College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell University
presents
December 1994 Conference
Highest Denominator Agricultural Information Systems: Implications and Issues
Friday/Saturday, December 9th - 10th, 1994
Ithaca, New York
A dynamic 2 day conference which will explore the issues of access and
infrastructure support surrounding emerging information technologies in
agricultural research and extension.
Learn about high end delivery systems. See the latest in network
technologies. Gain expertise in understanding the implications of
implementing such systems.
Speakers from a wide variety of institutions will present in-depth analyses
and hands-on demonstrations, including the World Wide Web, multi-media,
geographical information systems, and interoperable state-wide networks.
This two-day conference will explore the technological, sociological, and
economic implications of highest denominator agricultural information systems
on agricultural research and extension, with an emphasis on issues relating
to access and external publics.
The target audience of this conference will be college administrators of the
land grant community, extension directors and personnel, networking and
computer specialists, libraries and external publics with a keen interest in
the delivery, via networks, of highest denominator agricultural information
systems.
Highest denominator networks are defined as interactive systems capable of
delivering text, photographic, graphical and audio/video-based material over
the Internet. Examples of such a system can be seen on the World Wide Web
using Mosaic browser technology.
PROGRAM:
Friday December 9th
8:00-8:30 am Registration/Continental Breakfast
Program:
8:30- 8:50am. Opening Remarks:.
9:00- 9:55am. Introduction to Highest Denominator Information Systems: the
World Wide Web/Mosaic Browser as the Emerging Paradigm
10:15- 12:15. Panel Discussion on Issues and Implications of Highest
Denominator Information Systems!
* Administrator's Perspective
* Network Perspective
* Technology Perspective
* Users' Perspective/Audience Identification
* Information Provider's Perspective
Lunch
1:30 - 2:30. Interoperable Systems: Interaction between Internet and
Video/Multimedia Technologies
2:30-3:30pm. Economic Implications: From Paper to Paperless: Costs, Cost
Recovery and the Importance of Grants-writing in Creating Highest
Denominator Delivery Systems
3:45-5:15pm. Panel Discussion. Working Models of Highest Denominator
Information Systems: Implications of Implementation: Challenges &
Opportunities.
* National Agriculture Library & the EII
* Purdue University model
* North Carolina State University model
* Penn State University model
* Cornell University model
6:00pm - Cash bar and banquet, Statler Hotel
Saturday, December 10th
Program:
8:00-8:30 Late registration and continental breakfast.
8:30-8:40 Opening remarks
8:45-10:00 Geographic Information Systems and Mosaic: Using Highest
Denominator Technologies for Modeling Agricultural Information
10:15-12:00 Connectivity: Models for Providing Access and Educational
Support. Discussion of Responsibilities.
Lunch
Four sets of working groups will be held in the afternoon, two
simultaneously at 1:30-3:00pm, and two at 3:15-4:45pm. Conference attendees
will chose by ballot which of the following topics should be covered.
o Working Group on Shared Expertise: How do we share our know-how and
expertise? How to co-manage joint ventures, notably on grant-writing?
o Working Group on Emerging Standards and Copyright: Who are the key players
working on standards? What has been accomplished? What still needs to be
done? How can ag-networks affect the outcome of evolving standards?
o Working Group on Costs and Cost Recovery: What are the "real" costs, both
in terms of hardware and personnel, to implement a state-wide highest denominator
agricultural/extension information system? What grants are available? How can
revenue streams be maintained in the electronic environment?
o Working Group on Document Authentication, Attribution, Authoring, Server
Protection. How do network managers assure the integrity of the information
on their server?
o Working Group on Sociological Implications of Audience Identification. The
target audience for highest denominator agricultural information networks is
multi-faceted, diverse, operates at different technological levels, and from
a variety of socio-economic backgrounds: What are the implications of this
diversity on information managers and agricultural networks?
o Working Group on Technology. What are the emerging technologies? How do we
access these technologies? What personnel are needed to run them? Who are the
key commercial players?
4:45-5:00 Closing remarks and final questions.
Registration :
$100 -- Full Registration for 2-day program (includes continental
breakfast and lunch both days and Friday evening dinner) for registrations
received by December 1, 1994.
$125 -- Full Registration received after December 1, 1994
$25 -- Friday evening dinner for non-registered guests
For additional information and conference registration, please
contact
Henry DeVries phone: 607-255-8127
40 Warren Hall fax: 607-255-4950
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-7801 e-mail: hdevries@cce.cornell.edu
Housing Options (When calling, indicate your are with the "Cornell
Cooperative Extension Group"):
1. Statler Hotel, Cornell University
$79.00 per room, per night single occupancy, plus 3% tax
$89.00 per room, per night double occupancy, plus 3% tax
For reservations, phone 1-800-541-2501. Rates available at this rate
until November 10, 1994.
2. Best Western University Inn, Ithaca NY
$55.00 per room per night, single or double occupancy, plus 11% tax.
Phone 1-607-272-6100. Rates available until November 24th. The Best Western
University Inn is located 1 mile from the campus and provides courtesy
shuttle service to the campus. It is also served every 30 minutes by the
campus bus system.
Both hotels provide courtesy airport transportation from the
Ithaca-Tompkins County Airport in Ithaca, New York. Ithaca-Tompkins County
Airport is served by USAir and Continental. The next nearest major airport
is Syracuse, New York.