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As part of my Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) from Penn State, I completed a professional paper in 2001, An Internet2 Program for Geology Education.

Download my professional paper in PDF form.



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An Internet2 Program for Geology Education

Abstract
The Internet2 is one of the most exciting initiatives in the world of information technology today. Introducing a new Internet2 program can be challenging - functionally, technically and fiscally. Remote classrooms, virtual laboratories and three-dimensional modeling using the Internet2 network are starting to be seen in disciplines such as music, medicine, and physics. Geology is an extremely visual discipline that requires visiting many locales, many visual aids, and three-dimensional visualization. It is natural to combine the high-bandwidth capabilities of the Internet2 with the visually intensive demands of geology education. The Internet2 is a natural extension of geology education as the Internet2 can help bring far away places to you.

This paper examines the requirements, both functionally and technically, of an Internet2 program for geology education and presents a potential model for other similar Internet2 applications. This paper may serve as a guide for geology departments wanting to move to the world of high-bandwidth by considering technical matters of the Internet2. Hence, the core audience for this paper is the educator familiar with geology, but perhaps unfamiliar with the Internet2 and it’s potential.

There is a secondary benefit to specifying an Internet2 program related to earth science education. One of the difficulties in specifying the needs of an Internet2 program is the language barrier between network engineers and professors who may be unfamiliar with cutting-edge technology. This paper attempts to "even the playing field", helping earth scientists understand the considerations of a high-bandwidth application. At the same time, it may raise awareness of common earth science educational goals for the university network administrator.