SEATTLE, Wash. and BOISE, Idaho (June 20, 2022) – The Quilt, a consortium of regional Research and Education (R&E) Networks throughout the United States, today announced that the Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON) has become latest member organization to join The Quilt.

“We’re so pleased that IRON has elected to join our diverse membership,” said Jen Leasure, president and CEO of The Quilt. “The Quilt is a national community of innovators with a long track record of success as our members and affiliates collaborate to develop, deploy and operate advanced research and education (R&E) networks throughout the United States. We are looking forward to learning from IRON and their experiences as a new collaborator and contributor to The Quilt community.”

Headquartered in Boise, the Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON) provides significant opportunities for higher education, health care, state and local government, research facilities, and other nonprofits by providing reliable Internet access and high-speed infrastructure throughout the state. Established in 2007, IRON’s principle founders include: Boise State University, Brigham Young University – Idaho, Idaho Hospital Association, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho State University, State of Idaho, University of Idaho, and Washington State University. In 2015, IRON completed a state-wide upgrade to its network, which included new access points in Twin Falls on the College of Southern Idaho campus and at Idaho Falls connecting associate locations of a variety of universities and research facilities. By 2019, the network was fully upgraded to 100G statewide.

“IRON is proud to join The Quilt,” said Brent Stacey, IRON President and CEO. “The Quilt has proven to be a highly collaborative and professional organization enabling research and education across the country. Our missions are the same. IRON looks forward to contributing to and benefiting from our association with the Quilt Community.”

IRON, with its grassroots community-led members, is a not-for-profit corporation. Since its founding, its goal has been to provide high-speed and low-cost network access for higher education, research and healthcare institutions. Its mission, however, has always been to support Idaho’s unique challenges in crossing the digital divide. As a result of its success in the research and higher education fields, IRON is well positioned to provide network access to other nonprofits that are in need right now.

For a complete list of members and affiliates of The Quilt, visit this website. If you interested in becoming a member, please visit the Become a Member page online.

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About The Quilt
The Quilt is the national coalition of advanced regional networks for research and education, representing 36 networks across the country. Participants in The Quilt provide advanced network services and applications to more than 250 universities and thousands of other educational institutions throughout the United States. Visit www.thequilt.net and follow at Twitter @TweetTheQuilt.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) and OneNet a $942,263 Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC*) grant to connect additional campuses to the OneOklahoma Friction Free Network (OFFN). This marks the third award to OSRHE and OneNet to expand the OFFN network.

Administered by NSF’s Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, the CC* grant program invests in campus-level cyberinfrastructure improvements for science applications and research projects. Previous NSF awards connected 19 Oklahoma research and regional universities to OFFN. This new award specifically targets smaller institutions and will expand the network into rural areas of the state.

Under the terms of this two-year grant cycle, Murray State College (MSC) and College of the Muscogee Nation (CMN) will be connected to the OFFN network. Two other schools, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) and Rogers State University (RSU), will receive upgrades to enhance connectivity.

“The State Regents are pleased to expand the OFFN network to additional campuses across the state,” said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. “These campus connections create new research and education opportunities for faculty and students. A diverse student population, including Native American and first-generation students, will have broader access to resources that develop 21st century workforce skills.”

OFFN is a 10 and 100 Gbps research network that provides higher education institutions with a dedicated route to internet and research networks that is much faster than traditional internet highways. This alternate pathway allows researchers to transmit data at higher speeds. [Read more at OneNet | Media Releases]

Syracuse, NY (April 21, 2022) — NYSERNet (New York State Education and Research Network) is pleased to announce that Jeanne Casares has been named the organization’s new president and CEO, effective June 2, 2022. Casares will succeed Stephen Kankus after 28 years with the organization, including four years as president. Casares’s hire comes after an extensive national search that drew outstanding candidates from across the nation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeanne as the next president of NYSERNet,” said John Kolb, chair of the NYERNet.net board of directors and vice president of information services and technology and chief information officer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Her demonstrated leadership expertise and entrepreneurial experience in critical areas such as technology strategies and organizational development made her a standout hire to embrace the organization’s core value of operational excellence, as we continue to expand the innovative contributions that NYSERNet has provided to the research and education community.”

“This was an extensive, five-month national search that required us to evaluate a strong, diverse pool of candidates. It was no easy task, as there is a lot of talent out there,” added board member Sharon Pitt, vice president of information technology and chief information officer at the University of Delaware, who was a part of the recruitment committee. “Jeanne’s deep understanding of research and education networks combined with her proven leadership ability made her an exceptional choice who will undoubtedly advance NYSERNet’s mission.”

Casares will take on the role of NYSERNet president after serving as the chief information officer and associate vice president of information technology services at Rochester Institute of Technology since 2008. Prior to working at R.I.T., she held a variety of operations and IT senior leadership positions in information technologies at Paychex Corporation, where she led the creation of a web technologies division, customer support and service level management for 15 years. Casares holds a Bachelor of Arts in history with a minor in business and a Master’s in Education in student personnel and college administration from the College of New Jersey, as well as a Certificate in New Leadership Designs for Higher Education from Arizona State/Georgetown University and a Certificate of Leadership for Extraordinary Performance from the Darden School of Business. She is currently a trustee of Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women; a member of the board of directors of Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI); recipient of the Rochester IT Woman of the Year; and previously served as event chair of the Rochester CIO Roundtable; chair of the Association of Women in Computing and a member of Digital Rochester. [Read full announcement at NYSERNet | News]