Information Institute Co-Sponsors the 9th annual Communications and Information Policy Symposium, April 14, 2005

Enhancing Access for Social Connectivity:New Technologies, Strategies, and Policy Challenges

Ninth Annual Florida Communications and Information Policy Symposium
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Turnbull Center for Professional Development
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

In its ninth annual meeting, the Florida Communications and Information Policy Symposium addresses access to communications and information services that enable social connectivity. More specifically, the Symposium will explore issues associated with broadband wireless technologies and the implications for such technologies on access to and use of information resources and services, the digital divide, e-government initiatives, and other technical, policy, and social aspects. As such, the Symposium will present multiple perspectives regarding wireless broadband technologies - from the technical developments to the service and resource enabling capabilities that such technologies can have on society.

A series of panels will address the deployment and use of new services and networks in a variety of settings, including both public sector and private sector applications. This includes case studies or surveys of wireless applications and services offered to support local, state, and federal government provision of public services; new services and wireless platforms; wireless and access of underserved communities in urban and rural areas; defining the roles for the public sector and the private sector; telecommunications policy needs and practices to promote wireless broadband infrastructure, and; international comparisons of wireless broadband strategies, cases, or policies. Additional panels and sessions will address the service enabling capabilities of wireless broadband in the context of access to information services and resources, e-government initiatives, and other societal factors.

Papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication in Government Information Quarterly (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/govinf), a peer-refereed journal published by Elsevier. A special issue on wireless broadband applications is planned, and papers will also be considered for other issues of the journal.

Those interested in presenting papers at the Symposium should submit a 250 word abstract to Steve McDowell (see below) no later than March 15, 2005. Proposals will be peer reviewed and high quality proposals will be selected for presentation at the Symposium. Completed papers will be due no later than June 1, 2005.

The symposium is organized by the College of Communication and the College of Information at Florida State University. Program updates will be available at http://www.comm.fsu.edu/ or the Information Institute at the College of Information at http://www.ii.fsu.edu/. For more information please contact the College of Communication at 850-644-9698, or contact Steve McDowell at smcdowel@mailer.fsu.edu.