On Tuesday, 27 April 2010, networking leaders attending the Internet2 Spring Member Meeting in Arlington, Virginia, will hear details of the Obama Administration's innovation agenda firsthand from the nation's first ever chief technology officer, Aneesh Chopra. Chopra, who will provide the keynote for the meeting's first general session, is expected to focus on the Administration’s technology strategies, Government 2.0, and plans to deploy high-speed broadband to all Americans, and to present his view of how the research and higher education community can participate in these strategies.

Chopra's audience will include over 600 Internet networking leaders and chief information officers from major research universities across the nation, as well as government laboratory researchers and key representatives from industry and the international research and education networking community.

Chopra is charged with increasing Americans' access to broadband services and, together with chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, making the government "more effective, efficient, and transparent." In Chopra's nomination announcement, President Obama said the new CTO "will promote technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities—from creating jobs and reducing healthcare costs to keeping our nation secure."

"Our community applies advanced network technology everyday to do these very things—among many others," said Douglas Van Houweling, Internet2 president and CEO. "We believe networking technologies are a key enabler for the Administration's ambitious agenda, and our members have always been committed to lending their expertise and enthusiasm to the building of a broader, more secure platform for national innovation."

Van Houweling says the research and education networking community’s experience in delivering advanced networking capabilities can play a critical role in the development and promotion of best policies and mechanisms for delivering transformative broadband applications to all Americans.

Chopra's address is scheduled for Tuesday, 27 April 2010, 10:30-11:45 a.m., at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Chopra's address will be netcast for worldwide viewing on the Internet.

More information on the keynote address and other Member Meeting sessions can be found at http://events.internet2.edu/2010/spring-mm/