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Guest Column
Evolutionary Technology
I’ll never forget when Dean of Students Donald Ross (A.A.S. ’60, B.F.A. ’62) told my class in 1967 that community antenna television (CATV) would influence the future of communications. Although he made his speech in front of Education Hall, it felt more like the scene in “The Graduate” in which Benjamin is told about plastics. That young man’s uncle saw the future. So did Dean Ross.
In the fall of 1965, when I arrived on campus, many of the buildings had just been converted to classrooms. Students parked on the front lawn, which, of course, turned to mud whenever it rained. But we didn’t mind. NYIT was new to Long Island, and this was a great adventure.
At first, I was a business major. My father and brothers were in business, so it seemed logical for me to follow the family tradition. Once I realized I had no interest in balance sheets, I scoured the course catalog for a different career path.
There it was — communication arts. This “discovery” allowed me to find myself. And through NYIT, it helped set the foundation for a rewarding, 35-year, multi-disciplined career that has been wonderfully exciting and full of incredible challenges.
In 1968, NYIT helped me jump into the world of communications with a summer internship at J. Walter Thompson Inc. in New York City. The terrific learning experience enabled me to witness the company’s operations first-hand. Through hard work, the help of some great mentors and good fortune, I soon had exposure to a wide assortment of careers in the communications field.
From my first job as editorial assistant of a trade magazine to my current position as vice president for communications for a $3 billion publicly owned electric utility, I’ve been amazed at how everyday technology has advanced over the years. In 1970, I pounded out copy on a manual typewriter as my publisher spoke of a future where news stories would be written on computers that would send finished copy directly to the typesetter. Today, Web-enabled handheld devices allow us to receive e-mail, edit copy on the fly, make phone calls, and access breaking news via wireless technology that would have seemed like something out of a science fiction movie 40 years ago.
So, what’s the lesson here?
Technology alone does not advance communications — or any other business for that matter. It is the creative application of evolutionary technology that leads to revolutionary results.
CATV addressed a basic need but the visionary, creative application of cable television technology revolutionized an industry. Dean Ross saw this potential. As a student at the time, I did not. But over the years, I realized that his prediction was one of the most valuable lessons I learned at NYIT.
As a result, I did not miss the Internet’s potential. In 1997, I launched a modest Web site for the Long Island Power Authority that now provides advanced Web-based customer services, timely information for the media, and vital safety and emergency planning information.
Looking ahead, I believe the greatest challenge in the communications field will be the same as it was 40 years ago: to identify and creatively apply emerging technologies that can lead to revolutionary change.
Bert J. Cunningham is vice president for communications for the Long Island Power Authority, one of the nation’s largest publicly owned municipal electric utilities. He may be reached at bcunningham@lipower.org
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