GPN2008: The Great Plains Network Annual Meeting
A lot has happened this year. There has been a convergence of technologies, a convergence on the Level3 PoP, and a convergence of ideas as we pulled together several projects and proposals and planned for the future.
Join us for the 2008 Annual Meeting, which will be held May 29-30, at the Embassy Suites in Kansas City, Mo.!
Keynote speakers will include Rick Summerhill (Internet2), Taieb Znati(Division Director of the National Science Foundation’s Division of Computer and Chip
Elliott (BBN) who is the GENI Project Manager.
In addition to updates on the network, latest technologies (e.g., Dynamic Circuits), and roundtable discussions on topics of interest (e.g., campus emergency systems , and see article below), this will be a chance to visit with colleagues from across GPN.
Registration for the Annual Meeting is now open. To register go here!
GPN is looking for presenters too. Register to give a presentation go here.
GPN K20 Group Facilitates “Lessons from Greensburg”
What's left of Greensburg Highschool after tornados ripped through the town in May 2007.
On March 11, the GPN SEGP in coordination with the Kansas Association for Interactive Distance Education (KAIDE) organization hosted a series of Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) sessions, streamed from Greensburg, Kan., the site of a tornado disaster that destroyed most of the town in May 2007.
The event was a success, with 86 connections from the states of Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.
To watch the streamed session, go here.
GPN Representative Profile: Roberta Ambur, University of South Dakota
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Roberta Ambur is the Vice President of Information Technology at The University of South Dakota. She is responsible for Technology Services and Information Services. She also chairs the Information Technology Advisory Council and is a member of the Executive Team.
Ms. Ambur has been instrumental in implementing innovative technology at The University of South Dakota to enhance the education of its students. In 2001, she helped lead the initiative to introduce Palm(TM) Handheld computers on campus, making The University of South Dakota the first in the U.S. to require Palm Handhelds for first-year students. In January 2003, the University was one of 14 companies nationwide recognized for exceptional use of network technology to further business objectives.
Also in January 2003, Roberta Ambur was recognized by Computerworld as one of the 10 Best in Class of the business
world's Premier 100 IT Leaders. Ambur was selected from hundreds of nominees and individuals who have creatively applied technology to execute their organization's business strategy. The Premier 100 IT Leaders award recognizes exceptional technology leadership, innovative approaches to business challenges, and effective execution of comprehensive IT strategies.
Prior to joining The University of South Dakota in August 2001, she served as Chief Business Officer at Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota since 1996. Previously, she served as Comptroller of Sorenson Broadcasting, a company that operated radio stations in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. She has also
held various administrative positions in the utility industry with Midwest Power Systems Inc. and South Dakota Network Telecommunications.
Ms. Ambur is a graduate of The University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Math Education and a Masters in Business Administration in Management Information Systems. She also received her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate in 1986.
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“Kansas State University has introduced a text-messaging system to alert students, faculty and staff of campus emergencies. The voluntary service, which lets qualified users register their cell phone numbers via the university's existing eProfile information system, became available Jan. 18.
‘The text-messaging system is an additional way for us to immediately inform the campus community of emergencies and to provide information on how to deal with them,’ said Thomas Rawson, vice president for administration and finance at K-State.”
In addition to the text messaging system, K-State emergency notification system includes an override of all ksu.edu Web pages, a reverse 911 telephone calling system, e-mail advisories, public police address systems, a campus public address system, tornado warning sirens, local media attention and notification for K-State staff with radios. Emergencies or crises that will warrant the use of this system include tornados, fires, chemical releases or spills, terroristic threats and active shooters. The text messaging system also informs subscribes students of school closings. |
