CENIC’s 2017 conference opened with University of Hawaii President David Lassner presenting the strategic direction for networking from the perspective of the Pacific Islands. He began by providing the history of the indigenous peoples of the region - perhaps the world’s first “space explorers” who set off on large canoes to seek out and discover the islands of the great Pacific Ocean more than 7,000 years ago.

Researchers and technology experts around the globe are united in their commitment to deploy and strengthen research and education networks.

Each year CENIC presents the Innovations in Networking Awards to highlight the exemplary innovations that leverage ultra-high bandwidth networking, particularly where those innovations have the potential to transform the ways in which instruction and research are conducted or where they further the deployment of broadband in underserved areas.

Pacific Wave continues to be one of CENIC’s major international initiatives, operated in partnership with the Pacific Northwest Gigapop. Undertaken as a part of an effort to improve service to CENIC members, Pacific Wave makes possible improved high-performance connectivity between CalREN and 29 Asia Pacific countries.

The Pacific Research Platform supports a broad range of data-intensive research projects that will impact science and technology worldwide. To meet the needs of researchers in California and beyond, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a five-year, $5 million grant to fund the Pacific Research Platform (PRP).

The 2017 CENIC conference brings together leaders from research and education organizations across the state and around the world to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CENIC’s founding and to plan for the future.