News for and about the Internet2 community

["Lauren Rotman" <>]

Tennessee State Education Network Connects to Internet2's Next-Generation
Nationwide Network

Connection to Enable K20 Students Across the State to Participate in
Leading-Edge Internet-Based Educational Opportunities

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - November 21, 2006 - Children across the state of
Tennessee will soon have access to one of the fastest networks in the world.
Internet2 today announced that Tennessee's statewide education network has
become an Internet2 Sponsored Education Group Participant (SEGP) which will
enable it to connect directly to Internet2's nationwide high performance
network. Leveraging this connection, Tennessee will participate in the
Internet2 K20 Initiative which will provide its students access to
cutting-edge, Internet-based educational opportunities not available today
on the commercial Internet. 

"Through this program, made possible through generous sponsorships by the
University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee, teachers and students
across Tennessee will be able to collaborate with their peers all over the
world in virtual classrooms and laboratories that are revolutionizing the
way young students learn - regardless of their physical location," said Dr.
Louis Fox, director, Internet2 K20 Initiative and vice provost, University
of Washington. "Today, using Internet2 and other advanced technology,
teachers aren't just telling students about oceanography or astronomy or
chemistry - they are actually able to provide live multimedia experiences
with high-definition images of the ocean floor or distant planets and stars
or provide access to highly advanced equipment like remote electron
microscopes, among many other resources."

The Tennessee SEGP, which will connect to Internet2's network through the
University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee and Southern Crossroads
(SoX), brings together Tennessee schools, libraries, community colleges,
performing arts centers and museums. In particular, the network will be used
promote inter-cultural exchanges through high quality video-conferencing
with school districts in Korea, China and Russia.  In addition, the
connection has the potential to link The Tennessee School for the Deaf in
Knoxville to other schools for the deaf in the region to experiment with
high-quality/high-definition videoconferencing that enables them to better
use sign language.

"The Tennessee SEGP program is truly a watershed opportunity for Tennessee,"
noted Dr. Doug Hurley, vice president for information technology and CIO at
the University of Memphis. "SEGP 'flattens' the teaching and research
landscape across Tennessee by enabling sharing and collaboration regardless
of location or institutional type, in ways we have only dreamed of before."

The Tennessee K20 community will also be able to tap into already
established programs under the Internet2 K20 initiative like master music
classes taught by world-renowned musicians at the New World Symphony or the
Manhattan School of Music using DVD-quality videoconferencing or events like
Megaconference Jr, an annual project that uses videoconferencing technology
to bring together thousands of students in elementary and secondary schools
from around the world for an all-day learning conference. Tennessee students
can also to take part in famed oceanographer Bob Ballard's immersion project
to receive live interactive undersea exploration demonstrations from divers
in remote locations around the world.

Brice Bible, University of Tennessee CIO said "Internet2 represents one of
the most advanced networks in the world. The Tennessee SEGP program allows
all Tennessee students and faculty to collaborate and participate in
innovative learning experiences wherever they may be."

For more information, visit: http://k20.internet2.edu

About Internet2
Internet2 is the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Led by the
research and education community since 1996, Internet2 promotes the missions
of its members by providing both leading-edge network capabilities and
unique partnership opportunities that together facilitate the development,
deployment and use of revolutionary Internet technologies. Internet2 brings
the U.S. research and academic community together with technology leaders
from industry, government and the international community to undertake
collaborative efforts that have a fundamental impact on tomorrow's Internet.
For more information: http://www.internet2.edu/

About the Internet2 Sponsored Educational Group Participant (SEGP) Program
The SEGP program is intended to allow expanded access to the Internet2
Abilene network for state and regional education networks, through
sponsorship by Internet2 university members. State and regional networks may
include nonprofit and for-profit K20 educational institutions, museums,
libraries, art galleries, or hospitals that require routine collaboration on
instructional, clinical and/or research projects, services and content with
Internet2 members or with other sponsored participants. The program began in
early 2001 and has since connected 35 state K-12/K-20 networks.


CONTACT:  
Lauren Rotman
Internet2

202.331.5345



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