Housing
and Urban Development grants.
"Internet2 was seen as a way to encourage applied research that
will be of tremendous benefit to Cal Poly and the Central Coast in general,"
Opava said.
As funds become available, more classrooms and laboratories on campus
will be hooked up to Internet2 for in-class instruction, independent
study and lab research. Cal Poly Vice Provost for Information Technology
Jerry Hanley said he expects Internet2 connections and applications
to become a standard fixture on university campuses. "Fifteen years
ago, nobody knew what the Internet was, and it has since evolved to
become a part of everyone's life," he explained.
Without an Internet2 connection the campus would run the risk of being
left behind when it comes to education and research, Hanley said. The
connection to Internet2, he stressed, "will assure we remain on
the leading edge of educational technology."
For more details on Internet2, visit the Internet2 Web site at www.internet2.edu.
For press information, including available video clips, visit http://www.internet2.edu/html/infokit.html
Editors: For more information on Internet2, Contact Cal Poly Vice Provost
for Information Technology Jerry Hanley at 756-5541, or jhanley@calpoly.edu.
For more information on the California Central Coast Research Partnership
(C3RP), contact Mike Manchak at 756-5551 or mmanchak@calpoly.edu.
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