International Center for Applied Studies in Information Technology

Director
Stephen Ruth
ruth@gmu.edu

Primary Contact Information
Lindsey Poulin, Manager
lpoulin@gmu.edu
703-993-3523
703-993-2284 fax
4400 University Drive, MS 3C6
Fairfax, VA 22030

Website
http://www.icasit.org/

Center Description
George Mason School of Public Policy's International Center for Applied Studies in Information Technology (ICASIT) focuses on delivering high yield, low-unit-cost results from information and communications technology, especially in the context of developing nations. Averaging over $200,000 annually in grants from out-of-state sources over the past 15 years, the center has worked with nearly 100 businesses, associations, government agencies, and multilateral organizations in 30 countries on projects that included knowledge management, electronic commerce, distance learning, and web site development. The center is committed to combining information technology with better management of institutional knowledge to change organizational cultures so that increased collaboration yields more efficient operations and performance.

The center, directed by Professor Stephen Ruth, helps deliver Internet connectivity to cities in developing nations in ways that encourage entrepreneurship and economic development. A recent success in Nepal is described below. It has worked with Northern Virginia companies to advance Internet enterprise in the region, and its Knowledge Management Roundtables, sponsored in conjunction with the Defense Contract Management Agency, were aimed at helping businesses harness the power of KM tools and approaches.

ICASIT has been funded largely by grants and contracts, through partnerships with foundations, research centers, businesses, and universities on five continents. Current focus is the return on investment from university-based online learning programs, made possible initially by a generous grant from the Andrew W Mellon Foundation.

Areas of Research

• S. Ruth and J. Giri, "Defying the Odds: A Success Story from the Mountains of Nepal" Information Technology in Developing Countries -- International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP)Volume 17 Number 4, December 2007
• S. Ruth and A. Pizzato, "Is the World Still Flat? An Update" IEEE Internet Computing 11(5) September -October 2007, pp 85-87
• S. Ruth and J. Mercer, "Voting from Home or Office? Don't Hold Your Breath" IEEE Internet Computing 11(3) May-June 2007, pp 84-87
• S. Ruth and S. Doh, "Is E Government Ready for Prime Time?" IEEE Internet Computing 11(1), pp 80-82
• S. Ruth, M. Sammons and L. Poulin, "E-Learning at the Crossroad-What Price Quality?" Educause Quarterly 30 (2) 2007 pp 33-39
• M. Sammons and S. Ruth, "The Invisible Professor and the Future of Virtual Faculty", International Journal of Teaching and Technology 4 (1) January 2007
• J. Gibbons and S. Ruth, "Municipal WiFi -- Big Wave or Wipeout" IEEE Internet Computing 10(3) May-June 2006, pp 52-57
• E. Bertino and S. Ruth, "Policies and IT Technologies: A Puzzle of Two Pieces" IEEE Internet Computing 10(1) January February 2006, pp 65-67
• S. Ruth, "E-Learning -- A Financial and Strategic Perspective", Educause Quarterly 29 (1) 2006 pp 22-30
• M. Norton and S. Ruth, "Spectrum and its Influence on 3G and WiFi Architectures" Annual Review of Communications 2005, Volume 57 (Chicago, IEC, 2006), pp 272-282
• S. Ruth, S. Booppanon, T. Zhang, "Using Accessible Data Sources to Determine Telecom Diffusion Capabilities of Developing Nations: a MENA Perspective" Annual Review of Communications 2004, Volume 57 (Chicago,IEC,2004), pp 485-496
• S. Ruth, "Measuring the Yield of On-Line Telemedicine Training: Methods and Challenges"; invited paper for Europacs-MIR 2004 Scientific Conference Trieste, September 17th, 2004