Virginia Tech has a new University Research Center: the Center for Geospatial Information Technology. Affilliated with IIIT, the CGIT will serve as a focal point for geospatial IT programs at Virginia Tech, with research facilities in Blacksburg and in Alexandria. Dr. Randy Dymond (Civil & Environmental Engineering) will serve as Center Director; a search is currently underway for an Associate Director.

Governor Mark R. Warner has announced the creation of the Virginia Institute for Defense and Homeland Security (IDHS), a consortium of Virginia universities partnering with industry to develop solutions to our nation's security challenges. IIIT's Director, Leonard Ferrari, helped establish the Institute in his capacity as special assistant to Virginia's Secretary of Technology, George Newstrom.

As the nation recovers from 9/11 and tries to come to terms with arguments for a new and preemptive war with Iraq, the media's power both to inform and to influence the general public has become increasingly important. Dr. Megan Boler, who researches the social impacts of IT, has developed a multimedia website, "Critical Media Literacy in Times of War " that challenges users to think in new ways about the media and its impact.

The Chronicle of Higher Education's current issue includes a feature on States building their own computer networks, including the Virginia Regional Optical Network Initiative. Virginia Tech's Vice-President for Information Technology discusses the need for this kind of access to the latest in high speed computer networks.

Virginia Tech graduate students and researchers will show off their work and network with Virginia Tech alumni and friends in northern Virginia on April 17th at the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church. IIIT is helping to sponsor the event.