SMU continues to play a leadership role in advanced research projects as shown by their recent membership in the Alliance for Higher Education Internet2 GigaPoP.

GigaPoP membership through the Alliance is important to SMU, primarily because of the cost savings, according to Steve Straight, SMU Director of Telecommunications. "Because other universities and corporations are sharing the cost of the Alliance Internet2 infrastructure and connectivity, our cost will be progressively less each year," says Straight. SMU is currently connected to the Alliance GigaPoP through a DS3 but assuming increased use, the Alliance is prepared for future connections with members at OC3 and above.

Straight said that a number of SMU faculty have expressed an interest in using the capability that an Internet2 connection provides. Dr. Thomas Chen, SMU Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, is a member of the national Internet2 Measurement Working Group. This working group is focused on identifying, documenting, and supporting the infrastructure needed for the Internet2 project.

SMU is also involved with several other prominent research projects, according to George Chrisman, Associate Vice President for Information Technology and SMU’s representative to the Alliance Internet2 Advisory Committee. These include particle research through SMU’s physics department, quality of service management for a programmable Internet infrastructure in the electrical engineering area, and real-time remote control of robotics for tele-surgery.