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Trent University and Fleming College Connect to the World on ORION and CA*net 4

JOINT NEWS RELEASE:

Trent University and Fleming College

Technology new to Peterborough enhances teaching, learning and research

Friday, October 22, 2004, Peterborough

The more than 8,200 kilometres of optical fibre that make up ORION - Ontario's Research and Innovation Optical Network - now connect to Peterborough, linking Trent University and Fleming College students, staff and faculty to CA*net 4 and learners around the world.

ORION brings world-leading gigabit connectivity to Ontario's universities, colleges, teaching hospitals, research labs, and several school boards. It is one of the largest research and education networks ever built and allows almost instantaneous sharing of massive amounts of data regardless of geographical boundaries.

Students, staff and faculty will explore the potential of advanced networks for research and applications at Peterborough's Advanced Networking Day on Tuesday, October 26 at Trent's Peter Gzowski College room 117 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Among a series of presentations, researchers from Trent and Fleming will discuss how they use ORION and CA*net 4 to advance and share their knowledge. Researchers from the Fleming Geomatics Institute, the Greater Peterborough Region DNA Cluster and Trent Water Quality Centre will discuss their research at 1 p.m.

"Peterborough is now connected in a world-class way," says Randy Neals, Manager, Network and Security at Trent, adding the network is 500 times faster than what most people have in their homes. "The network enables us to do between universities, what we could only do across our own campus before its installation. It opens up a world of opportunity for our researchers."

"Being part of this network has removed the barriers to real global connectivity for educators in Ontario," added Jason Orchard, Fleming's Director of Network Services and Telecommunications. "The Advanced Networking Day is an opportunity to explore the non-traditional uses for this high performance network. Coupling leading edge technologies and thinkers will facilitate new learning resources that educators and researchers alike will have access to today."

"ORION brings wonderful, new opportunities to Peterborough and the entire region," said ORION President and CEO, Phil Baker. "ORION provides Trent University and Fleming College the same access to global research and education networks available anywhere in Ontario, across Canada or around the world. This new network is powering the innovation that can enable exciting advancements in science, medicine, technology and education, and we're proud to bring that connection here to this community."

The Advanced Networking Day itself will benefit from the use of ORION through video conferencing capabilities. Representatives from the University of Windsor and York University will join in the program via videoconference. Dr. Brian Desbiens, past president of Fleming College and member of the ORION Board of Directors will welcome participants.

"CANARIE is proud to support and partner with ORION and other provincial networks. Together, we are giving Canadians the tools for 21st century research, teaching and learning," said Dr. Andrew Bjerring, President & CEO of CANARIE.

Trent, Fleming and P*ran (Peterborough Regional Advanced Network) are proud to partner with ORION and CANARIE to host the Peterborough Advanced Networking Day.

 

About ORION

The Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network - ORION - is a high-speed, optical network that brings affordable, world-class broadband access and connectivity to Ontario's research and educational institutions. ORION's goal is to foster collaborative research and education in Ontario by offering the most technically advanced, affordable connectivity to universities, colleges and research institutions, no matter where they are located in the province. With access points in 21 cities and gateway connections to other research networks such as CANARIE's CA*net 4, Internet2 in the US and the Internet, ORION links Ontario's post-secondary institutions and publicly funded research organizations to one another, to the rest of Canada, and to the rest of the world. Learn more at www.orion.on.ca

About CANARIE

CANARIE is Canada's advanced Internet organization, a not-for-profit corporation that facilitates the development and use of next-generation research networks and the applications and services that run on them. By promoting collaboration among key sectors and by partnering with similar initiatives around the world, CANARIE stimulates innovation and growth and helps to deliver social, cultural, and economic benefits to all Canadians. CANARIE positions Canada as the global leader in advanced networking, and is supported by its members, project partners, and the Government of Canada. CANARIE developed and operates CA*net 4, Canada's national research and education network. For more information, visit www.canarie.ca.

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For further information, please contact:

  • Randy Neals, Trent University 748-1011, ext. 7788
  • Jason Orchard, Fleming College, 749-5520, ext. 1660
  • Andre Quenneville, ORION, 416-507-9860, ext. 26
  • Martin Sampson, CANARIE, 613-943-5377

Media representatives are invited and encouraged to attend Peterborough's Advanced Networking Day on Tuesday, October 26 at Trent's Peter Gzowski College room 117 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Please see the following program for further details.

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Last Updated November 2, 2004