MS-CC Research and Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Workshop at Virginia Union University

Virginia Union University
June 25-26, 2024
Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center
1813-1899 Bath St,
Richmond, VA 23220

Large group of professionals taking a group photo.

Motivating your Campus Around CI to Advance Research and Education (R&E) Programs

Join the Minority Serving – Cyberinfrastructure Consortium (MS-CC) for a free two-day research and cyberinfrastructure workshop in Richmond, Virginia. The MS-CC workshop will be hosted at the campus of HBCU, Virginia Union University from June 25-26 2024, in the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center located at 1813-1899 Bath St, Richmond, VA 23220. Registration is FREE for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) participants and is open through Friday, June 21, 2024.

We’ve designed a hands-on workshop experience for leadership, faculty, researchers, IT staff, and students from HBCUs and TCUs that provides information, tools, and resources to support and enable many day-to-day activities on your campus.

This workshop provides opportunities for networking and connecting with your peers, potential collaborators, and partners via breakout sessions, discussion groups, and hosted meals. Please read the workshop agenda (below) for additional details. 

The workshop is funded by the NSF OAC 2137123 awarded to the Minority Serving – Cyberinfrastructure Consortium (MS-CC) and Internet2.

Agenda

Cyberinfrastructure Day
June 25, 2024 | 8:00 – 5:00 PM ET
8:00 – 9:00 AM

Breakfast
9:10 – 9:25 AM

Welcome, Introduction to MS-CC and Workshop Objectives

Speakers:
• Dr. Linda Jackson, Vice President of Sponsored Programs, Virginia Union University
• Leslie Jones, Director of Program Development, MS-CC
9:30 – 9:50 AM

IT for Computing and Data Science (“Cyberinfrastructure”)

Speaker:
• Russell Hofmann, CI Facilitator, MS-CC
9:55 – 10:10 AM

Attendee Introduction
10:25 – 11:25 AM

CI Strategic Value for Education and Research: Perspectives and Panel

Speakers:
• Kofi Jack, Chief Information Officer, Virginia Union University
• Dr. Urban Wiggins, Vice Provost for Decision Science and Visualization in the Office of Academic Affairs, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• Francis Mensah, Associate Professor of Physics, Virginia Union University
11:25 AM – 12:10 PM

Cyberinfrastructure, Arts, & Humanities

Speakers:
• Stephen Bollinger, Associate Professor/Head of Library Systems, North Carolina A&T University
• Dr. Jeanine Lino S. Couto, Visiting Assistant Professor of World Languages and Cultures, Winston-Salem State University
• Brett Chambers, Lecturer, Mass Communications at North Carolina Central University
12:10 – 12:55 PM

Lunch & Networking + Group Picture
1:25 – 1:45 PM

National Science Foundation (NSF) CI and Cybersecurity Funding

Speaker:
• Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, Program Director, National Science Foundation
1:55 – 2:15 PM

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Funding for HBCUs

Speakers:
• Michelle Lemelle, Broadband Program Specialist, NTIA
• Cassidy Rasnick, Federal Program Officer, NTIA
— BIL Funding
2:25 – 2:35 PM

Considerations for CI Funding

Speaker:
• Russell Hofmann, CI Facilitator, MS-CC
2:55 – 3:40 PM

Campus Perspectives on Funding Panel

Speakers:
• Rebecca Steiner, Grant Administrator, Morgan State University
• Dr. James Brown, Department Head of Computer Science & Director of the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research, Shaw University
3:50 – 4:25 PM

Research and Education Networks (RENs) & Cyberinfrastructure Resources in the Region

Speakers:
• Dr. Glen MacLachlan, Capital Area Advanced Research and Education Network (CAAREN)
• Jeff Crowder, Mid-Atlantic Research Infrastructure Alliance (MARIA)
Cybersecurity & Research Computing Support Day
June 26, 2024 | 8:00 – 3:00 PM ET
8:00 – 8:50 AM

Breakfast
8:50 – 9:00 AM

Welcome & Day 2 Overview
9:15 – 9:20 AM

Internet2’s Updates

Speaker:
• Jennifer Kim, CI Engineer, MS-CC
9:20 – 10:00 AM

Campus Cybersecurity Priorities for HBCUs

Speakers:
• Dr. Adebisi Oladipupo, Vice President for Information Technology, Hampton University
• Kofi Jack, Chief Information Officer, Virginia Union University
10:25 – 12:00 PM

Strategy Sessions (concurrent): Strategies for Successful Grant Submissions

Speakers:
• Dr. Claudia Rankins, Retired Program Officer, HBCU-UP
• Dr. LaShauna Evans, National Science Portal Program Manager Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
• Ambareen Siraj, Program Director, National Science Foundation
10:25 AM – 12:00 PM

