Attendance is limited to 25, by invitation of the Organizing Committee.
SHARON EISNER GILLETT (sharoneg@mit.edu) is a Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she serves as Executive Director of the MIT Program on Internet & Telecoms Convergence (ITC). She is also the Principal of Victory Research, a consultancy. Ms. Gillett’s research lies at the intersection of Internet infrastructure technology and policy and has resulted in numerous publications. Her current work focuses on broadband first-mile issues, and industry structure for wireless Internet. Her experience includes ten years in the high-tech industry developing software and managing projects in computer networking (at BBN) and supercomputing (at Thinking Machines Corporation). Sharon received her MBA and MS in Technology and Policy from MIT and her AB in Physics from Harvard-Radcliffe.
Nick Giordano has led the formation and implementation of telecommunications policy for the Office for Information Technology during the entire Ridge Administration. In early 2000, Nick was named as director of the Bureau of Commonwealth Telecommunications Services (BCTS), which is managing the Keystone Communications project.
This project is earning national recognition by delivering advanced telecommunications services for state government via the public network, which will benefit Pennsylvania communities by providing improved access to high-tech communications. The transition to our new state government telecom network has already begun, and work will be completed by the end of 2002. Nick has an extensive background in telecommunications and computer programming and has over 32 years experience working for the Commonwealth. His office is located in the Commonwealth Technology Center.
From 1996 to 1997 Ross was a Visiting Research Fellow at the then Media and Telecommunications Policy Group of RMIT (now Network Insight Group) where he produced the report Interfacing with the Online World: Pay TV, Broadband, Standards and Access. This work resulted in the conference paper Opening Up Access to Broadband Media Services. From 1996 to 1999 he also worked with the Banyule City Council as Manager Cable Relocation and undertook planning studies for telecommunications and utility infrastructure both there and for many local governments throughout Australia.
He consults occasionally across a range of communications and broadcasting matters and made a significant contribution to the report of the Putting Cables Underground Working Group.
Prior to 1996, Ross was an executive manager with Telstra responsible for the technology and regulatory sides of its pay television business, and has had an extensive career in the telecommunications industry spanning research, engineering business planning strategy and regulatory aspects. He also worked for a few years in Europe for ITT (now Alcatel) and has served as a staff officer in the Directorate of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Australian Army.
Since 1997 at CIRCIT, Ross has authored, co-authored, or contributed to the following publications: The Law of Internet Commercial Transactions (Issues Analysis and Literature Review); Accessing Directories of Information Technology, Multimedia and General Software Companies, Products and Services; Designing for Australia's Online Future; Australia's Progress Towards Effective Use of Online Services; Re-transmission over Cable TV Networks; National Approaches to Meeting the Communication Needs of Rural and Remote Users; E-mail for All; The User perspective on Government Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) and Deaf Australia Online II: Final Report. He also managed or contributed to a variety of studies including the assessment of risk and impact of construction/installation of underground services, the validity of a technical patent, the assessment of communication facilities regarding the question of rental, the monitoring and evaluation of a major Web site and the legal requirements for broadband access.
In August 1998 he chaired the Government Online conference in Singapore and presented a paper there titled Monitoring the Effective Use of Online Services. At a conference with the same name in Canberra in June 1999 he presented a paper titled Creating Value in Government Going Online. During 2000 and 2001, Ross travelled to Canada, the USA and Sweden investigating innovative bandwidth arrangements that may be suitable for Australian schools and technical colleges. This work culminated in publication of the report Innovative Bandwidth Arrangements for the Australian Education and Training Sector -- Stage 1: Assessment of Overseas Approaches.
Ross also managed the International Telecommunications Management subject for the APESMA MBA course at Deakin University for three years from 1998. He was elected a Director of the Internet Society of Australia in December 2001.
His qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and a Master of Engineering Science both from the University of Queensland, and more recently a Graduate Diploma in Media, Communications and Information Technology Law from the University of Melbourne.
Judith Molka-Danielsen is an Associate Professor for the Department of Informatics at Molde University College in Norway since 1995. She teaches the course "Electronic Business" for the Informatics and Logistics departments and the course "Document Management and Information Steering" with the Informatics Department. Her Ph.D. was completed with the Telecommunications Program, Department of Information Science, SIS, University of Pittsburgh, 1998. The dissertation title is, "The Examination of Strategic Interactions in One Local Access Telephone Market, the Effects on Expected Price for Access and Universal Access", March 1998. Recent publications include the following:
- Molka-Danielsen, Judith, Ottar Ohren and Bjorn Jaeger, NOKOBIT: "Exploring the Need for Broadband Networks", in the proceedings for NOKOBIT 2001, NOKOBIT is the Norwegian Conference for Organizations Use of Information Technology, Tromso, Norway, 26-28. Nov. 2001.
- Ohren, Ottar, Bjorn Jaeger and Judith Molka-Danielsen, "Broadband in More and Romsdal: Needs Inquiry and Relevant Development Models", Work Report 0115, More Research, Norway, 2001.
- Molka-Danielsen, Judith and Ketil Danielsen, "Pricing and Admissions Policies for IP Networks" in Telektronikk, 2.2000, The Economy of Internet Services.
- Danielsen, Ketil and Judith Molka-Danielsen, "Admissions and Preemption in Auction-based Reservation Networks", Paper to be presented at Workshop on Internet Service Quality Economics, ISQE, 1999.
- Molka-Danielsen, Judith and Ketil Danielsen, "Using Hold Options Over IP Networks", Paper presented at 27th Telecommunication Policy Research Conference, 1998.
Jim Norton is an Independent Director, policy adviser and public speaker. Jim is an external member of the Board of the UK Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology (POST). He is also a Non-Executive Director of Telemetrix plc, 3i European Technology Trust plc, F&C PEP & ISA Trust plc and E-Skills UK Ltd. Jim is also a Board Member and Trustee of the Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR) and a member of the Utilities Appeals Tribunal for the Island of Guernsey. Jim is the former UK Country Manager for the Deutsche Telekom (DT) Group and former Executive Chairman of DT Ltd. Jim was previously Head of e-Business Policy at the Institute of Directors. Prior to joining IoD, he led the Cabinet Office team that produced the report ‘e-commerce@its.best.uk’ for the Prime Minister in September 1999. He is a former Chief Executive of the Radiocommunications Agency (the UK’s radio spectrum manager) and has held senior positions in Cable & Wireless, Butler-Cox, and British Telecom. He is a Visiting Professor of Electronic Engineering at Sheffield University, where he will shortly be awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Commerce and Manufactures and of the Institute of Directors.
Jane Patterson is the executive director of the Rural Internet Access Authority and an international commentator on information infrastructure policy and applications. She has consulted with more than 20 countries and nearly 40 states relating to the design and operation of information networks. Ms. Patterson has worked for Governor Jim Hunt and the State of North Carolina, ITT Corp., ITT-Alcatel, Alcatel N.A. and the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. Her career has focused on the impact that information technology has and can have on government, industry and education.