Tag: Education

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The internet is dead. Long live the internet!

The 2008 Fall Internet2 member meeting last week in New Orleans proved that Big Science is here and I’m not sure the world is prepared to handle LHC’s generated data.  The session included an HD video conference to the Large Hadron Collider.

Internet2

Session Overview:
October 15, 2008, 8:45 AM – 10:00 AM | UTC/GMT -5 hours (CDT)
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) represents a major milestone along the path towards a new understanding of the fundamental nature of the physical universe. This is a major milestone for physics, and also an important milestone for the Internet2 advanced networking community in supporting research in the U.S.

The LHC will generate many petabytes during each year of operation, and will accumulate an exabyte of real and simulated data within the first decade of its estimated 20 years of operation. Internet2 and its regional partner networks, ESnet and USLHCNet will provide the critical national and transatlantic infrastructure linking U.S. LHC scientists to the data, and to their partners in Europe and Asia.

To celebrate and highlight our community’s work, Internet2 will present a live peek behind the scenes at the LHC using advanced iHDTV technology developed by the ResearchChannel and University of Washington to provide our community a first hand view of the biggest science device on the planet and discuss the importance the community’s investment in cyberinfrastructure to this work and in future research and discovery.

This session The Importance of Cyberinfrastructure for Higher Education was truly a peek at new demands for massive data transfers over the internet.  LHC project research will be expected to generate over 5 petabytes of data.  Over today’s advanced 100Gbit networks this data will take one week to transfer from LHC to the large science research centers in America.

One week over the most advanced networks available today?  Time for an upgrade.

Tags: Internet2, bandwidth, network, fiber, globalization, petabyte, large hadron collider, LHC, CERN, gigabit, trends

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Design Education Flat World Globalization Network Reading Technology

Latest read: Bangalore Tiger

Y2K.  Remember the rush to fix computer software that was programmed to stop working on January 1 2000?  Many Americans probably did not realize their software fix was coming from Indian companies including WiPro located in Bangalore India.  Today American business is filled with examples of India’s outsourcing success.

Bangalore TigerBangalore Tiger is a must read for everyone working in Information Technology. Organizational leaders will learn how one of the larger tech companies in India is changing the rules of business competition in today’s globalized marketplace. If you read

The World Is Flat then you already know about all the success coming from India’s technology outsourcing giants in Bangalore.

If you want to learn how a company located in the heart of India’s globalization capital can thrive this book is really for you. The early chapters focus on how Wipro is taking on the West (and winning) as a new breed of tech company.

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Education Globalization Network OLPC OpenSource Technology TED

My favorite OS for kids

Sugar is a great little OS for little learners around the world.  Its the way an OS and laptop should be introduced to children.  Engineered for Children…what a concept.

Tags: OLPC, Sugar Labs, Amazon, XO, open source, globalization, trends

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Design Education Globalization Network Technology

Wipro is changing education

I have begun reading a really good book called Bangalore Tiger and have become very impressed with the closing of the fifth chapter and second section called People Principals to Lead By.

This book is about Wipro, one of India’s great IT companies.  This chapter concluded with an overview to their companies’ social responsibility initiatives and volunteer efforts in India called Wipro Cares:

The education program provides training for teachers, administrators, and parents –with the goal of fostering more creative and analytical curricula in pubic schools, rather than rote learning.  In an effort that targets underprivileged children, Wipro volunteers spend two hour every Saturday tutoring and encouraging these kids…..The Azin Premji Foundation is an attempt to help transform Indian society through improving public education.  Premiji established the foundation in 2000 and it became operational in 2001.  To date [Azim Premji] has contributed $125 million in Wipro stock –and has pledged to keep replenishing as money is spent.

The main focus is on convincing education that they need to retool their approach to education and on giving them the tools to do it.  So far, one Indian sate has agreed to switch to analytical learning……”What we’re focused on is quality education,” says Dileep Ranjekar, a former head of HR who is now CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation.  Premji’s charity.  Unless India fundamentally addressed the quality issue and the shifts from rote learning to analytical learning, it can’t realize its dream of becoming one of the world economic superpowers.”

There’s obviously a crucial side benefit for Wipro.  Unless the Indian public education system improves dramatically, Wipro won’t be able to fulfill what it sees as its destiny – becoming one of the world’s great companies by offering up India’s brainpower to the world.

America needs this type of innovative company that can lead change in our education system.  As Intel’s CEO has stated many times America will continue to graduate more masseuses than engineers.  At some point this will catch up with us.  And by the looks of it when that time arrives India will be prepared to step in.

Tags: India, Wipro, Bangalore Tiger, globalization, education, technology, reading, trends

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Education Globalization Reading Technology

Latest read: China Shakes the world

I found myself fascinated by China Shakes the World: A Titan’s Rise and Troubled Future – and the Challenge for America by James Kynge. Yet most of the time I was also infuriated over how America has fallen asleep regarding China’s threat to our economy.  Kynge has written an excellent book that should be read by every school teacher, mayor and businessman.

It was my goal to finish this book before the end of the summer Olympic games.  But I needed time to finish Randy Pauch‘s one of a king book The Last Lecture (review is here) so this week was plenty of time to complete this book.

Infuriating?  Yes Kynge shares a startling story about how the Chinese almost secured the assets to the American company that produces stealth coating to the B-2 bomber.  Yes THAT Stealth Bomber.  Now are you interested in what Hynge has to say?  It was Financial Time’s Book of the Year.

So how does America’s secret stealth technology (a skin made with highly specialized thermoplastics and composites which are radar-absorbent) come within arms reach of the communist Chinese?  Did they try to steal it?   No, they almost purchased the technology outright.

What about pirating and corporate espionage? China plays this game very well too.  And based upon the communist’s approach to banking, well lets just say their idea of business as usual includes very loose, corrupt accounting…kinda reminds me of Enron.

If you are frustrated with the RIAA’s music lawsuits against college kids encourage the RIAA to go to source in this matter: China.  The Chinese have truly become the world’s leading Pirate Nation. A word of note to the music and movie industry: Do you really believe your lawsuits against college kids is making a dent in your attempt to stop pirating?  Go to China.

The Chinese impact
It’s not on the gold medal stand in women’s gymnastics.  As the saying goes … if your not cheating, your not winning.  Regardless, it was the American gymnast Sacromone who fell of the beam and floor exercise that cost the team gold medal.  I know the Olympics bring out national pride. We all feel good about cheering for our athletes during the 16 days of competition.  But what about the other 349 days of 2008?

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