The 2023 Summer Institute, cosponsored by the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering (opens in new tab) at the University of Washington and Microsoft Research will be held at the Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Washington from the evening of August 20 through mid-afternoon August 23, 2023.
Over the last decade, the Internet has rapidly expanded into all phases of our lives including diverse areas such as finance, commerce, transportation, education, and health. Unfortunately, despite large initiatives such as Starlink, many rural communities remain under connected to the Internet, underserved by Internet-centric services, and unable to leverage Internet-connected advances such as IoT or edge compute. The stark difference between rural and urban connectivity was demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, where essential societal functions such as primary school education were brought online.
To this end, the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington and Microsoft Research are bringing together a diverse set of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore topics around rural computing, with a specific focus on our home of the Pacific Northwest. We will explore a broad range of topics, expanding beyond connectivity to the use, design, and ownership of computing for rural-centric use cases. Example areas include ag-tech, community networking, STEM education, spectrum policy, tribal connectivity and ownership, computing impacts on rural communities, and related areas.
Organizers
- Kurtis Heimerl (opens in new tab), Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering
- Ranveer Chandra, Microsoft Research
- Vaishnavi Ranganathan, Microsoft Research