ETSU’s Offices of Information Technology and Research and Sponsored Programs are sponsoring two information sessions on Feb. 12 to provide the community with information about Internet2.
Internet2, or I2, is a high-speed network driven by over 200 U.S. universities, 60 leading corporations, government agencies and technology vendors that allows teachers and students from around the world to join forces on research and teaching projects.
Members of I2 are testing new technologies that will enable revolutionary Internet applications. These applications require extremely high-speed connections that are not possible on the global Internet due to heavy network traffic.
I2 allows information to move at speeds about a thousand times faster than the typical home broadband connection.
“[Internet2] will allow expanded capabilities for everyone,” said Pamela Plotkin, director of sponsored programs at ETSU and member of the Tennessee Board of Regents Internet2 task force.
“There’s a lot of collaborative work happening because of Internet2,” she said. “People in various parts of the country and world can collaborate on anything from art to science projects.”
Through I2, medical students can watch surgeries from across the country in real-time and experience them as if they were in the room because the high bandwidth enables almost instant transfer of full-screen high-definition video and sound.
I2 is also assisting in astronomy research by allowing the connection of the two Gemini Observatory telescopes in Chile and Hawaii. Though the twin telescopes are on opposite sides of the equator and separated by 7,000 miles, they can now be used in tandem for experiments that require viewing the entire sky.
The information sessions are open to anyone who wishes to attend and are intended to educate the community, K-12 educators and other area colleges and universities about I2. “The other goal is to get feedback regarding how [people] would use I2 in their teaching and research programs,” Plotkin said.
One session will take place from 10 a.m.-noon on the VA campus, Building 1, Room B 06, followed by an optional lunch from noon-1:30 p.m. The second session will take place from 2-4 p.m. in Warf-Pickel Hall, Room 315.
Pre-registration is recommended if you plan to attend one of these sessions. To register, visit: http://www.etsu.edu/ospa/Internet2.htm.

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