UMass Amherst Microsoft IT Showcase School Lecture Series
Talks by Barbara Chung, Microsoft Corporation’s Chief Security Advisor for Education, and colleagues kick off the 2006 Microsoft IT Showcase School Lecture Series. This inaugural event will be highlighted by three talks on Trustworthy Computing, which is a top priority initiative for Microsoft and one of UMass Amherst’s research and education interests. According to Microsoft, there is an urgent need to raise awareness of the full range of trustworthy computing issues in academia. The company is working together with the campus to develop approaches and materials that can place trustworthiness prominently in computing curriculum.
Understanding Microsoft’s Security Response Process
Barbara Chung, Chief Security Advisor for Education, Microsoft
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Room 150-151, Computer Science Building
Join us for a look at the Microsoft people and processes involved in responding to security vulnerabilities with Barbara Chung, Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor to Education. Pizza to be provided. Door prizes including security books and games.
Meeting the Challenge of Today’s Internet
Diane Curtis, Academic Developer Relationship Manager, Microsoft
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Room 150-151, Computer Science
With the onslaught of SPAM making email almost unusable in some cases, Microsoft has responded to customer needs with a comprehensive solution to the problem. Join Diane Curtis for a tech talk on Microsoft’s SPAM solutions. Door prizes including software and games.
Committing to Your Customers
Philip DesAutels, Microsoft Academic Developer Evangelist for New England
Diane Curtis, Microsoft Academic Developer Relationship Manager
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Room 112, Isenberg School of Management
In 2002, Microsoft faced a serious problem; its products were not meeting customer needs or expectations. The success of Microsoft’s products in the marketplace became a double-edged sword. Ubiquity resulted in an onslaught of security attacks, leading to high levels of customer dissatisfaction and loss or market share. Microsoft’s answer to this challenge was the Trustworthy Computing Initiative, a bold effort to reshape the company to customers needs. Join Diane Curtis and Philip DesAutels for a review of this effort and how it has shaped and changed every aspect of Microsoft. Door prizes include a PDA and books on customers and knowledge management.
In October 2005, the Amherst campus was designated the first-in-the-nation Microsoft IT Showcase School in recognition of its demonstrated leadership in IT education and teaching. Since then the campus has received three awards totaling $150,000 to pursue innovative uses of IT in research, curriculum development and technology development. One of those awards supports Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Aura Ganz’s development of a course on Trustworthy Mobile Networking and Computing.