05
March
2025

Advanced Networking Community Exchange

Behind the Advanced Networking Track with Dawn Ng: Shaping an Unmissable CommEX25 

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By Kenneth Lewis - Communications Specialist

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Dawn Ng from GÉANT and Fellow Program Committee Members Lend Insights to Bring Community Exchange to Life

What makes Internet2 Community Exchange a staple event for executive leaders and innovators across the global research and education (R&E) community? A program uniquely powered by community priorities, experience, and expertise. 

In this Shaping an Unmissable CommEX25 series, we spotlight the leaders behind this year’s program, taking place April 28 – May 1 in Anaheim, CA.

Dawn Ng is a senior community program manager at GÉANT, Europe’s leading collaboration on network and related infrastructure and services for the benefit of R&E. She collaborated with fellow program committee members Marc Hoit (North Carolina State University) and Andrew Buker (University of Nebraska) to shape the Advanced Networking Track. Together, they focused on increasing innovative approaches, accessibility of the topics, creative ways to enhance sessions, and a balance of thematic areas.

Much of the Advanced Networking Track explores innovation and collaboration when delivering academic and research services across institutions. However, Ng’s sights are explicitly set on AI in a world of global community exchange. 

Dawn Ng profile picture.

Dawn Ng

  • Senior Community Program Manager, GÉANT
  • Years of Experience in the R&E Community: 1.5
  • Fun Fact: “I am also on the PC for TNC, Europe’s global R&E conference.”

“AI was obviously the hottest topic,” Ng said. “But our track selected one that will discuss how the community is coming together at a global level to exchange knowledge and experiences on AI applications in R&E.”


Tell us about your role in curating the Advanced Networking Track for the 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange. How do community members’ insights and expertise shape the program?


Ng: Being on CommEX’s program committee has been a wonderful experience. It was the first time I worked directly with Internet2 and its community members, and I learned so much about the R&E landscape in the U.S. At GÉANT, I manage our community program, so community is at the heart of everything I do. Because of this, I also noted many parallels in how Internet2 values community. Since I am not a technical expert, I focused on innovative approaches, accessibility of the topics, creative ways to enhance sessions, and a balance of thematic areas.

2. How do this year’s Advanced Networking Track sessions reflect the most pressing priorities and opportunities for the R&E community?

Ng: AI was obviously the hottest topic. So, in addition to Exploring the R&E Policy Landscape and Breaking the Speed Limit: Solving Cloud Data Transfer Bottlenecks, our track selected one session that will discuss how the community is coming together at a global level to exchange knowledge and experiences on AI applications in R&E. 

This session, titled Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Next-Generation NREN Services: A New Community Hub for Collaboration, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30th

This session explores how GÉANT’s new special interest group on AI provides a platform to share knowledge on potential applications of AI within national research and education networks (NRENs). This new community is rapidly expanding in Europe and beyond. With GÉANT’s NRENs having similarities to NRENs in North America, this session will shed light on those parallels and help us discover how to better work together and shape our community through global collaboration.

What specific sessions in the Advanced Networking Track are you most excited about and why?

Ng: I am really excited to attend MS-CC Climate Science Program Endeavors on Wednesday, April 30th. Since 2024 was the planet’s warmest year on record, it is crucial now more than ever to brainstorm ways to help navigate and lighten the effects of climate change in the R&E community. 

I’m intrigued to hear how other institutions tackle issues on the climate and how we can work with and support each other as we continue to advance and grow in this area. It’ll be exciting to share with and learn from each other.

Social events and in-person interactions are highlights of the conference experience, as well. What are you most looking forward to, and how does gathering in person with peers across the R&E community add unique professional value for you?

Ng: As a first-timer coming from Europe, I really look forward to meeting US-based peers and understanding how the R&E sector ticks over there. I am primarily in contact with NREN (national R&E network) representatives so it will be a different experience meeting participants from higher education institutions.

It will also be interesting to find out what kind of community initiatives are taking place across Internet2’s ecosystem and explore how we can potentially bring our communities even closer together.

5. As someone deeply involved in shaping this year’s Community Exchange program, what do you hope attendees take away from the conference overall?

Ng: As with most conferences, attendees get inspired and enthused. Then, they go back home to reality. I hope people find ways to stay connected, join a community group, and remember that this was not a one-off event but the beginning of something much bigger!

See You in Anaheim for CommEX25

Are you ready to shape the future of R&E? Join community leaders and innovators at CommEX25.

Now is the time to explore the full program and plan your experience. Whether you’re seeking inspiration from AI visionary Noelle Russell’s keynote, diving into R&E’s toughest challenges with community experts, or strengthening collaborations through interactive sessions and social events, Community Exchange is where connections spark big ideas.

CommEX25

Thank You to the Program Committee

Community exchange committee group photo

CommEX25 is an unmissable event thanks to the dedication of 11 community leaders serving on the program committee: 

  • Andrew Buker, University of Nebraska
  • Dedra Chamberlin, Cirrus Identity
  • Melanie Douglas, UC Santa Cruz
  • Marc Hoit, North Carolina State University
  • John McGuthry, Cal State Polytechnic, Pomona
  • Hector Molina, Fayetteville State University
  • Dawn Ng, GÉANT
  • Kivanc Oner, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Drew Sidel, Google
  • Petrus Williams, J. Paul Getty Trust
  • Hellen Zziwa, Harvard University

About the Author(s)

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Kenneth Lewis klewis@internet2.edu

Communications Specialist

Kenneth Lewis is a Communications Specialist at Internet2 with diverse experiences in educational contexts and environments. With a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Teaching, Kenneth's focus is increasing the engagement, relevancy, and retention of large, diverse audiences by creating copy and messaging that communicates the intrinsic and extrinsic value of programs, experiences, and educational products.