Welcome to OCTS

The mission of the Ohio Center for Technology and Science (OCTS) is to promote long-distance, interdisciplinary research, teaching, and learning activities through the collaborative use of the Access Grid video system. We hope to become the meeting place for the exchange of ideas across a range of disciplines and to become the leader in promoting cooperative, interdisciplinary research.

The OCTS began in December 2003 as startup center with funding from the Dean of the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at The Ohio State University. Since then it has received additional support from the OSU Office of Research, the Department of Physics and the Ohio Board of Regents. The center provides leadership to create a statewide network that will allow The Ohio State University to join with other institutions with similar missions to organize a wide variety of events.

The connection technology we use is called the Access Grid and it can provide a true "as-if-you-were-there" experience. Briefly, this technology involves a large-scale video projection system with multi-channel connections that simultaneously link sites. Large-screen video images of the audience as well as any speaker and his/her presentation are viewed by all participants. Since all participants are displayed continuously and heard at all locations, everyone can freely interact.

We believe this type of connectivity will greatly enhance the effectiveness of all of the members of the participating institutions. We see this as a multi-purpose facility that can support many activities in a variety of ways.

Uses of OCTS

• Research workshops and seminars
• Advanced classes for graduate students and talented undergraduates that might only attract a few students at each institution.
• Research collaborations that would otherwise take place over telephone, fax, or e-mail
• Summer school programs for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers
• Outreach programs such as summer programs for K-12 teachers