CSET Highlights ConnectKentucky
Volume 5, Article 3
October, 2005


College of Science,
Engineering and Technology Provides Support
for Governor's Broadband Program

      Murray State University's College of Science, Engineering, and Technology is providing support for Governor Ernie Fletcher's Prescription for Innovation and ConnectKentucky. Thanks to Dean Neil Weber, ConnectKentucky's West Kentucky office is now located in the Industry and Technology Building. Located in the West Kentucky office is ConnectKentucky's Research and Policy Group along with the Statewide Broadband Group's West Kentucky Region.
      ConnectKentucky is an alliance of technology-minded businesses, government entities, and universities working together to accelerate technology in the Commonwealth. The mission of ConnectKentucky is to support the growth and economic development of technology in Kentucky. Utilizing the alliance, ConnectKentucky is accelerating technology in the Commonwealth through: broadband expansion, research, governmental affairs, public relations, and high-tech recruiting.
      ConnectKentuck's Statewide Broadband Group is focused on accomplishing Governor Fletcher's Prescription for Innovation. The Prescription for Innovation is a comprehensive plan for statewide broadband adoption and deployment, led by ConnectKentucky and contains three main items: (1) providing broadband availability to all of Kentucky; (2) increasing computer and internet usage; and (3) creating a meaningful online presence for all local communities. In the West Region this effort is headed by Michael Ramage, a former Telecommunications Systems Management and Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology instructor. Also helping with this effort is Murray State University student Geremy Harper, who is interning this semester for ConnectKentucky.		       ConnectKentucky's Research and Policy Group, located at Murray State University, conducts primary research and analysis on technology usage among Kentucky residents and businesses, as well as provides analysis of federal and state policies that affect the deployment and adoption of technology in Kentucky. Currently the group's work is focused on the Prescription for Innovation. Serving as Director of Policy and Research is Laura Taylor, who previously worked as a bill drafter for the Legislative Research Commission in Frankfort. Also working in the research and policy group is Wes Kerr, Technology Analyst, and a Telecommunications Systems Management graduate. Two Murray State students are interning with the research and policy group during the Fall semester: Samantha Wood, a graduate student in the public policy program, assisting with policy tracking, and Leslie Lyons, a senior math and geosciences major, conducting GIS analysis for ConnectKentucky.

The Staff at ConnectKentucky

      The Research and Policy Group is currently collaborating with Murray State's Mid-America Remote Sensing Center to use ConnectKentucky's statewide GIS broadband infrastructure map to create a multi-layered GIS map that will allow for a detailed and localized view of the demographics associated with areas in Kentucky that do not have broadband coverage. This map, a first of its kind nationwide, will support ConnectKentucky's work encouraging broadband build-out to unserved areas, as well as promote the adoption of broadband and related technology, thereby improving educational and economic development opportunities for all Kentuckians.


      For more information on ConnectKentucky, visit www.connectkentucky.org, contact Michael Ramage at mramage@connectky.org, or 270-762-6032 or Laura Taylor at ltaylor@connectky.org or 270-762-6033.


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