RENCI director Dan Reed will kick off IBM’s annual University Day with a talk on the role of computing in innovative research, education and economic development efforts. IBM University Day, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 26, is an opportunity for the Triangle area academic community to showcase what it offers to industry. For students, it offers the chance to meet with prospective employers in the IBM Research Triangle Park development community. Representatives from all IBM divisions will be on hand, as will staff from corporate and local IBM university relations programs that support joint research or recruit students.

Reed’s talk, entitled “Computing: A Catalyst for Innovation,” begins at 8:45 a.m. Other speakers include Mark Crowell, Associate Vice Chancellor of Technology Development at UNC, Chapel Hill; Paul Mugge, Director of North Carolina State’s Center for Innovation Management Studies; Bob Trew and Hisham Massoud, chairs of the NC State and Duke Electrical and Computing Engineering departments respectively; and representatives of corporate and local IBM programs that fund university activities. Concurrent sessions on visualization will feature speakers from UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, NC State and NC Central University.

All University Day events will take place at the IBM Employee Activity and Fitness Center, 400 Cornwallis Drive, Research Triangle Park. For more information, contact  Andy Rindos, head of IBM’s RTP Center for Advanced Studies, at rindos@us.ibm.com.