Frank Seesink, a senior network engineer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a TechEX26 program committee chair who helped curate the Advanced Networking track.
With 28 years of experience in the R&E community, Frank is a tenacious learner and problem-solver. These qualities show up in a program that brings new ideas to the table, sparks productive debate, and balances concrete takeaways with space for the unexpected.
We asked Frank about this year’s Advanced Networking track, including how the sessions will help engineers navigate pressure points around artificial intelligence and a wave of retirements that is outpacing the pipeline of emerging technical talent. He also shared why the track’s new unconference format might produce the most meaningful and memorable conversations of the week.
Meet Frank Seesink
Senior Network Engineer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
How long have you been involved in the R&E community?
28 years
Fun fact about you:
I was born in The Hague, the son of a Dutch sea captain. I speak four human languages — Dutch, English, Portuguese, and Spanish — and know even more programming languages.
What restaurants in Minneapolis would you recommend?
The News Room and Hell’s Kitchen are within walking distance of the conference hotel. I have good memories from both when TechEX was in Minneapolis in 2023.
Despite the Pressures, ‘The Advanced Networking Track Offers Hope’
What’s a pressure point you’re hearing about from peers across the R&E community right now, and how does the Advanced Networking track address it?
Two areas that come to mind are artificial intelligence and large language models, as well as staffing. Everyone is currently grappling with the impacts of AI, from how it’s changing our day-to-day work to the infrastructure needed to support it. The other problem, showing up more between the lines, is that an entire generation of network engineers will soon be aging out of the workforce. How will the R&E community replace them, and how do we transfer that knowledge before they go?
Our track is addressing both. With sessions on using AI and LLMs alongside core networking topics — SmartNICs and DPUs, optical fiber, IPv6, and network measurement and monitoring — at both basic and advanced levels, we’re helping engineers gain experience while building a knowledge-sharing community that can ease the workforce transition. That’s why I think the Advanced Networking track offers hope.
Featured Sessions:
- Hands-On AI-Powered Network Troubleshooting with LibreChat and MCP | (separate registration required) | Monday, Oct. 26
- What’s Happening in Network Services and a View of Open Source Looking Glass | Tuesday, Oct. 27
Who is in the room in the Advanced Networking track, and how does that set TechEX apart from other conferences?
The Advanced Networking track obviously draws network engineers, managers, and network automation folks. However, we run the gamut. We typically attract a diverse range of attendees since networking touches so many other disciplines. That includes people involved in information security, research, identity management, cloud, and AI and LLMs.
This sets the Internet2 Technology Exchange apart from many other conferences, which tend to focus on just a few areas. TechEX brings together various perspectives across the spectrum, which allows for the kind of cross-pollination of ideas and collaboration that is both essential to R&E yet also challenging to pull off.
Featured Sessions:
- University of Minnesota Next Generation Network Project (NGN3) | Tuesday, Oct. 27
- Deploying ASPA: Tools, Workflows, and Lessons from the ARIN Perspective | Wednesday, Oct. 28
- Operationalizing AI in Research Networks: Data Pipelines, Topology Intelligence, and Lessons from AmLight | Wednesday, Oct. 28
What’s a session or topic in your track this year that you think will surprise people, and what’s the conversation you’re most looking forward to having at TechEX26?
Choosing a single session or topic is challenging. Beyond the wide range of topics being covered, what I expect to surprise people this year are the new unconference blocks and the lightning talks where, frankly, nobody knows yet what is going to happen. But I am looking forward to seeing what topics the community truly wants to delve into more deeply.
The conversation I am most looking forward to is the one I did not expect. I learned long ago that the best moments at TechEX tend to be ones I did not schedule or plan.
Featured Sessions:
- Lightning Talks | Wednesday, Oct. 28
- How RENs Are Changing | Thursday, Oct. 29
PLUS: Don’t Miss Peer-to-Peer, the Advanced Networking Unconference
New to TechEX26, the Peer-to-Peer unconference invites network engineers, cloud architects, security professionals, and automation experts to surface the week’s hot topics and keep the conversation going. Join us in the afternoon on Thursday, Oct. 29, to pitch your own topics and participate in the breakout discussions that resonate most. Stay for the wrap-up session and reception to discuss the day with your colleagues.
Lead the Conversation at TechEX26
TechEX26 is just eight weeks away. If you’re a member of the global R&E technical community, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to participate in discussions about the future of R&E.
Take some time to explore the full TechEX26 program across all four tracks: Advanced Networking, Cloud Technology, Identity & Access Management, and Information Security. Don’t skip the tutorials and workshops that kick off the conference on Monday, Oct. 26. Also, plan your travel so you can close out the week with the new Peer-to-Peer Advanced Networking Unconference on Thursday, Oct. 29.
New to TechEX?
Check out our first-timers’ guide to TechEX. The guide includes pre-conference resources, tips, and information about exclusive events for TechEX newcomers to help you connect and make the most of the experience.