News 10-01-2002
Sponsor: We approach e-Learning a little differently.
When you provide an e-Learning solution for faculty and staff, you don't have
to go it alone. Whether you're starting to implement e-Learning or you are a
veteran, Element K will deliver extensive service. To learn more and get your
free guide, How To Train Faculty and Staff With E-Learning, visit http://go.elementk.com/syen1001
or call 1-800-434-3466
U. Toronto Buys Two Cray SX-6 Supercomputers
The University of Toronto purchased two interconnected Cray Inc. SX-6 supercomputers
to support its research related to the Earth's interior and atmosphere. Specific
projects include modeling the Earth's magnetic field; simulating ice age development
and the accompanying variations in sea level; enhancing a coupled atmosphere-ocean-ice-land
climate model; simulating the distribution of methane and carbon monoxide in
the troposphere; and modeling the thermal convection process within the Earth's
mantle, which causes plate tectonics. "The Cray SX-6 system is ideal for the
large-scale calculations we need to make to advance our science, and we are
excited about the opportunities it makes available to do innovative and ground-breaking
studies," said Pekka Sinervo, professor of physics at Toronto.
Sponsor: Featured Session on Wireless Networking at Syllabus fall2002
With the deployment of wireless networking, students and faculty alike are
beginning to enjoy the freedom of roaming unfettered through campus with their
notebook and handheld computers. Will wireless networking change teaching and
course administration? What are the security issues? A panel discussion led
by Judith B'ettcher, CREN, will present first-hand observations and studies
of wireless usage on campus at Syllabus fall2002. This education technology
conference, held Nov. 3-5 at the Boston Marriott Newton Hotel, includes keynote
speakers, breakout sessions, a vendor fair and an opportunity to network with
colleagues focused on technology in higher education.
For information and to register, go to www.syllabus.com/fall2002.
UNC Wilmington Signs Tech-Transfer Agreement
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington signed its first-ever technology-transfer
licensing agreement with aaiPharma Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company.
The deal aims to transfer scientific discoveries by university researchers into
future medicines. UNCW is studying molecules that might be used to develop life
saving medicines from pharmaceutically active entities found in coastal waters.
Once a new entity is identified as having pharmacological activity, it will
be offered to aaiPharma. If commercially viable, aaiPharma will move the compound
through the drug development and approval process. If approved by federal regulators,
aaiPharma will take over sales and marketing of the medicine, or license it
to a third party.
College Group Offers e-Learning to High Schoolers
The consortium of 19 independent community colleges are using higher ed e-learning
software from WebCT to offer for-credit courses to high school students, including
those schooled at home.
The New Jersey Virtual Community College Consortium
will also offer "collaborative degrees" composed of courses mixed and matched
from the schools. The colleges formed the consortium four years ago to provide
distance learning courses to one another's students. Starting this month, high
school students can take the WebCT-based Internet courses for early college
credit, enrichment or as make-up work for extended absences due to illness.
"The Internet has ... ripped down campus boundaries so that it is easy, cost-effective
and good business to extend courses to new constituencies," said Mark Kassop,
chair of the NJVCCC and Distance Learning Coordinator at Bergen Community College.
University Installs Campuswide Video-on-Demand
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore is installing a broadband
video on demand application that will enable 22,000 NTU staff and students to
view video clips from the university's Media Library at any campus location.
Using the university Internet portal students and staff can browse lists of
pre-defined categories or conduct a search of available titles. If a requested
selection has not been pre-digitized, a message is sent to a librarian, who
will encode the video into MPEG-1 in real-time and stream it in unicast mode
over the university's local area network to a student at a particular campus
PC. NTU used encoding and streaming platforms, MPEG MovieMaker and MGW 2000,
from Israel-based Optibase, Ltd., a developer broadband streaming platforms.
Clemson, BMW Partner on Automotive Engineering
Clemson University and BMW Manufacturing Corp. announced a partnership to build
an automotive engineering graduate education center in South Carolina to meet
the academic and research needs of BMW, its suppliers and the state's growing
automotive industry. BMW pledged $10 million to endow the academic programs
while the state will provide $25 million to construct and equip a state-of-the-
art facility to house the center. The BMW gift is the largest cash donation
in Clemson history. The center will feature facilities for automotive research
and development and graduate engineering programs in mass customization. The
program will offer masters and doctoral degrees in automotive engineering. Clemson
president James Barker called the center a major step in Clemson's quest to
be a top 20 public university.
Coleman Admissions Institutes Web Voice Services Implements Viper Networks
Technology
Coleman College, a computer and technical training school, said it would purchase
technology for its training school Web sites to enable prospective students
to speak live with counselors and admissions representatives at its La Mesa
and San Marcos, Calif., campus locations while viewing the Coleman College Web
site. The school will use Viper Networks Inc.'s Viper Connect application. Utah-based
Viper specializes in blending IP-based technologies including e-mail broadcast,
Java-based streaming video, and customer relationship management tools. The
company said Viper Connect had the "power of human interaction to Web sites,
e-mail campaigns and banner ads."
