Vol. 38, No. 18

1-3-2007
By: Adam King

A technophile’s idea sparks a cultural revolution

Bob Dixon is almost brought to tears every time he unrolls the new parchment with the words “world love” painted on it in perfect Chinese calligraphy.

The artist, Cao Wencai, who has only stumps for arms, painted it in China while thousands of people from all over the world watched online during Megaconference VIII, a cultural project held in November that Dixon started eight years ago at Ohio State.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences sent the parchment to Dixon with Wencai’s approval as a thank you for the conference, which allows people around the world to communicate and share cultural experiences in real time, using advanced multi-point videoconferencing technology.

“I wanted to get everyone in the world to talk together via videoconferencing, and people thought I was crazy,” said Dixon, chief research engineer in the Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Ohio Supercomputer Center.

Since that first conference in 1999, participants have sent live feeds from under the ice in Antarctica, the North Pole, under water at the Great Barrier Reef and from inside a shark tank in Florida during a feeding. Chinese students have showcased their dancing skills and the conference was treated to a view of the stars through a remote-controlled telescope.

The conference has become so popular that it has spurred creation of six variations of its original model, including Megaconference Jr., which is solely for K-12 students and will take place Feb. 22 for the fourth time, and Gigaconference, which manufacturers use to showcase and test high-definition videoconferencing equipment. Holiday Conference, which took place in December, focused on different nations’ holidays, and Texas Connects is a videoconference just for K-12 Texas schools.

Megaconference, which is free and all-volunteer, began with 50 sites to introduce Internet videoconferencing technology. That still remains the goal, but the addition of culture exchange has helped the conference grow to more than 360 sites that represent 25 countries on five continents. Participation is so high that participants must now submit presentation proposals for the 12-hour conference. A selection committee, which includes Dixon and Ohio State systems specialist Megan Troyer, picks its favorite 25 presentations.

The explosion of technology worldwide has allowed countries to jump in with both feet. China had no presence two years ago, but this year it had 50 videoconferencing sites thanks to improvement in its networking and communication infrastructure and the involvement of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Proposals from that country also were the most elaborate.

“I’d like to see Africa come on line more,” Troyer said. “I know they have huge networking issues. We’ve had Egypt before, but there are thousands of people in Africa and it would be great to see them get connected and share some of their cultural stories.”

OSU has fully supported Dixon’s brainchild since its inception. Chief Information Officer Ilee Rhimes gives Dixon and Troyer the time they need to prepare for each conference, which usually adds up to several days or more. President Karen Holbrook opened the Nov. 2 conference with a welcome speech from the Digital Union, and then became so engrossed with the ensuing presentations from India she cancelled several appointments to stay and watch.

Gabe Moulton from the Office of the CIO and numerous staff from Ohio Academic Resources Network, including Arif Khan, also are heavily involved.

While technology was the impetus, it is people that make Megaconference special, Dixon said. Dixon and Troyer meet participants virtually, but their friendships, they say, are very real.

“One of the members from our management team is in North Dakota,” Troyer said. “When we actually see each other in person, we kind of have this thing we say: ‘Well, it’s nice to meet the third dimension.’ I regularly see her through videoconference and only once or twice a year in person. But she’s retiring, and I was able to give her a hug at a recent conference. You can develop a lifelong connection with people through this medium.”

Megaconference facts

--- The central equipment used for the Megaconference is located at the Ohio Academic Resources Network at OSU, the networking division of the Ohio Supercomputer Center.

--- The Megaconference is held on OARNet’s Internet2 connection. This next-generation Internet, with a member consortium of 250 American universities and colleges, is 100 to 1,000 times faster than a cable modem. Live streaming and videoconferencing happen in real time at these gigabit speeds.

--- The Megaconference is free and participants and equipment are volunteered.

--- Faculty and staff members with K-12 children are encouraged to ask their child’s school to take part in the Feb. 22 Megaconference Jr. For more information, visit megaconferencejr.org.

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