The City of Morgantown and West Virginia University, partners in pursuit of a “Google Gig,” are encouraging local students, residents and friends to create compelling and imaginative video arguments supporting efforts to convince Internet giant Google to pick the University City for an ultra high speed fiber connection experiment.
“Video is the name of the game these days,” said Mridul Gautam, WVU’s interim associate vice president of research and economic development. “It’s the best way to help our argument that Morgantown should be the site where Google installs its fiber experiment.
“It could mean Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than we have now,” Gautam said. “Think about what that could mean for education, research, entertainment and community development. This is a fantastic opportunity for people to be creative and send a message to Google that Morgantown wants a Gig.”
City residents have a chance to tell Google directly just exactly what they would do with the new capacity by creating and submitting their own videos to the application process.
Anyone can create a short video answering the question: “What would you do with faster Internet. Persons who already have a YouTube account can upload videos directly to the video portal created to support the Morgantown initiative. The address of the portal is http://wewantagig.sitespace.wvu.edu/#return-sessionId-ag1tb3JnYW50b3duZ2lnchILEgtVc2VyU2Vzc2lvbhihHww
Another option is to send videos via e-mail to the initiative’s Goggle Moderator at info@cityofmorgantown.org or tell your idea by accessing Google Moderator at http://www.google.com/moderator/#16/e=5454.
Persons who can’t make a video can write up their ideas on a card detailing what they would do with a faster Internet, take a picture of the card, then submit it through the links above. Teachers can organize their students to draw pictures answering the Internet question. Then, the city will use them all to build on its proposal to Google.
“It’s a chance to have some fun creating video and a great opportunity to support our community effort,” Gautam said.
The application to Google is due March 26.
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CONTACT: Gerrill Griffith, WVU Research Corp.
304-293-3743; Gerrill.Griffith@mail.wvu.edu
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