By Apryl Motley, CAE, InCommon Communications Lead
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Note: InCommon Writer John McCormack contributed to this post.
The 2023 Internet2 Technology Exchange (TechEX23) takes place next week (September 18–22) in Minneapolis. During this annual event, Marc Wallman, vice president information technology division, North Dakota State University, and Kevin Morooney, vice president of trust and identity and NET+, Internet2, will highlight the process, implementation timeline, and status of InCommon Futures2.
Their session, InCommon Futures 2.0, will kick off the Identity and Access Management track (known as CAMP) at TechEX23.
InCommon Futures2 is a strategic planning project to help guide a vibrant future for InCommon and explore the identity and access management (IAM) challenges facing the research and higher ed community. During the last 20+ years, Internet2’s InCommon has become a trusted partner for the strategic creation, evolution, and maintenance of IAM Infrastructure, services, and software for research and higher education.
To build on this role, the InCommon Steering Committee and Internet2’s Trust & Identity leadership have embarked on a futuring exercise to develop a shared statement of direction and strategic areas of activity that will drive where our IAM capabilities collectively need to be in 2028. (Provide input now by taking the InCommon Futures2 Needs Assessment Survey.)
Your Community Needs You: Q&A with Marc Wallman
As a co-presenter and current chair of the InCommon Steering Committee, Marc offered his perspective on the importance of continuing the InCommon Futures2 discussion and what attendees will gain from it and TechEX23 overall.
Q: What do you hope attendees will learn from your session on InCommon Futures 2.0?
A: This talk will focus on the InCommon Futures2 planning process. I’m actually hoping people will attend and provide feedback on challenges that they are dealing with and what things need to be solved by InCommon services and tool sets in the next five to ten years.
Q: Why is this an important topic to cover?
A: Identity management is the most important IT service that a higher education institution operates. It gives coherence to all the other services we operate. I’m passionate about IAM because I really believe it is the most important thing we do. If it’s well done it “floats the boat” of everything else.
Q: What’s the #1 reason IAM professionals should come to TechEX/CAMP Week 2023?
A: Higher ed has unique and complex IAM challenges. No company or trainer is going to explain this stuff to you at the level you need to excel. You need to learn it for yourself and establish professional relationships that will sustain and support your work in the future. This is the place to do it. And of course, your community needs you.
InCommon Futures2 Needs Assessment Launched
Can’t be there in person to participate? Not to worry! We’re inviting not only TechEX23 attendees, but the entire community to share their perspectives on the future of InCommon through the InCommon Futures2 Needs Assessment Survey, which will be open until September 29.
Your insights are a critical part of a larger research plan to engage stakeholders across audiences, roles and community groups. This survey will take 10–15 minutes to complete. We hope we can count on your participation.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to share your perspective in this research. Please be in touch at help@incommon.org if you have any questions.
Need More Information?
InCommon Futures2 was the topic for our May IAM Online webinar, “InCommon’s Future: Get In On the Discussion.” Watch the recording | Download the slides.