UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- "Innovation through Cooperation" is the theme of the 2002 National Extension Technology Conference (NETC), which Penn State will host May 18-21 at The Nittany Lion Inn. The conference is held annually in May or June at a land-grant institution.

Speakers and presenters at the conference will include Penn State President Graham Spanier; Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy; David Kerr, deputy policy director in the office of Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker; Nirmal Pal, executive director of Penn State's eBusiness Research Center; John Harwood, senior director of Penn State's Center for Education Technology Services; and information technology professionals from extension systems around the nation.

Unlike prior NETC conferences, which focused almost exclusively on technologies and innovations, this year's conference will include sessions specifically designed to involve extension directors and administrators. These sessions will address the impact of technology on outreach, and how information technologies can be applied to land-grant universities' educational mission.

This year's conference will include tours, a share fair/poster session, more than 70 breakout sessions and entertainment, all aimed at bringing participants the most up-to-date information about technology for cooperative extension professionals.

Participation is not limited to extension faculty and staff. Anyone with an interest in information technology and its use in higher and continuing education, as well as in organization management, is welcome.

For more information, visit the NETC Web site at http://www.netc2002.psu.edu or contact Tom Weber at 814-863-3449, e-mail http://conferences.cas.psu.edu on the Web.

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EDITORS: Contact Tom Weber at 814-863-3449, e-mail thw@psu.edu.

Contact: Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax