News for and about the Internet2 community

[Elizabeth Boten <>]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Liz Boten,

 

Internet2 Awards Community Members for Outstanding Contributions to Research & Education

Recipients honored and recognized at annual Global Summit Event

 

WASHINGTON, DC, May 18, 2016-- Today, Internet2, operator of the nation’s largest and fastest, coast-to-coast research and education infrastructure, announced additional recipients of several awards and scholarships, in recognition of outstanding service and contributions to the community and the Research and Education (R&E) industry at large. The awards were presented at the 2016 Internet2 Global Summit in Chicago. Award recipients include:

 

Gender Diversity Awards

 

The Internet2 Gender Diversity Initiative Steering Committee created and implemented a program that provides support for emerging information technology women professionals to attend Internet2 leadership and technical conferences, thereby supporting their entry into the information technology field and the Internet2 community. The 2016 recipients include:

 

Joyce R. Landreth, Director of Information Technology Support, Virginia Tech

 

For the past 29 years, Landreth has achieved success in several areas of information technology management, communication, collaboration and networking, while working with diverse constituents and colleagues. She has experience in a variety of roles and industries, including day-to-day operational support of a service desk, including a 24/7 operations center, desktop support, and the support of a variety of constituent bases and applications; working in team environments; planning and leading projects; and documenting processes and procedures. As Director of Information Technology Support,Landreth manages both a 24x7x365 operation, that is responsible for providing monitoring of critical university systems and initial trouble incidents, as well as Central IT’s Service Desk, who take escalated incidents from all of Virginia Tech’s constituent bases as well as providing desktop and VIP support to the university.

 

"I am very interested in both sharing my experiences and collaborating with others to promote my knowledge and growth in Information Technology," said Landreth. "I look forward to using the experiences of others attending the conference to establish relationships, build the knowledge capital of our collective institutions, and to help diversify information technology -- bringing greater opportunity to IT professionals in their home organizations and beyond."

 

Amber Rasche, IT communications coordinator, North Dakota State University

 

Rasche collaborates with more than 75 IT staff members at the university to plan and implement strategic communications in support of efforts to deliver core technical solutions and propel innovation. The organization serves more than 14,500 students and 6,000 faculty and staff members.

 

"I often equate my role to that of a translator— understanding the technical expertise and culture operating behind-the-scenes in a higher education IT organization while empathizing with the community of students, faculty and staff who depend on technology to do their work," said Rasche. "Understanding and empathy are key to my success as a communicator. Learning and networking events – including the 2016 Internet2 Global Summit – are invaluable opportunities to cultivate these qualities."

 

Torey Semi, PhD, Computational & Research Support Scientist, CCIT, Colorado School of Mines

 

Since June 2015, Dr. Semi has served as a computational & research support scientist, a position which was created for her skills in High Performance Computing research, and evolved from her time as a graduate student in computational physics and subsequent post-doc with the HPC group.

 

"My intention to impact the Mines community, directly and indirectly, with research and education skills that I will gain through collaboration and mentorship at the Internet2 Global Summit fits extremely well with the activities that dominate my work at Mines," said Semi. "Specifically, my in-person interactions with students, professors and researchers are natural avenues by which to propagate information and share the skills I will have acquired at Global Summit."

 

MaRita Ward, shift lead for GlobalNOC, Indiana University

 

Ward began working for the GlobalNOC in 2013 as a general support technician at the 24/7 Service Desk. In 2014, she was promoted to NOC Shift Lead where she now leads Front Days crew in the GlobalNOC’s support of Internet2’s Network and a vast portfolio of other Research and Education Networks. Her current duties include leading and training staff in effective standards, providing oversight of day-to-day operations, and customer support.

 

Richard Rose Award

Susan H. Hildreth, executive director, Califa Group, Pacific Library Partnership, Peninsula Library System, former Director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

 

The Richard Rose Award was established in 2009 to recognize extraordinary individual contributions that extend the reach of advanced networking and applications from research universities to the broadest education community, including K-12 schools, community colleges, libraries, museums, zoos, aquariums, performing arts and cultural centers, America's "anchor institutions."

 

Throughout her decades of public service at the local, state, and national level, Susan Hildreth has been a tireless advocate for the use of broadband to transform libraries, community organizations, schools and colleges to improve the lives of people in communities across the country.

 

Summarizing Susan Hildreth’s many contributions, Reed Hundt, former chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said, “Libraries are part of the fabric of the American education system – both in their formal partnerships with schools and colleges, and in the way they provide educational and vocational opportunities for all in this country, many of whom are not enrolled in formal education.  As such, this award highlights not only the accomplishments of a remarkable leader like Susan Hildreth, it underscores that libraries are an essential component in the broader education spectrum and a key partner of the Internet2 and U.S. UCAN communities. Susan’s achievements as a library leader in the education community are unparalleled.  Susan Hildreth is a national treasure.”

