OARnet

🌐 Collaboration is one of the most powerful tools for solving technology challenges.

At the OARnet Central Ohio Cohort Meeting, education and government leaders came together to explore how shared services, regional partnerships, and collaborative infrastructure can help organizations address evolving technology needs.

Presentations from partners including the City of Columbus, the State of Ohio Computer Center, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services First Responder Communications Program, and the Ohio Supercomputer Center highlighted opportunities to leverage shared resources, strengthen resiliency, and maximize the value of existing technology investments.

Thank you to our partners and attendees for making our first meeting a success. We look forward to continuing these conversations and building on the relationships that help support Ohio’s communities.

Russell M. Pitzer, whose vision helped lay the foundation for both the Ohio Supercomputer Center and the statewide network that became OARnet, passed away this past week. As the first director of OARnet, Russ played an important role in shaping the early concepts behind connecting Ohio’s research community and remained engaged with these efforts over many years.

The network he helped envision continues to support collaboration, access, and discovery across the state, and Russ’s immense impact will continue to be felt for years to come. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Obituary information for Russell Mosher Pitzer View Russell Mosher Pitzer's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

OARnet joined public-sector technology leaders from across Ohio at the Ohio IT Leadership Forum.

From AI governance and cybersecurity to digital infrastructure, workforce readiness, and statewide innovation, the event brought together organizations working to shape the future of technology across Ohio.

Events like this create valuable opportunities to share ideas, strengthen partnerships, and explore how technology can continue supporting innovation and service across Ohio communities.

Artificial intelligence, statewide collaboration, and the future of higher education technology were at the center of OARnet’s Spring 2026 Member Meeting held during the Ohio Higher Education Computing Council (OHECC) conference at The University of Toledo.

The meeting featured updates on major statewide infrastructure initiatives, cybersecurity efforts, cloud connectivity expansion, and OARnet’s modernized business model projected to save members $525,000 in FY27.

Attendees also heard from higher education technology leaders across Ohio during a panel discussion focused on how campuses are approaching AI adoption, governance, workforce readiness, and security in an evolving digital landscape.

Learn more:

OARnet’s Spring 2026 Member Meeting spotlights higher education AI ecosystems, modernized business model OARnet hosted its semi-annual Member Meeting on May 13 in conjunction with the Ohio Higher Education Computing Council (OHECC) annual conference held at The University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. The event featured a panel discussion about how various higher education institutions in Ohio are develop...

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/