Farber: Colleges to weather new tech.

The growth of telecommunications will not threaten the university experience as we know it, according to Computer and Information Science Professor David Farber, who spoke to a packed crowd in the Towne Building's Alumni Hall last Wednesday. The award-winning scholar, who specializes in information technology, presented the lecture on "The University in the Information Age" as part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science's Engineering Week. The address -- sponsored by the Engineering School's Office of Graduate Education and Research -- focused on the direction of computer technology and its impact on higher education. Farber began his talk by describing new optical technologies which can facilitate the spread of information. This progress, he said, will change the nature of communication on both a personal and a global level. "The convergence of computation and communication technologies is starting to replace infrastructure," Farber said. Farber explained that the increased accessibility of information over the Internet threatens communications distributors such as film, telephone and record companies. In 10 years, he estimated, all household appliances will be "radio-linked" together, constituting a revolution in the way the average consumer transmits and receives information. For example, an electronic identity badge could one day automatically open your door and turn on your stove when you reach the doorstep. But will this communication overhaul render human interaction in the traditional academic experience obsolete? Farber predicted it would not, emphasizing the importance of the personal experiences offered by a university setting. He added that no matter how easy it becomes to find information simply with the aid of a computer, learning opportunities such as apprenticeships and group projects will retain their unique value. In fact, Farber proposed that "the technology will actually improve the ability of universities to deliver good education." According to Engineering students, Penn is already seizing this pedagogical opportunity. Engineering senior Rachel King commended the University for "growing into the new age" and said she felt well prepared for the unpredictable world of technology awaiting her. The market that King and her peers will face upon graduation is highly dynamic, Farber said. "Companies come, grow and fall very rapidly in this game," he warned, citing the recent example of a once-dejected but now-resurgent IBM. He added that Engineering students should ready themselves for the unpredictability of technology-driven industries by learning the basics and not specializing in any particular field. "You want to teach people how to adapt to technology," Engineering junior Mark Palatucci said, adding that "Penn teaches that pretty well."