TechWag

: Image via CrunchBase

One of the things I have been committed to in my Computer Science programming is putting cloud computing into each of the tracks we are teaching at CityU of Seattle. When I heard about the Amazon Web Services in Education grant program, I knew this was something I had to check out.

The AWS in Education grant gives an unspecified amount of money per college to spin up Cloud Computing services for students to access. For example, when my Web Development students start up in fall, they will be working completely in the virtualized cloud environment to develop their web sites, code chunks, and other programs that they need to develop. They state on their web site:

* Teaching Grants for educators using AWS in courses (plus access to selected course content resources)
* Research Grants for academic researchers using AWS in their work
* Project Grants for student organizations pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors; Tutorials for students that want to use AWS for self-directed learning
* Solutions for university administrators looking to use cloud computing to be more efficient and cost-effective in the university’s IT Infrastructure

Source: AWS in Education information page

Thinking that like all things, this would take a while, I applied for the grant process yesterday, amazingly enough, we got our grant this morning so that we can realize the vision of inserting cloud computing concepts and physical hands on with cloud computing in the web development and computer programming tracks. Plus we got a grant that in terms of cloud computing costs is huge, we will be able to expand our program to take advantage of this in ways that I didn’t think were possible before, as well as allow students to take the time to spin up their own AMI’s (Amazon Images) in some of the classes so that they can really learn how to manage in a cloud computing environment.

What a great thing for Amazon to do, and a big help to me in realizing some of the more interesting things we want to do when it comes to cloud computing at the school. The experience has been great, and something that colleges should check out. Cloud computing is the next big thing; students need to know it, Amazon just made this tons easier.

This blog entry was non-compensated; they don’t even know I am doing this. But I have to give Amazon a big public thank you, this will work out marvelously.

Tags: amazon, aws, education, grant, cloud computing, services, service, virtualization, thank you, awesome