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Technology
Bemidji is one of the most wired cities for advanced telecommunications in the Upper Midwest. It was one of the first cities in the nation to be wired for high speed fiber-based Internet. This has allowed the Greater Bemidji Area to be one of the first communities to fully utilize the Super Information Highway.
Technology is of no use if people do not have the technical skills to take advantage of this advanced communication tool. Bemidji has prepared it citizens well to be in the Age of Technology. It has provided computer instruction in the K-12 classrooms for the last twenty five years. The access to advanced telecommunication has allowed high school students to become involved in Project Lead the Way, an advanced science, software and engineering program that provides classroom and hands-on instruction in a wide variety of technical fields.
Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College have both been strengthening their technology programs with new course offerings and new facilities. The model building programs at both BSU and Northwest Tech are able to utilize 3dH holographic technology in their design systems. They are among the first schools in the nation to use this new innovative product design technology. The Center of Advanced and Emerging Technologies (CAET) serves as the focal point for Technological Studies at Bemidji State University at both the undergraduate and graduate level. It also houses the Engineering Center of Excellence in Manufacturing, a new program that was initiated by the Governor’s office. Bemidji State University’s Center for Research and Innovation heads up the Northern Tier High Technology Corridor, an online collaborative for science, technology and economic development. |
