ISC service(s) or programs/projects: Administration Team (equipment acquisition and support)
Length of time in ISC: Since 2020
Previous work experience: Penn Computer Connection, 2000 – 2020; Independence Blue Cross customer service
Tell us about a challenge at Penn that made you proud to be part of ISC.
During the worldwide CrowdStrike outage, which affected the security of all of us and all the data Penn has, it was important to understand what was really going on. We maintained constant communication with an important vendor, and with our Penn clients, so we could keep them updated. That was one of those times you see that this organization has its head on straight. It recognizes its place in the chain. We might sometimes have more information than our clients, but we can’t necessarily tell them everything. We tell them enough to give them guidance. Behind the scenes there was nonstop activity to determine status at key points across campus. We were all under pressure, but everyone came together to respond in a reasoned and professional manner. You want to see order when thing get tough.
What’s an interesting technical or business problem you’ve faced with ISC?
We had a situation with ULAR, the group that cares for lab animals, with facilities all over Penn. Their phones were suddenly going into a mode that caused them to stop working. We tried walking them through some system checks in hopes we could fix the problem remotely, but that didn’t work. We had real help and collegiality from both our Telecom team and the clients, but apparently more than one sequence of events could trigger the failure mode, so somebody (me) had to go out to each site to try to recreate the behavior with the user. We eventually determined what was common about the issues. It was then an interesting problem figuring out how to reset each individual device to get it back on track, since multiple network and device interactions were involved. Of course those phones are critical to that distributed organization.
What do you like best about working with clients or colleagues across Penn?
Everyone’s very collegial, very professional, just easy to get along with. People from all walks of life and different countries, so you can’t help but be interested in the people you work with and for. It’s more than just a job. I always wonder who I’m going to meet today. There are funny moments, too. I was working in the Chaplain’s office, which was full of small turtle figures and one glass turtle-shaped candy dish. He said that once people know you like turtles, they are always giving you turtles. Later that day I was deploying a computer in the Almanac office, and saw that the acting editor’s office was also full of turtle stuff. What are the chances of meeting two people with turtle totems on the same day? And it turns out they’re both from Maryland! I’ll tell you another thing. At least once a month, I’ll run into somebody who knew me from the Computer Connection, and they’ll ask what happened and say they were sorry to see us go. It’s pleasing to know they felt that the work I and my colleagues did there was valuable and that they trusted and relied on us. You don’t always get that kind of feedback, and it makes a difference.
What ways do you find to make and/or maintain connections with colleagues in our hybrid work environment?
In our office we try take time every now and again to relax and let our hair down a bit. It seems to be Fridays, after lunch especially, when there are spontaneous conversations. We take the time to gather and shoot the breeze about a video, or a new book you’re reading, or something like that. It’s not something we plan for, we’re just open to seeing each other as more than just work colleagues. On Thursdays, everybody’s on site and we have a staff meeting. We take a little time there as well to connect with each other. And of course there’s Slack. We have active channels about what music you’re listening to, what you’re reading, and so on.
What do you appreciate most about the time you spend on campus?
I love to observe how the place changes, how the grounds plantings and decorations change with seasons. The campus just looks nice. It’s pleasant to walk around and explore. Of course I stop in to the bookstore, checking out a few books . . . .
What are you passionate about in your free time?
I’m trying to get back into bike riding as an adult. I haven’t really ridden since I was a child. It’s something new and interesting for me. I haven’t done a lot of it yet, but that’s the thing I want to get into. Lots of things to figure out!