Overview
Help develop recommendations to ensure all New Mexicans have access to the internet, and that broadband is used effectively to grow our economy and meet community needs.
Date: August 3, 2012
Time: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Location:
Albuquerque Marriott, 2101 Louisiana Boulevard NE
In today’s society, internet broadband connectivity is becoming as fundamental
a utility as water, electricity, and phone service. A lynchpin issue nationwide,
broadband has the potential to widen or close the socio-economic gap. Relevant
to individuals and industries across New Mexico, the availability of broadband
impacts access to health and educational information, and is a key factor in ongoing
economic development. Due to widespread rural and tribal communities, and New Mexico’s
rocky landscape, statewide access to affordable, reliable broadband is a challenging
goal. Shifts in the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations and subsidies
for telecom companies add to the issue’s complexity. Another crucial component
of the broadband equation is the ongoing need for relevant and effective digital
literacy training.
For all of these reasons, the New Mexico State Library will convene the Statewide
Broadband Summit. Participants at this statewide collaborative planning session
will work together to ascertain key needs in the area of statewide broadband, including
identification of the barriers and immediate next steps. The summit will focus
on six tracks:
- Digital Literacy
- Education sectors (both K-12 and higher education)
- Economic Development
- Health
- Governance and Collaboration
- Tribal Issues
Each tract will develop its own platform of key recommendations, which will be
submitted to the New Mexico State Library for future consideration. The recommendations
will also be sent to policymakers and others involved with broadband initiatives
throughout the state and will contribute to the development of a statewide strategic
plan on broadband, being developed by the NM Department of Information Technology.
Who Should Attend?
- Librarians
- Community members
- Business people
- Advocates
- Researchers and educators
- Tribal members
- Public officials
- Government employees
- Students
Seating is limited. Early registration is highly recommended.
NOTE: We strive to accommodate the accessibility needs of our registrants. If
you require any physical accommodations to participate, please register by July
1 so we can respond to your request.
Speakers
Health: Dale Alverson, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics
and Regent’s Professor, UNM Health Sciences Center Library and Informatics Center
and Medical Director, Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research
Digital Literacy: Eva Artschwager, Director of Community Education,
UNM Los Alamos
Gar Clarke, Broadband Program Manager, New Mexico Department of Information Technology
Tribal: Joe Garcia, Councilman, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo
Governance and Collaboration: Brian Harris, Assistant Attorney
General, Office of New Mexico Attorney General
Devon Skeele, State Librarian, New Mexico State Library
Education and Economic Development: Kurt Steinhaus, Director of
Community Programs, Los Alamos National Laboratory