WHIN Accelerates Outreach, Engagement and Research

As a new initiative, Wabash Heartland Innovation Network recognizes that its success relies upon community engagement and involvement. WHIN's priority is to listen, learn and understand the needs of our region's citizens.

In May, WHIN hosted three outreach meetings throughout the region (Lafayette, Crawfordsville and Monticello). More than 35 elected officials, local economic development directors and community leaders attended, sharing ideas for optimizing WHIN's effectiveness. Approximately 15 experts in broadband from throughout the region also came together to begin an in-depth, long-term discussion about the region's connectivity issues. In addition, on May 31st, WHIN Manufacturing Advisory Council was hosted at Purdue's Indiana Manufacturing Institute. The council toured the facility and visited the testbed site currently being developed.

A sampling of other recent WHIN activities include:

Purdue's College of Agriculture is in the process of developing an online Master's degree program and has hired Bruce Erickson, who was Agronomy's Education Distance & Outreach Director, as the WHIN Director of Agricultural Education.

Purdue, with support from WHIN, is developing an open architecture wireless soil sensor network and is testing our open-source telematics on agricultural machinery at Purdue farms in the summer.

WHIN outreach has included meetings with Indiana's State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler and Connie Neininger, ISDA Economic Development Director, as well as the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.