February / March 2007






The ORION Showcase is a new section of the ORION Research and Discovery News that spotlights how connected institutions and organizations are using ORION to enhance research, teaching and learning in Ontario.

Scholars Portal

The Scholars Portal, based at the University of Toronto, is a great example of the use of the ORION network and its capabilities. ORION is providing researchers, scientists and educators throughout Ontario with enhanced access to the award-winning Portal.

This gateway, hosted at the Robarts Library at the University of Toronto, was developed by the Ontario Council of University Libraries to provide access to electronic resources for all Ontario university faculty and students. All 20 of Ontario universities connected to the ORION network enjoy enhanced direct connectivity to the Portal, which currently provides access to almost 10 million articles from over 7,600 research journals, citation management and other software, which contribute to their academic and research work. ORION also enables ultra high-speed access to the Portal's Rapid Access to Collections by Electronic Requesting (RACER) service.

Learn more at www.scholarsportal.info.


Connecting Lakehead's new Orillia campus

A new dedicated ultra high-speed ORION fibre-optic connection is helping Lakehead University in Thunder Bay to extend its fully integrated network infrastructure to its new Orillia campus, located more than 1,200 kilometres away. The University just completed its inaugural semester at its Orillia campus, with a charter class of 120 students.

The integrated infrastructure is facilitated in large part through a dedicated ORION Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) link. The 100 Mbps connection allows a seamless network infrastructure and ultra high-speed connectivity between the two locations. The VLAN is provisioned from the ORION Point of Presence in Barrie, with linking to Orillia provided by the Simcoe Community Broadband Network (SCBN).

The new campus offers three multidisciplinary programs in arts, science, and education. The inter-campus connectivity illustrates the potential for other institutions to connect to remote campus and satellite locations by taking advantage of ORION's 21 points of presence, covering over 5,800 kilometres throughout Ontario.

Visit Lakehead's new Orillia location at http://orillia.lakeheadu.ca.


Trent uses videoconferencing technology for distance thesis defences

Trent University in Peterborough is now conducting thesis defences over ORION and partner R&E networks utilizing new IP videoconferencing equipment that was installed in early Fall 2006.

This technology allows for a remote external examiner to be present by video link. The system uses a standard two plasma screen arrangement installed in a conference room that permits about 16 people to participate and with an audience of about 20, all of whom are able to see and be seen by the remote external examiner. This two-screen arrangement enables all participants, including the remote external examiner, and audience to be active at once and, most importantly, to view the PowerPoint slides that are part of the presentation and defence.

The first defence was conducted in late October 2006 with a PhD student in Trent's Canadian Studies program and a remote external examiner at Pennsylvania State University.

With the aid of ORION's ultra high-speed connection, Trent's videoconferencing equipment runs faster and smoother, and there is an undetectable lag in response time.

"The sound and picture quality are superb," said Professor Douglas Evans, Dean of Graduate Studies. "Everyone agrees that this is an excellent way to conduct defences." This technology, which greatly reduces time and travel costs, now allows Trent to access the best possible examiners for its graduate students since an examiner's geographic location is no longer a factor.

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