The future of information technology -- from wireless communications to new imaging systems -- is the topic of the 1996 Cornell Society of Engineers annual conference April 12 and 13 at Cornell University.

Called "This Is IT: Information Technology at Cornell and Beyond," the conference will highlight research in the rapidly developing field of information communications. Featured will be speakers from the Cornell faculty and from industry, including a keynote address by William L. Schrader ('74, MBA '84), a Cornell alum recently featured in Time magazine as an "Internet mogul" and multimillionaire. Schrader helped run the Cornell Theory Center after graduating and founded PSINet in 1990, a firm that provides Internet access to businesses and individuals.

The conference will offer workshops on improving electronic communication skills, getting the most out of the Internet and taking advantage of the World Wide Web. Tours of Cornell engineering research centers and laboratories also will be available. The program is sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Cornell Society of Engineers, and is held in conjunction with the School of Electrical Engineering Advisory Council meetings.

Proceedings begin at 9:15 a.m. Friday, April 12, in the Statler Hall Amphitheatre, with welcoming remarks by Joe McAfee (Mechanical Engineering, '63), president of the society, and introductions by Karl Miller (Electrical Engineering, '64).

Cornell Engineering Dean John Hopcroft, a leader in the area of theoretical computer science, will address a luncheon crowd at noon on Friday, April 12, in the Statler Hotel Ballroom, on "Information Technology and the College of Engineering."

The keynote address is scheduled during the conference banquet 7:15 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 13, in the Statler Ballroom, with Schrader, chief executive officer of Performance System International. His talk is on "Advances in Information Technology and the Future of the Internet." For registration information, contact Jeanne Subialka, conference registrar, at (607) 255-9920, or e-mail <jms20@cornell.edu>. Information and a registration form also are available on the World Wide Web at . Registration is $99 and includes all sessions and meals. The fee for Cornell faculty, staff and students is waived, although meals are extra.

Here are some conference highlights:

Friday Morning 4/12

Paul J. Kampas '70 EE, M.Eng. '71 Adjunct Professor, Johnson Graduate School of Management; "Thriving on the Information

Revolution: A Framework for Navigating the Agony and Ecstasy of Digital Convergence"

Roger Strauch '78 EE; CEO, TCSI Corp.; "Acapreneuring -- Academics and

Entrepreneurs Partnering to Create a New High- Technology Company"

John Hopcroft, Dean of the College of Engineering, will speak at lunch on "Information

Technology and the College of Engineering" Friday Afternoon -- Faculty Presentations: Professor David Gries, Computer Science; "Listening to Electronic Documents: A Software

Package That Speaks"

Professor Sheila Hemami, Electrical Engineering; "Visual Communications for

Heterogeneous Systems: Research Into Universal Access to the Information Superhighway"

Lab Demonstrations and Tours:

--Professor Richard Compton, Electrical Engineering; "New Wireless Communications

Systems"

--Professor Bruce Land, Computer Science; "Virtual Reality in Engineering"

--Professor Claire Cardie, Computer Science; "Information Extraction from Real-World

Text"

Friday evening

Keynote speaker -- William L. Schrader '74, MBA '84; CEO, Performance System

International (PSI); "Advances in Information Technology and the Future of the Internet" Saturday Morning 4/13

Panel Discussion:

The New Communications Industries L. Scott Perry '70 CE, VP for Multi-Media, ATT Glen Sacra '52 ME, MBA '54, GTE SpaceNet (retired) Lucio Lanza, U.S. Venture Partners

William Schrader '74, MBA '84, CEO, PSINet --"IT" Practicum: A Hands-On Opportunity --Steven Worona, Cornell Information Technologies; "The Internet and Your Career: You

Can't Network without the Net"

--Mark Savage, Engineering Career Services; "Recruit and Interview Via the Internet," plus

"ResumeXpress"

--Professor John Abel, Civil Engineering,(with Kate Mink and David Caughey) "The

Future Textbooks for Engineering Education: A CD-ROM Multi-Media Interactive

Engineering Textbook"

Saturday Afternoon

Optional tours: Cornell's Nanofabrication Facility, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron

Source, Electronic Packaging Facility -30- EDITORS: For exact times and locations, please call Jeanne Subialka, conference registrar, (607) 255-9920, or Larry Bernard, Cornell News Service, (607) 255-3651.