| |
| |
Arkansas Research and Educational Optical Network
(ARE-ON) News
2-28-2008: ARE-ON Appoints Executive Director
Fayetteville – The Arkansas Research and Optical
Network (ARE-ON) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Abbiatti,
Ed.S., to the position of Executive Director for ARE-ON.
ARE-ON, a high-speed, fiber-based optical
communications network established and operated by a consortium of public
four-year universities in Arkansas, is a state entity governed by the
presidents and chancellors of participating institutions, in cooperation
with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Mike Abbiatti
Abbiatti, currently the Associate Commissioner of
Information and Learning Technology for the Louisiana Board of Regents,
brings a wealth of experience to his new position as Executive Director,
including having co-founded and co-created the Louisiana Optical Network
Initiative, which was designed as an economic tool empowering research and
academic communities to become a more effective economic development
resource. A graduate of the University of Arkansas, where he received his
bachelor and master degrees, Abbiatti is an Education Specialist graduate of
Northwestern State University and has done extensive post-graduate work, to
include a certification in technical administration of complex
teaching/learning initiatives. He is also a graduate of the EDUCAUSE
Information Technology Leadership Institute and the WCET Management of
Distance Education Program, Basic and Advanced.
When asked about the future of education and
technology, Abbiatti affirmed the necessary relationship between the two.
"Integration of technology into education is a
learning requirement, not an option," he said. "Every citizen of Arkansas
deserves this type of learning environment without regard to physical
location or socio-economic class. Students come to an academic environment
with an expectation that technology will be a core component of the
experience, pre-K through adulthood. Any investment we make is an investment
in the future of our state."
Abbiatti became interested in the Executive Director
position for ARE-ON over the past year, when he worked with Dr. Bob
Zimmerman, Associate Vice Chancellor for University IT Services, University
of Arkansas, on structuring the organization as he had done it in Louisiana.
"I have long respected the researchers, teaching
faculty, and entire higher education community in Arkansas," Abbiatti said.
"These professionals, and the associated intellectual capitol, are scattered
across the state in technical colleges, community colleges, research
institutions, etc. Their contributions range from changing individual lives
to providing new knowledge and models on a global scale. My vision is based
in the core desire to see what happens when we empower each one of these
people with unlimited bandwidth, unlimited computing power, and a
collaborative environment second to none, and ARE-ON will make it happen!"
Abbiatti has also attended Louisiana State University
Health Science Center Graduate School, Centenary College, the U.S. Army
Medical Field Service School, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and
General Staff College.
"I received my commission in the U.S. Army at the
University of Arkansas, and was thrilled to return to swear my son in as an
Army officer at the same place I was sworn in," he said. "I am a Desert
Storm veteran and my son recently returned from Afghanistan."
During his time serving as the Louisiana Board of
Regents Associate Commissioner, Abbiatti's responsibilities included policy
development, funding strategies, supervision of operational staff, and
management of complex budgets relative to a wide variety of technology
initiatives. Abbiatti was also Louisiana's initial member of the National
LambdaRail Board of Directors and was responsible for the creation and
management of the Louisiana Education and Research Network (LEARNET) as a
statewide Internet2 resource.
Abbiatti has been nationally recognized numerous times
for his contributions to technology and education. He will begin his
position as Executive Director for ARE-ON on July 1, 2008.
His extensive experience in higher education,
technology, and research will undoubtedly lend itself to the successful
development of ARE-ON, putting the current members of ARE-ON on the cutting
edge of the latest in technology, research and education.
In addition, Abbiatti is excited to return to his home
state of Arkansas.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to repay the
kindness that the citizens of Arkansas invested in me many years ago (as a
student)," Abbiatti said. "My family and I are excited about coming home and
being able to contribute to the future prosperity in Arkansas.
"The tremendous work done by Dr. Bob Zimmerman and
David Merrifield to prepare ARE-ON for the new Executive Director is the
most effective and the most broad-based support I have seen nation-wide in
the area of high-speed networking and high-performance computing."
"David Merrifield was appointed as the ARE-ON Chief
Technology Officer with the support of the ARE-ON Steering Committee," Dr.
Bob Zimmerman, Associate Vice Chancellor for University IT Services, said.
"I chose not to continue on in the capacity of ARE-ON Executive Director and
worked with the steering committee to find suitable candidates. The
selection of an Executive Director was made in late 2007, with the
recommendation of Mike Abbiatti by the steering committee and with
confirmation by the Presidents and Chancellors of ARE-ON member
universities.
"Mike Abbiatti is the right person at the right time.
I welcome him and look forward to working closely with him as the new leader
of ARE-ON."
Abbiatti is married to his wife, Nancy, an Education
Specialist with the Louisiana Department of Education, has four children,
and will be relocating to Fayetteville this summer (2008) to begin his
position with the Arkansas Research and Optical Network (ARE-ON).
Back to News
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|