IEIC Welcomes New Founding Academic Member Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

ASHBURN, Va. and RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 5, 2019

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering will be representing the university alongside the IEIC's other founding members. Dean Boyan is an acclaimed researcher and entrepreneur. She is recognized internationally by peers as an expert in her fields.  An industry leader and proponent of improving access to high-value education, she is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and is the co-founder of four companies. Previously, she was associate dean of research and innovation at the Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Engineering.

The IEIC's mission is to collaborate with communities globally to create new internet nexus points through partnership with local municipalities, academia and businesses.  IEIC has identified Central Virginia as a region with the essential elements needed to demonstrate effective development and deployment of an advanced peering ecosystem.

Proper functioning and proliferation of the global internet as a central part of economic development and business success requires a cross-functional group of business and academic leaders to drive initiatives and assist with strategic planning. The internet requires networks to exchange traffic (peering locations). Reliance on only a few global peering locations creates risk and limits opportunity for more communities to participate in the internet's growth and economic potential. Furthermore, the shortage of a qualified workforce has become a growing issue that must be addressed to fully realize the IEIC's mission.

As a founding member of the IEIC, VCU's College of Engineering will assist in creating a curriculum to help grow a richer technology workforce.  VCU will make recommendations that effectively modify and evolve existing higher education curricula and programs to meet increasing demand for highly skilled technology workers. This curriculum will more closely align the rising workforce with needs of the expanding digital economy.

"VCU, along with its business partners, is highly engaged in community outreach, making sure that young people, veterans and untapped technology regions have the awareness and tools to capture opportunities in the new digital economy," Boyan said. "We are proud to be a founding IEIC member and to further the creation of new curricula to support enterprises in their efforts to embrace the digital transformation with a workforce prepared for the future."