A Powhiri is a Maori welcoming ceremony involving speeches, dancing, singing and hongi. It can be performed both to welcome guests onto a marae or during other ceremonies, such as during a dedication of a building (where the performers might welcome the owners or future users of the building). A powhiri is not performed for every group of manuhiri (visitors). It is often reserved for special visitors or for tupapaku (the arrival of the body of the deceased) for a tangihanga (funeral). However, powhiri are also often performed for tourist groups as part of special events.

Professor of Computer Science, Tsinghua University from 1993. He is also a director of Network Research Center of Tsinghua University. From 1994, he has been in charge of China Education and Research Network (CERNET) which is the largest academic network in China as a director of both Network Center and Technical Board. From 1999, he has been in charge of NSFCNET which is the first research network test bed forward to next generation Internet research. He is a member of Information Advisory Committee, Office of National Information Infrastructure, Secretariat of State Council of China, and a member of Expert Committee for Information of the State High Technology 863 Project. He is also a vice president of Internet Society of China (ISC), and vice chair of APAN and chair of APAN-CN. He was an AC of ICANN-ASO from 1999 to 2001. He had served as chairman or program committee member for many international conferences, such as chairman of CANS'1999-2002 and FORTE/PSTV'1999, and program committee member of INFOCOM'2002, ICNP'2001, FORTE/PSTV'1995-2002 and IWCTS'1995-2002 etc. His area of specialization includes high speed computer network, Internet and its applications, network protocol testing and formal method. More than 200 papers have been published in the academic journals and proceedings of international conferences.

Karel is the Secretary General of TERENA, the European association of research and education networking organisations. He was the activity leader of the EARNEST foresight study. Karel Vietsch holds a PhD in mathematics from Leiden University. Before joining TERENA in 1996, he worked as a researcher at Leiden University, a Department Manager at Delft University of Technology and a science policy advisor and head of unit in the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Abstract: Europe's EARNEST recommendations: Innovation, Integration and Deployment The recently completed EARNEST foresight study (2006-2008) has looked into the expected development of research and education networking, with a special focus on the European region. EARNEST encompassed sub-studies in seven areas: researchers' requirements, technical issues, campus issues, economic issues, geographic issues, organisation and governance issues, and the requirements of users in schools, the healthcare sector and the arts, humanities and social sciences. The results of the EARNEST study on technical issues will be presented by Kevin Meynell in the APAN Backbone Committee meeting on August 6th. In the current presentation, we will give an overview of the major findings and recommendations from the EARNEST study as a whole. We will look back at the earlier SERENATE foresight study, mention some findings about the past and current impact of data networking on research, discuss the priority that should be given to wider deployment of services, explain the need for a change of mindset from providing connectivity to serving users, emphasise the need for integration between networkers at national and at local level, and present some issues of digital and geographic divide.

Merryn is Director of the newly formed UNESCO/University of Canterbury’s Asia Pacific Arts Education Observatory (NZ) known as AHA (Arts Hub Aotearoa). She is also contracted by the NZ Ministry of Education as Project Leader of their key portal for all arts education – Arts Online. In her spare time Merryn works as Director of Distance Music at the Christchurch School of Music, and is a PhD candidate studying e-mentoring in musical arts education. Abstract: Virtually Anyone Can Learn Music This demonstration features real-time video conferencing technologies through KAREN – Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network - for the teaching and learning of a musical instrument. New digital technologies are ideally tested in real-time, time-based creative arts practices where the highest quality, lowest latency, synchronous audio and visual technologies are essential. Is New Zealand ready to interact online to ensure sustainable, accessible, musical and cultural arts learning both across the nation and across the world? In a world of discontinuities, can we ensure all young people are given global opportunities to uplift and change their lives? Can we facilitate this change through creating global networks where virtually anyone, anywhere can share music learning and cultural knowledge so that we may develop new understandings of ourselves, others and the world we live in?

Paul McCann is Regional Group Manager for Network Planning in Verizon Business. His responsibilities include network planning, carrier management, local access, and network optimisation for countries across the South Asia-Pacific Region, including Australia and New Zealand. Paul joined Verizon Business in 2004. Paul has over 35 years international work experience characterised by keen determination to deliver on time (get the job done) and within budgets. Paul has demonstrated a keen ability to analyse and predict emerging business and industry trends then apply to specific organisational needs and implement with rigour. Abstract: Energy efficient advanced capabilities Through energy-efficient long haul technology (UHL) Verizon Business has increased the capacity of fiber-optic networks by five times. Since UHL allows Verizon Business to extend the reach of light-beam signals beyond 1,200 miles without the need for regeneration, it also will enable the company in the future to decommission one third of its electrical powered regeneration shelters where UHL is deployed. Paul McCann will outline the initiatives Verizon Business is investigating for the future, and the environmental impact of these advancements.

Ian, Computation Institute Director, is considered one of the founders of the international Grid community and has written many influential documents on Grid architecture and principles. He created the Distributed Systems Lab at Argonne and University of Chicago, which has pioneered key Grid concepts, developed Globus software, the most widely deployed Grid software, and led the development of successful Grid applications across the sciences. An internationally recognized and widely cited researcher, Foster is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the British Computer Society. Abstract: Computational approaches to problem solving have proven their worth in many fields of science, allowing the collection and analysis of unprecedented quantities of data and the exploration via simulation of previously obscure phenomena. We now face the challenge of scaling the impact of these approaches from the specialist to entire communities. I speak here about work that seeks to address this goal by rethinking science's information technology foundations in terms of service-oriented architecture. In principle, service-oriented approaches can have a transformative effect on scientific communities, allowing tools formerly accessible only to the specialist to be made available to all, and permitting previously manual data-processing and analysis tasks to be automated. However, while the potential of such ""service-oriented science"" has been demonstrated, its routine application across many disciplines raises challenging technical problems. I describe the architectural principles, software, and deployments that I am and my colleagues have produced as we tackle these problems, and point to future technical challenges and scientific opportunities.

Mike is the CEO of Endace, a world leader in network traffic monitoring technology. Mike Riley has over 20 years experience in the networking and security marketplace. For the past four years he served as Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Network Engines, Inc. (NASDAQ: NENG), a leading manufacturer of server appliances for the security and storage networking market place. Abstract: Advanced Network Measurement Mike will address the sustainability dilemma facing network operators today and talks about how Endace and New Zealand will benefit from high speed networks.

Mark is the Director of the HIT Lab NZ (http://www.hitlabnz.org/wiki/Home). He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in human computer interface technology, particularly in the area of Augmented Reality (the overlay of three-dimensional images on the real world). Abstract: Towards the CyberSociety - Next Generation Teleconferencing Computing and communication are merging in a way that allows people to connect in ways never seen before. In this presentation we describe current leading edge technologies that will change the way we collaborate in the near future. High bandwidth connectivity, always on ubiquitous computing, augmented reality, immersive displays and massive social networks are technologies that can be combined in new ways to move towards the dream of a fully connected cybersociety. Examples will be shown from the work of the HIT Lab NZ and leading research laboratories worldwide, and applications demonstrated in the medical, entertainment, and education domains among others.