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Fifty Years On, NERCOMP and MIT Still Look Forward

Paul Heffernan

Back in 1956, MIT and IBM launched a ten-year cooperative effort in computing. As part of that affiliation, twenty New England colleges and universities got access to the second shift on the IBM-704 computer installed at MIT. This led to the formation of NERCC, the first instance of the organization now known as the North East Regional Computing Program (NERCOMP).

Today NERCOMP thrives as an association of information systems and technology users from over 230 colleges, universities, and other educational and research institutions throughout the Northeast. It offers an annual conference, workshops, software licensing discounts, and opportunities to collaborate with peers. NERCOMP connects with broader educational initiatives through its affiliation with EDUCAUSE – a national organization that “advances higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.”

MIT Connection
Fifty years on, MIT’s connection with NERCOMP remains strong: former MIT President Charles Vest will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s conference; IT managers and professionals from the Institute serve as NERCOMP officers, board members, and committee chairs, and lead various seminars; and over 100 MIT staff members subscribe to NERCOMP’s mailing list.

Many MIT staff attend NERCOMP’s annual conference – held this year in Worcester from March 19 to 21. If you work with computers, consider signing up – it’s a great opportunity to get the scoop on Web 2.0 and mashups, discuss cyberethics, or learn about a data center makeover, among many other topics.

MIT community members also participate in NERCOMP special interest groups (SIGs), which sponsor one-day topical seminars. Among the 40+ sessions offered in 2007 are Women, Technology & Leadership; Different Help Desks, Similar Goals; and Free and Open Knowledge, which focuses on OpenCourseWare and the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT).

If you decide to register for the conference or another NERCOMP event, be sure to take advantage of MIT’s discounted rate. To get on NERCOMP’s mailing list, click member login on the home page and then click register here.