Johns Hopkins University is a global institution, but Johns Hopkins events are always local. Can't be helped. An event requires a site somewhere, be it a theater, lecture hall, auditorium, or stadium. Thousands of people might want to attend but can't because the presentation is in San Diego and they're in Baltimore or Washington or London, or Thursday night is the kids' gymnastics class, or they're nursing colds that better not turn into the flu.
Location problems are so 1995. To reach a vaster audience, Johns Hopkins has begun broadcasting events through Ustream, Internet streaming technology that brings a live feed of an event to your computer screen. So far, the university has Ustreamed—might as well coin a new verb—Rising to the Challenge campaign events in California and Massachusetts, a Peabody Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by Leon Fleisher, and an interview with Fleisher, the renowned pianist and Peabody faculty member. At press time, future events on the schedule included a presentation on transforming the humanities in the digital age and a Global Health Initiative event to be held in London. Once streamed, the shows are archived so you can view them at any time. Play the Peabody concert on a fast Internet hookup with decent speakers and imagine an old guy four seats over loudly crinkling a candy wrapper; it's just like you were there.
The Hopkins Ustream channel can be found on the Web at ustream.tv/channel/johnshopkinsu.
Posted in University News
