Welcome from the Executive Director of ARE-ON…..

February 2009 marks the official transition of the United States to an all digital citizen of the global community.  Several years ago the higher education community took a bold step to create and artfully utilize a nationwide web of optical networks referred to as Regional Optical Networks (RONs).  Each year the leadership in more and more states is realizing the tremendous economic development potential that evolves when the research community is empowered with advanced cyber infrastructure, and the teaching faculty are enabled with significant increases in affordable bandwidth.  The Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network(ARE-ON) is the state of Arkansas’ entry into the ever-expanding RON family.

ARE-ON is a significant step forward for the state of Arkansas. Once a traditional agricultural state with fertile land provided by the meandering of massive rivers, and significant productivity provided by the hands and hearts of a rugged, yet gracious citizenry, Arkansas has embarked upon a digital age built around a river of information that has created multiple electronic “islands of opportunity”.  These islands will be bridged by a dynamic and forward-looking cyber infrastructure strategy that will continue to deploy appropriate technologies, and  leverage collaborative efforts of both research and teaching institutions. The common mission of all ARE-ON member institutions is to positively impact  economic development and opportunity for all citizens of the Natural State.

ARE-ON will remain on target, on task, and leaning forward to success as an important asset for the State of Arkansas. The best is yet to come.

Announcement

If you would like to attend the "Computational Thinking" workshop August 2 – August 8 at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, lectured by Bob Panoff and sponsored by the SC Education Program, you must register. Registration is now open! Anyone who teaches at the undergraduate level in any science or engineering field is encouraged to attend this workshop.

Go to: http://www.computationalscience.org/workshops2009 to
register for the workshop.

More information about the full slate of workshops is in the rest of this email, below. All costs except travel to/from the workshop are covered!

Here is the current schedule, with the possibility of one other that may be added:

• May 17-23: Oklahoma State U - chemistry

• June 7-13: UC Merced - biology

• June 7-13: Kean - parallel and cluster computing

• June 14-20: Widener - physics

• July 5-11: Atlanta University Center - computational thinking

• July 5-11: LSU - parallel and cluster computing

• July 12-18: U of Florida - pre-college

• July 12-18: Ohio Supercomputing Center - engineering

• Aug 2- 8: Arkansas - computational thinking

• Aug 9-15: U of Oklahoma - parallel and cluster computing
  

ARE-ON related installation activities at UCA