OARnet

A great week at OHECC 2026 connecting with higher education technology leaders and partners from across Ohio.

Throughout the conference, the OARnet team participated in conversations on AI, cloud strategy, infrastructure, security, and the evolving technology needs shaping teaching, learning, and research.

OARnet also presented alongside Wright State University, the University of Cincinnati, and Miami University during Strategies for Cloud and Data Center Connectivity: OARnet Case Studies, highlighting campus co-location and cloud use cases that improve continuity and reduce costs while leveraging OARnet’s statewide backbone.

Opportunities like continue to highlight the value of collaboration across Ohio’s higher education community.

Great to have the OARnet team together at today’s Spring Member Meeting. 👋

The day was filled with thoughtful discussions, shared insights, and meaningful conversations with colleagues and partners from across Ohio’s higher education community.

From strategic planning to peer exchange, opportunities like these help strengthen collaboration and shape what’s ahead for research and education technology across the state.

Thank you to everyone who joined us — we’re already looking forward to continuing the conversation this fall.

🗣️ Today’s panel: Campus AI Ecosystems, brings together perspectives from institutions across Ohio, including Sinclair College, The Ohio State University, and the University of Mount Union.

The conversation focuses on how campuses are approaching AI implementation at scale — and what it takes to build systems that are both effective and responsible.

From institutional strategy to student impact, panelists are exploring how higher education can thoughtfully integrate AI while balancing innovation, governance, and long-term sustainability.

As AI continues to evolve, discussions like these help institutions learn from one another and better prepare for what’s ahead.

Special thanks to Scott McCollum, Dave Renner, and Dave Smith for sharing their perspectives and expertise.

OARnet’s Spring Member Meeting is underway today at The University of Toledo, and we’re excited to connect with members and partners from across Ohio. 🤝

These meetings are an opportunity to share updates, exchange ideas, and hear directly from the community we serve — all while exploring the technologies and strategies shaping research and education across the state.

Looking forward to a wonderful morning ahead!

🌐 Great connections at the 2026 Internet2 Community Exchange.

OARnet joins a national and global community of research and education IT leaders in Chicago for .

The event brings together CIOs, network directors, research computing professionals, and partners from higher education, government, and industry to collaborate on shared challenges across resource sharing, security, and emerging technologies.

Through peer-driven discussions and real-time problem solving, these conversations help shape how institutions approach everything from advanced networking to AI and digital transformation.

OARnet values the opportunity to engage in strategic foresight and collaborative problem-solving with colleagues across the country — and to bring those insights back to the community anchor institutions we serve across Ohio.

📍 OARnet contributes to national AI infrastructure strategy in Washington, D.C.

OARnet Executive Director Pankaj Shah participated in the invitation-only NSF CASC Workshop, Envisioning NAIRR State and Regional Hubs for Educational Transformation, along with The Ohio State University’s Suren Byna.

Convened by the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation, the workshop brings together leaders from all 50 states and territories to provide structured community input as NSF considers future directions for a coordinated national effort focused on advanced computing and data infrastructure.

The discussion explored:

• Building statewide or multi-state advanced computing consortia
• Expanding access to AI and cyberinfrastructure resources
• Governance and sustainable operating models
• Workforce development, faculty training, and student onboarding
• Aligning campus, state, and regional investments
• Strengthening research and education competitiveness

As Ohio’s statewide research and education network, OARnet plays a critical role in connecting our community anchor institutions to secure, high-performance infrastructure, including the Ohio Supercomputer Center and OhioLINK. Together, these three constituents of the Ohio Technology Consortium support innovation across higher education and workforce development.

We’re proud to help represent Ohio in shaping national conversations about how advanced computing and coordinated infrastructure can transform educational and research opportunities.

Learn more about the workshop: https://casc.org/event/nsf-casc-workshop-on-envisioning-nairr-state-and-regional-hubs-for-educational-transformation/

🔬 Exploring how today’s fiber infrastructure can support tomorrow’s quantum networks

OARnet’s Chief Technology Officer, Mark Fullmer, recently participated in a talk on the Review of East Coast Fiber Infrastructure during the Quantum Networks Town Hall hosted by Stony Brook University’s SCY-QNet project.

The session brought together experts from research and education networks and national labs—including NYSERNET, KeystoneREN, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory—to discuss how existing fiber infrastructure can support emerging quantum networking initiatives.

These discussions are part of a broader effort to explore how regional and national research networks can help enable future quantum communication, sensing, and computing applications, as momentum builds toward a potential U.S. quantum internet.

OARnet is proud to engage in national conversations shaping the next generation of advanced networking and research infrastructure.

📸 That’s a wrap from The Quilt's 2026 Winter Member Meeting and NSF CC* PI Workshop in New Orleans!

Our team spent valuable time connecting with peers from across the country and engaging in thoughtful discussions around AI-ready infrastructure, cybersecurity, quantum networking, and the evolving role of research and education networks.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside The Quilt community — and just as importantly, to bring these insights and ideas back to the community anchor institutions OARnet serves across Ohio. These conversations help inform how we continue to support research, education, and innovation statewide.

Thank you to everyone who made this meeting such a meaningful experience!

🤝 Continuing the conversations at The Quilt Winter Member Meeting.

Today’s discussions are digging into some of the most pressing topics facing the R&E networking community — from AI-ready campus infrastructure to long-term network planning and emerging quantum initiatives.

This afternoon, Pankaj Shah presented “Beginnings of a National Quantum Network” alongside Mickey Slimp from the Great Plains Network, exploring early efforts and collaborative opportunities shaping the creation of functional long-distance quantum networks.

To learn more about OARnet’s involvement in quantum networking, view our Annual Report: https://www.oar.net/press/oarnet_releases_2024_25_annual_report

🌐 OARnet is on the ground in New Orleans for the 2026 The Quilt, Inc. Winter Member Meeting, held in conjunction with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC*) PI Workshop!

Over the next few days, we’re joining regional and national research & education partners for conversations around:

• AI-ready campus cyberinfrastructure
• The evolving role of RENs in statewide campus infrastructure
• Research-ready data centers and infrastructure trends
• Community engagement and partnership models

We’re looking forward to learning from peers, sharing perspectives, and contributing to discussions that help shape the future of research and education.

🍂 OARnet hosted its Fall Member Meeting last week, bringing together IT leaders, CIOs, statewide partners, and higher education peers to discuss the future of broadband, cybersecurity, AI, and advanced networking in Ohio.

From statewide broadband expansion efforts to cybersecurity collaborations, campus AI initiatives, and advancements in quantum networking, the day highlighted how collective expertise moves Ohio forward.

We’re grateful to our speakers and member institutions for contributing to thoughtful discussions and ongoing partnership. Together, we’re building stronger, more resilient digital infrastructure for Ohio.