Internet2: Closing the Gain Access To Gap for Research Cyberinfrastructure A Q&A with Dana Brunson Internet2 has supported collective research considering that its starting in 1996– first through its national network, then by its work in federated identity and gain access to management with InCommon, and more recently through its cloud options. And when Dana Brunson signed up with Internet2 as executive director for research engagement in 2019, she developed a strong team to lead research enablement in the Internet2 neighborhood. Here, we ask Brunson for her perspectives on the changing research study computing and data requirements in higher education, and how Internet2’s Research Engagement Team is assisting the community close the access space for institutions of all types and sizes. < img height="368" alt="Dana Brunson facilitates a roundtable conversation with research study and higher education IT leaders" width="644" src="https://campustechnology.com/-/media/EDU/CampusTechnology/2026/06/20260608DanaBrunson.jpg"/ > Dana Brunson( center )assists in a roundtable conversation with research and college IT leaders at an Internet2 annual occasion, where the community assembles to solve shared challenges. (Picture courtesy Internet2)
Mary Grush: What is the mission of Internet2’s Research study Engagement Group? What are the biggest changes you’ve seen during your years of leading the group?
Dana Brunson: Our objective is to make sure that scientists and teachers– no matter their discipline or kind of organization– have access to the research study computing and information tools, services, and resources they require. Which consists of whatever might be already on campus, or what is offered regionally and nationally as either federally funded or private-sector resources.
The Internet2 Research Engagement Team provides consulting and training for schools to discover research study cyberinfrastructure and establish strategic plans, and we offer support to bring organizations all the way to understanding execution of those strategies.
We likewise assist in an expert neighborhood for research cyberinfrastructure through CaRCC, the Campus Research Study Computing Consortium, to establish shared tools and best practices– in addition to making use of other community connections to bring individuals together. And we promote for research study computing and data (RCD) specialists, to be seen as both research study partners and as part of what makes a university a competitive entity, no matter how trying the spending plan times are.
Our central focus is closing the gap between the well-resourced R1 institutions and those that have dealt with higher constraints in accessing research study cyberinfrastructure: the teaching-focused undergraduate organizations, minority-serving organizations, and every kind of school in between.