Started in 1998, the biennial iGrid (International Grid) event showcases application advancements and middleware innovations enabled by globally connected, high-performance networks. This year, iGrid 2002 challenges scientists and technologists to optimally utilize 10Gbps experimental networks, with special emphasis on e-Science, Grid and Virtual Laboratory applications.

Grid and Virtual Laboratory technologies are crucial prerequisites to a future, flexible e-Science infrastructure. Grid computing is increasingly perceived as the main enabling technology for facilitating multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborations, enabling researchers to share unique resources and to have uniform and ubiquitous access to these facilities. Grid technologies are enabling the development of Virtual Laboratories, or science portals, for distributed analysis in applied scientific research. Groups worldwide are collaborating on Virtual Laboratory/Grid research projects, creating experimental platforms upon which e-Science and large-scale distributed-computing experiments can take place.

iGrid 2002 will showcase demonstrations of 10Gbps applications and will also hold two one-day Topical Meetings (Symposia), with invited keynote speakers on e-Science and Virtual Laboratory/Grid developments.