FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Bill Hardgrave, a University of Arkansas researcher in the emerging field of radio frequency identification (RFID), will serve on the program of the Consumer 360 Conference sponsored jointly by ACNielsen and Spectra in Hollywood, Fla., March 30 through April 1.

Radio frequency identification is a wireless data collection technology that uses electronic tags for storing data. Like bar codes, they are used to identify items. Unlike bar codes, which must be brought close to the scanner for reading, RFID tags are read when they are within the proximity of a transmitted radio signal. The technology has applications to business and industry including retailers, suppliers and transportation providers.

Consumer 360 is the most comprehensive educational conference for the consumer packaged-goods industry. In 2004, more than 1,000 industry professionals attended the Consumer 360 conference sponsored by ACNielsen, Spectra and other companies of the VNU Marketing Information group.

Hardgrave and Ted Fichuk of ACNielsen will present a “cutting-edge” RFID discussion titled, “RFID: Opportunities for Insights.” Their presentation will cover a brief recap of the series of RFID events leading up to the present; current state of RFID and the technology; current and immediate retailer and government mandates; what has been learned from the early pilot studies and current implementations; retailer and supplier benefits of RFID at the pallet/case level; and future applications of RFID for the consumer packaged-goods industry. Hardgrave, billed on the program as a top industry expert, will discuss the current goals and the latest RFID research projects under way at the University of Arkansas.

Through his leadership of the Sam M. Walton College of Business Information Technology Research Institute, Hardgrave has leveraged established relationships with the institute’s business sponsors to develop his research in RFID. The research is examining RFID as used in the retail setting and beyond. He currently serves on Microsoft’s RFID board of advisors. He also serves on ACNielsen’s RFID board.

Hardgrave founded the Information Technology Research Institute in 1999 and serves as its executive director. He is an associate professor and holder of the Edwin and Karlee Bradberry Chair in Information Systems. He came to the University of Arkansas after completing his doctoral degree in management information systems from Oklahoma State University in 1993. Prior to entering academia, Hardgrave worked as a programmer, systems analyst and general manager for two software development firms. He has published two books and more than 50 articles primarily on the topic of software development. His publications have appeared in outlets such as Communications of the ACM; Journal of Management Information Systems; IEEE Software, Information & Management; Journal of Systems & Software; Computers & Operations Research; and Educational and Psychological Measurement. Some of his research interest involves improving the software development process and environment. He has received multiple awards for teaching and research, including the H.L. and Janelle Hembree Award for Outstanding All-Around Faculty in the Walton College.

For more information about the conference visit the following Web site. http://www.consumer360.com