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Keynote Speaker

J. Gary Augustson is the Vice Provost for Information Technology at The Pennsylvania State University, one of the nation's premier comprehensive research universities, which serves more than 83,000 students at 24 campuses throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As PennState Chief Information Officer, Mr. Augustson is responsible for University telecommunications and computing activities.

Mr. Augustson focus has been on facilitating and creating learning communities and supporting top-flight research. This has required the construction of an information technology infrastructure that flexibly supports PennState's varied academic and administrative activities. Major elements of this infrastructure include: a system-wide network that links offices, classrooms, and residence hall rooms at every Penn State campus to the world's information resources; modern administrative systems that both provide students, faculty, and staff easy access to information and improve the efficiency of the University business operations; academic computing services that significantly enhance faculty research activities and improve student learning; technology classrooms that provide an environment where faculty can readily use information tools to enhance learning; Library information access tools that make information in all forms easily accessible to faculty and students; and mechanisms to help ensure the security and integrity of these information resources.

Mr. Augustson has played a key role in making PennState a national leader in applying information technology to the challenges faced by higher education. Through his efforts of working closely with the corporate community, Mr. Augustson has brought widespread visibility to PennState accomplishments. He has been instrumental in leveraging these accomplishments to craft Alliances with key information technology partners that have significantly enhanced PennState information technology environment over the last two decades.

Mr. Augustson has been a leader in higher education's national networking efforts and has played a key role in shaping higher education position on national information technology policy issues.He chaired the Internet2 Steering the group that launched the Internet2 project and created the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID). Mr. Augustson played a similar role at the state level where he was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Research and Economic Partnership Network (PREPnet), serving as President of the PREPnet Steering Committee for its first seven years of operation.

Mr. Augustson has served on the advisory boards of several key technology vendors and national institutes, and has served in leadership positions in organizations such as Educom, NASULGC, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), and UCAID. In 2001, he was awarded Educause Excellence in Leadership Award for his extraordinary effectiveness, influence, statesmanship, and lifetime achievement both at PennState and in the broader higher education community.

Mr. Augustson holds a Master of Science from the University of Maryland in computer science and a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the University of Michigan.