 

During Hildreth’s term as director of the IMLS from 2011-2015, the agency provided nearly $1 billion in support to libraries and museums with a focus on early learning, STEM-related projects, and the deployment of high-capacity broadband connectivity in libraries.   Under Susan’s leadership, the IMLS supported the Federal Communications Commission’s recent modernization of the E-rate program, which significantly expanded opportunities and funding available to schools and libraries seeking to improve their network capacity. 

 

Hildreth has also served as California State Librarian, Seattle City Librarian, and the San Francisco City Librarian where she demonstrated exceptional skill at creating partnerships and navigating policy arenas to drive innovation and raise the profile of libraries and the essential role they play in communities. 

 

Ms. Hildreth’s most recent work at Califa is focused on partnering with the California State Library and the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) to bring high-speed broadband to all of California’s public libraries by connecting them to the California Research & Education Network (CalREN). This project is advancing education and research in communities across California by providing the the world-class networking infrastructure essential for innovation, collaboration, and economic growth.  As a fellow at the Aspen Institute, Susan continues to be an important advocate for high capacity broadband access to every public library and the development of a national digital platform for libraries. 

  

James Archuleta Industry Partner Award

Ciena Corporation

 

This new award will be given to an industry member organization that has made an extraordinary commitment to partnership with Internet2 in supporting the development of services, infrastructure, programs or other capabilities that broadly benefit the Internet2 community. The award was created to honor the memory of Ciena Corporation's James "Jim" Archuleta, a longtime R&E community member who passed away earlier this year. Archuleta served on the program committee for this year's Global Summit.

 

Today, the James Archuleta Industry Partner Award honors Ciena Corporation, for their outstanding contributions and active role in the community. Ciena is a network specialist that collaborates with customers worldwide to unlock the strategic potential of their networks. 

 

The Internet2 partnership with Ciena has been multifaceted. Ciena has contributed leaders to the industry and meeting advisory groups, including Ciena executive Jeff Verrant, who currently serves as co-chair of the Internet2 Industry Program Advisory Group. Ciena helped Internet2 and Esnet co-launch the first 100G transcontinental network, and assisted Internet2, CANARIE, SURFNET, Nordunet, GEANT and Esnet launch the first 100G trans-Atlantic link. Ciena was also a pivotal contributor to Internet2’s $96M BTOP award in 2010.

 

In addition to recognizing an extraordinary industry partner, the award also remembers Archeluta and his personal connection to the community. Archuleta passed away unexpectedly in January. He was well-known, respected, and passionate about the R&E community.

 

"As news spread of Jim's passing, it became clear he was highly regarded by our staff, and by many community members who knew him as a partner, contributor, and thought leader," said Rob Vietzke, Internet2 vice president of network services. "Losing Jim has affected us all personally as his friends -- and we miss his smile, wit and his results oriented approach. This award is very much a recognition of the connection Jim made with all of us. And the example he set for us all."

 

Splunk Scholarship

Jason Sullivan, senior network engineer-security, University of Arizona

 

Splunk offered one scholarship to Global Summit attendee sought the opportunity to gain hands-on experience using machine data to find insights and improve outcomes—making education and research institutions across the board more productive, competitive and secure, as well as learn how machine data can help gain better visibility into IT systems, enabling better situational awareness and more secure, effective operations.

 

Splunk sponsored Sullivan's attendance at the Global Summit to explore the technical analysis of machine learning and automation as they relate to detecting user behaviors, and cloud integration to provide redundant services.

 

Additional award recipients were honored at the 2016 Global Summit in Chicago. Read more about the recipients of the 2016 President's Award and William "Brit" Kirwin Award.

 

About Internet2

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Internet2 is a member-owned advanced technology community founded by the nation’s leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2 provides a collaborative environment for U.S. research and education organizations to solve common technology challenges, and to develop innovative solutions in support of their educational, research and community service missions.
 
Internet2 also operates the nation’s largest and fastest, coast-to-coast research and education network, with Internet2 Network Operations Center powered by Indiana University. Internet2 serves more than 90,000 community anchor institutions, 305 U.S. universities, 70 government agencies, 42 regional and state education networks, 84 leading corporations working with our community and more than 65 national research and education networking partners representing more than 100 countries.

 

Internet2 offices are located in Ann Arbor, MI; Denver, CO; Emeryville, CA; Washington, DC; and West Hartford, CT. For more information, visit www.internet2.edu or follow@Internet2 on Twitter.