Dr. David Underwood, associate vice president for academic affairs at Arkansas Tech University, has accepted an invitation to serve on the National Internet2 K20 Advisory Committee.
According to its Web site, the National Internet2 K20 Advisory Committee provides input, ideas and feedback that help shape, guide and inspire innovations in advanced applications, network services, middleware and content for educational institutions.
As a member of the committee, Underwood will be at the forefront of technological advances in education and learn new ways that Arkansas Tech can utilize that technology to benefit its students.
“Now that Arkansas Tech is part to the Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE-ON), our university is an equal player in terms of access to bandwidth and connectivity,” said Underwood. “We can participate real-time in high definition audio and video with other educational institutions around the world. The issue is now that we have faster network connections, what are we going to do with it?”
Underwood and other educational leaders from around the country will discuss that question next week during a National Internet2 K20 Advisory Committee meeting in Bozeman, Mont.
“With new technology, there is always a lag period,” said Underwood. “You get access to the new technology, you play with it to find out what it can do and then you have to change your thinking. You have to get away from thinking about what you could do before, and start thinking outside that box to realize what is possible now.”
