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Governor Rick Perry looks on from UT Austin as Dr. Allan Watson and Jim Adams cut the grand opening ribbon for the Alliance’s new Center for Collaborative Learning, Research, and Communications Technology.

Governor Perry "Beams In"

Alliance Opens Center for Collaborative Learning, Research, and Communications Technology in Richardson

When the Alliance for Higher Education opened its new Center for Collaborative Learning, Research and Communications Technology near The University of Texas at Dallas campus this spring, Texas Governor Rick Perry appeared live as a three-dimensional image at the Alliance during a "teleportationÔ" from UT Austin via Internet2.

According to Dr. Allan Watson, President of the Alliance, "teleportationÔ" is a newly-patented technology that provides an audio, visual, and interactive projection of a person’s image which has eye contact with viewers at several sites. The Alliance currently serves as a demonstration site for Teleportec equipment. It is also available for use to connect to other Teleportec sites.

Governor Perry was joined by Jim Adams, retired Chairman of the Board of Texas Instruments Incorporated, who was on-site in Richardson to address issues as chair of the Special Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities.

 

George Bramblett, Jr., Haynes & Boone, L.L.P., said the Center "will serve not only as a demonstration site, but also as an example of how these technologies can revolutionize the way people communicate at a distance."

The Alliance also dedicated the new Cecil and Ida Green Education and Information Network and celebrated the launch of the Alliance Internet2 GigaPoP, one of two "points of presence" in Texas; there are 28 in the United States designed as high-capacity, regional, advanced network aggregation points. Research applications in telemedicine and other sciences will be at the forefront of the Center’s activities. An entirely new transport system has been created within the Center.

Local and national dignitaries were on hand for the morning groundbreaking event and luncheon. Guests were treated to demonstrations of several distance education technologies that the Alliance provides including video streaming over the Internet, two-way/audio-video conferencing and Internet2.
Texas Governor Rick Perry converses with Jim Adams and audience via teleportation at the Alliance. Governor Perry said, "The Alliance and the Green Network (also) represent the type of collaborative effort that we need in the State of Texas to assure that higher education is accessible and affordable for more of our citizens."

Jim Adams commented, "Texas Instruments was one of the original founders of the Alliance for Higher Education in the 1960’s when engineering courses were first broadcast throughout the Metroplex by TAGER (The Association for Graduate Education and Research). This network has evolved into a high-speed, interactive broadband system that can accommodate distance learning and advanced research throughout the world."

Other key participants in the event were Phil Ritter, Vice President, Public Affairs for Texas Instruments Incorporated and Dr. Franklin Jenifer, President of The University of Texas at Dallas.

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