Strategy Session (concurrent): Technology Supports for Rising R1 and R2 Campuses

Speakers:
• William Nelson, Executive Director of Academic Finance and Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Dr. Urban Wiggins, Vice Provost for Decision Science and Visualization in the Office of Academic Affairs, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
12:10 – 1:10 PM

Lunch & Networking
1:10 – 2:10 PM

Cybersecurity Support, Workforce Requirements, and Education Programs at HBCUs Panel

Speakers:
• Kelsey Bretz, Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Grady Larsen, Director of Sales, Richweb
• Benjamin Gilbert, Supervisory Cybersecurity Advisor, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
• Dr. James Brown, Department Head of Computer Science & Director of the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research, Shaw University
• Elie Kfoury, Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina

MS-CC Workshop Series

The MS-CC workshop at Virginia Union University is one of several workshops the MS-CC and Internet2 are planning at HBCU and TCU campuses throughout 2024. 

If the MS-CC workshop in Richmond, Virginia is not geographically convenient for you, additional workshops are under consideration and will be announced throughout 2024. We hope that you’ll be able to attend one of the upcoming workshops at a location closest to your institution. Learn more about the MS-CC Workshop series.

Registration

The two-day workshop is free for MS-CC participants, but registration is required. Registration is open through Friday, June 21, 2024. The MS-CC is utilizing Internet2’s event registration system.

What to expect as part of your registration process:

For questions about Internet2’s Event Registration Privacy Policy, to update your privacy options after you have registered for an event, or if you want to change/cancel your existing registration, please contact Internet2 Meeting Registration.

Hotel Recommendations

The workshop will be held in the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center on the Virginia Union University campus, located at 1813-1899 Bath, St. Richmond, VA 23220

Should you be in need of overnight accommodations, the recommended hotels for workshop participants that are within close proximity to this campus are:

Please contact the hotels directly to inquire about their daily rates and book your reservation.

Parking

Participants should first park in the rear lot (off Graham Rd), and any overflow can park in front of the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center. If you are a participant who needs mobility assistance, we encourage you to park in the front lot of the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center. Please refer to the VUU map for guidance.

Reimbursements

As an MS-CC participant from an HBCU or TCU, we can reimburse reasonable mileage (within a 250-mile radius of Virginia Union) if you have not attended a workshop within the last two years. The reimbursement request process is completed in two steps:

Not an MS-CC participant? Becoming a participant is simple, quick, easy – and free! Fill out the form, join the mailing list, and stay informed about upcoming meetings and activities. 

Participation in the MS-CC helps us create a vibrant community of practice where peers can collaborate and support one another and build a coalition to advocate for their needs as a community.

What Workshop Participants Can Expect 

The two-day workshop agenda is designed around two themes: Cyberinfrastructure and Cybersecurity. The workshop program includes keynote presentations, panel discussions with cyberinfrastructure and cybersecurity leaders, facilitated group discussions, and hands-on learning opportunities, including access to open-source security tools and documented best practices for campus infrastructure.

Informal networking opportunities provide you with opportunities to meet and build connections with your peers and cybersecurity professionals and leadership from regional and national non-profit organizations supporting the research and education community in the U.S.

COVID-19 Information

The COVID-19 situation in the United States is fluid, and we continue to monitor developments that may impact attendees for the MS-CC Workshop. In order to stay current, check this page periodically leading up to the workshop.

Workshop participants will need to abide by Virginia Union University’s COVID-19 guidelines while participating in the workshop. 

Virginia Union University works with Capital Area Health Network (CAHN), their University-based healthcare provider, and follows the recommendations from the Virginia Department of Health(VDH) as well as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Events Code of Conduct

Internet2 and the community are committed to promoting a positive environment at our events and conferences for our particpants and the research and education community. Our community values fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and expects our attendees to interact professionally and respectfully towards one another. Discrimination or harassment of any type, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, or religion, is not consistent with our values and will not be tolerated.

Unacceptable behavior includes offensive comments; deliberate intimidation, stalking or unwanted attention; inappropriate physical contact; harassing, derogatory, or demeaning conduct; or other behavior that demonstrates a lack of professionalism or respect for another individual.

Participants are expected to follow these rules at all Internet2-hosted events. Participants violating these rules may be asked to leave an event without warning or a refund, at the discretion of Internet2. In some instances, such behavior may be reported to local or federal law enforcement officers. If you believe that you or someone else has been subject to these behaviors, please contact the Internet2 Ethics Hotline immediately at (877) 842-6829 or send a message via the web at www.reportlineweb.com/internet2.


MS-CC Research and Cyberinfrastructure Workshop at Virginia Union University

Registration is Free for HBCU and TCU participants and will be open through Friday, June 21, 2024