By
Amber Rasche - Senior Communications Specialist, Internet2
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Opting Out of a Keynote and Opting In for More Cross-Audience Exchanges, Reduced Registration Rates, and Increased Scholarships to Support Diversity and Inclusion
We’ve all seen it. Some of us have done it.
With the conference keynote only minutes away, a small group of community colleagues is huddled in a nearby space, deeply absorbed in conversation. It may be a continued debate on a critical breakout session topic or an impromptu hallway discussion. Either way, the keynote intro music is sounding, but this conversation is just too good to put on hold.
We get it – and, after a two-plus-year hiatus from gathering in person, the drive to make the most of the time engaging with each other is stronger than ever. That’s why one of the ways we’re shaking things up for the 2022 Internet2 Technology Exchange is by opting out of a keynote.
The community’s feedback indicates they want the annual Technology Exchange to live up to its name. That means maximizing opportunities to interact with peers, more time for small group discussions, and new ways to engage on topics that reflect research and education’s most pressing needs.
For 2022, we’re announcing a Technology Exchange program that delivers on all that and more.
| Register to Join Us |
| We’re back to convening in person and can’t wait to see you! Join us in Denver, Colorado, from Dec. 5-9 for the 2022 Internet2 Technology Exchange. Register now! |
In lieu of the keynote, we’re introducing a series of sessions designed to draw a cross-section of audiences tackling critical topics. That includes “Influencing Tech Policy for Good,” a panel discussion on how to get involved in the technology policy and regulatory decisions at a national level that affect our campuses, professions, and personal lives; “Cyber Security Exercising with Sirtfi,” a presentation on InCommon’s first distributed cyber security incident tabletop exercise and lessons learned; and “OpenStack vs Azure Stack – Hybrid Cloud,” a session on an NSF-funded project to create a hybrid cloud for researchers.
These and other cross-audience sessions dive into complex and complicated challenges involving multiple campus stakeholders who – from a distance – may appear to have conflicting needs, priorities, and strategies. Solving such challenges requires bringing those multiple perspectives to the table.
That’s why the TechEX22 experience is focused on providing a trusted forum to step out of our comfort zones and engage in debate and discussion across areas of expertise.
Decreased Registration Rates, Increased Inclusivity
We’re also reducing registration rates this year to enable broader participation, and we’re increasing the Internet2 Inclusivity Initiative (I2I) Scholarship Awards to support diversity and inclusion in the community. These changes are all possible because of community feedback and support – thank you!
At TechEX22, you’ll see familiar faces and meet new community members who have fresh insights to share. You’ll find exciting content in all five tracks – Advanced Networking, Cloud Technology, Identity and Access Management, Information Security, and Research Engagement – along with tutorials, workshops, and co-located events. Ultimately, you’ll be part of the conversation to ensure we’re all aligned and moving forward together – and it’s a conversation that’s just too good to put on hold.
About the Author(s)
Amber Rasche contributes to Internet2’s strategic communications and public relations efforts. She has 10 years of experience with the research and education community, serving previous roles in both higher education information technology and government high-performance network environments.