NGC Communications » North Carolina

Facebook picks North Carolina for data center

ThinkNGC — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 03:31:08 +0000

Facebook has selected Forest City in Rutherford County west of Charlotte for a new data center, according to reports on Thursday.

The social media network will invest some $450 million in the project, said Gov. Bev Perdue.

Between 35 and 45 jobs will be created, included contractors.

“After a rigorous review of sites across the East Coast, we are pleased to locate our new data center in Rutherford County,” said Tom Furlong, Director of Site Operations for Facebook.

North Carolina already is home to a major data center operated by Google in Lenoir, and Apple is building a similar center. IBM also built a major data center in the Research Triangle for its “cloud” computing service.

MCNC ready to begin construction on NCREN fiber-optic expansion

ThinkNGC — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:24:38 +0000

MCNC announced last Friday that three companies have been selected to share an estimated $20 million for construction related to the fiber-optic expansion of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) in southeastern and western North Carolina. A fourth company was chosen for an additional $1.8 million contract for the optical design portion of the project.

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue joined other state and federal officials at CommScope in Hickory for a groundbreaking ceremony that highlighted the kick-off of MCNC’s initial phase of expanding NCREN. This project will create jobs in these regions and bring critical broadband infrastructure to 37 counties in the state.

Read full story on MCNC’s website.

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue loads a fiber-optic spool into a CommScope truck on Friday, Oct. 8 in Hickory, N.C.

STEM Education News Goes Online in North Carolina

ThinkNGC — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:06:05 +0000

Local Tech Wire recently announced a new partnership with the NC STEM Community Collaborative, MCNC, and the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT Center) to advocate for the importance of STEM education and to launch a special section devoted entirely to coverage of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. Today, that new section goes live at www.localtechwire.com.

With content provided by NC STEM, MCNC, the SMT Center and other sources, this “STEM News” section has editorial plans to touch on legislative and policy issues, funding opportunities, industry impacts and economic development, knowledge workforce demands and transformation, discussions on 21st century schools, the importance of high-speed connectivity in classrooms, Race to the Top, STEM events, what local communities are doing on the ground, exclusive interviews with state and national thought leaders, and much more.

This weekly update will provide critical information and the real-world impact STEM has in North Carolina and nationwide. Additionally, Local Tech Wire will be inviting STEM students to its Executive Exchange programs, which focus on information technology and life science issues, and plans to sponsor a STEM-focused Executive Exchange later this year.“Local Tech Wire has been an aggressive provider of STEM coverage in the past, and we will be even more so in the future,” said LTW Editor Rick Smith. “Workforce preparation is a growing concern in North Carolina and the United States.

Companies need more well-educated employees who are skilled in STEM. Our intention with this new section is to help bring more attention to STEM. By involving students, we hope to ultimately encourage more young people to choose a career in STEM.”

“The reality is that North Carolina’s economic future is tied to having a STEM-educated workforce in all areas of the state,” added Karl Rectanus, leader of NC STEM, a state organization working with communities to ensure students engage in rigorous STEM education. “This exciting new section in LTW will provide leaders in the tech and business sectors information to help us all drive STEM education and our economy further faster.”

MCNC President and CEO Joe Freddoso said there continues to be a strong link between high-quality STEM education and economic development.

“Through Local Tech Wire, we will highlight the good work being done in communities all over the state, pose and inspire new ideas, share leading-edge news, collaborate with state and national experts, and increase awareness of STEM education to ensure all of our students are prepared for 21st century jobs,” added Freddoso. “This will provide an outlet to gain additional understanding of the role of STEM in our economic prosperity, improved healthcare, and care of the environment. Our future depends on it.”

“The importance of STEM education applies not only to students, but to the citizens of this state,” concurred Sam Houston, president of the SMT Center, which aims to systematically improve performance in science, mathematics, and technology preK-12 education. “The future of the state’s economy is knowledge based, and that begins with STEM.

Story ideas and contributions are welcome. For information about how you, your company, school or organization can participate, contact Rick Smith at Local Tech Wire (rsmith@wral.com) or Noah Garrett at NGC Communications (noah@thinkngc.com).

1 Backbone, 1 year, 115 Connections

ThinkNGC — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:49:06 +0000

It took a year to do it – less time than expected – but MCNC announced this week the completion of the N.C. School Connectivity Initiative through which all 115 K-12 school districts have become connected to the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN). They will be hosting a noon celebration in honor of this achievement on May 7 at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh.

The changing needs of students today demand that we offer technologically-advanced options for today’s classrooms. Next month’s celebrated completion of the N.C. School Connectivity Initiative is a major step in ensuring that every teacher and student has broadband access, no matter where they live, no matter how large or small the school district.
MCNC, an RTP-based non-profit, is planning a big celebration honoring the completion of the N.C. School Connectivity Initiative on Thursday, May 7, at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh. The celebration will focus on recognizing the leadership of Governor Bev Perdue, the North Carolina General Assembly and the University of North Carolina system, who were the driving forces behind funding for the School Connectivity Initiative.

“The N.C. School Connectivity Initiative provides local school districts with the connectivity and access to technologies that help prepare today’s students for the careers of tomorrow,” said Joe Freddoso, President and CEO of MCNC. “The fast implementation of the School Connectivity Initiative was achieved through a collaboration among the Department of Public Instruction, eNC, North Carolina Office of Information Technology Services, the Friday Institute , private sector service providers including ATT, TimeWarner Cable, Embarq, Verizon, DukeNet and MCNC.”

NCREN is a statewide IP data and video network that provides high-speed connectivity, distance learning capability and is one of the nation’s first statewide education and research networks. It provides broadband communications technology services and support to K-12 school districts, higher education campuses and academic research institutions across North Carolina.

MCNC offers the NCREN network, technology tools and services to guarantee equal access to 21st century learning by providing a future-proof technology network that is the foundation for change and innovation in our educational systems. It creates possibility and an equitable educational experience throughout the state.

MCNC continues to increase the scope and reach of NCREN.

The NCREN user-community now includes:

17 Institutions of the UNC System and General Administration
24 of the 36 North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
All 115 Public K-12 School Districts in the state
7 of the largest North Carolina Community Colleges
Research Institutions and Foundations

The N.C. School Connectivity Initiative is the result of North Carolina leaders’ desire for 21st century classrooms and development of a North Carolina workforce prepared to succeed in a global economy. It seeks to expand the number of schools with broadband Internet access; further develop communication networks for rural and underperforming schools; and develop a scalable model to maintain and enhance network services to all schools in North Carolina.
This initiative entered the implementation phase in spring 2008 and initially was established through N.C. Senate Bill 1741 by the General Assembly. Now, with all K-12 schools in the state connected to NCREN, results include increased collaboration between all K-20 education entities in the state.

Dr. Bill Harrison, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Board of Education, will be the keynote speaker at the event. He was appointed to the by Gov. Perdue to fill an At-Large position. A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Harrison has served N.C. public schools in a variety of ways throughout his career. ”The School Connectivity initiative is critical to creating the kind of classrooms and learning environments that provide educators and students the content and the tools needed to truly make our students competitive in today’s global economy and interconnected world,” said Harrison.

The public is welcome to attend.