OARnet

Russell M. Pitzer, whose vision helped lay the foundation for both the Ohio Supercomputer Center and the statewide network that became OARnet, passed away this past week. As the first director of OARnet, Russ played an important role in shaping the early concepts behind connecting Ohio’s research community and remained engaged with these efforts over many years.

The network he helped envision continues to support collaboration, access, and discovery across the state, and Russ’s immense impact will continue to be felt for years to come. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Obituary information for Russell Mosher Pitzer View Russell Mosher Pitzer's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

A great week at OHECC 2026 connecting with higher education technology leaders and partners from across Ohio.

Throughout the conference, the OARnet team participated in conversations on AI, cloud strategy, infrastructure, security, and the evolving technology needs shaping teaching, learning, and research.

OARnet also presented alongside Wright State University, the University of Cincinnati, and Miami University during Strategies for Cloud and Data Center Connectivity: OARnet Case Studies, highlighting campus co-location and cloud use cases that improve continuity and reduce costs while leveraging OARnet’s statewide backbone.

Opportunities like continue to highlight the value of collaboration across Ohio’s higher education community.