Author: Taylor Begley

Jason Meller presented at IT Security Reception

Posted on March 20, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

The UConn Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department, along with the Information Management Association (IMA) sponsored a reception prior to the School of Business IT Security Executive Lecture on Thursday, March 9th.

Students and faculty of the OPIM Department gathered in the Gladstein Lab to network and listen to a presentation by Jason Meller, a graduate of the Management Information Systems (MIS) program here at UConn.

Meller is the CEO and co-founder of a cyber security startup company called Kolide out of Boston. Since graduating from UConn in 2007, Meller has spent his career building technology that enables cyber security professionals to protect our country’s interests from threats around the globe.

In an informal presentation and Q&A setting, Meller spoke about his experiences that led him to the IT field, what go him to where he is today and his passion for his career.

Meller said he began his career at UConn as a Marketing major. He said that the pivotal point in discovering his interest in pursuing a career in MIS was when he took the Introduction to Information Systems class with Professor Ramesh Shankar.

Meller said that in his time at UConn he enjoyed working at HuskyTech and completing his Capstone course, which ultimately led to his first job with GE. During his time at HuskyTech, Meller said he loved figuring out the ‘puzzle’ of how a particular piece of malware was created and how it worked. He said he loved to be able to understand problems within technology and to determine what went wrong.

Right before graduating from UConn, Meller was completing his Capstone course. In this course, he said companies would come to the students with different problems and seeking solutions. One of the companies that year was GE. He said GE had a problem with their Credit Decision System. Meller said he remembers being extremely excited to work on this project because it was something very important and could have a huge impact if they discovered a solution.

“I love building things that help people, on a team with other smart people,” Meller said.

During his Capstone, Meller networked with executives at GE and landed his first job as a member of GE’s Computer Incident Response Team.

Throughout his career, Meller said he constantly pulls from his MIS knowledge to help build different tools and assist other member of his teams in discovering different solutions relating to IT Security.

Today, Meller is working on his startup company Kolide. He said that Kolide is based on something that Facebook created called osquery, which converts all computer files into a relational database to query with basic SQL.

Three weeks ago, Kolide launched an osquery fleet manager product, a central interface where users can ask questions across infrastructure and receive solutions within seconds. Meller said Kolide is open-sourced which he said is what separates his company from the competition. Open-sourced means that anyone can go online and see how it works in powering solutions.

Meller said his future plans for Kolide are to build an IT Security App Store where users can create plugins to enable wifi survey and updated location services.

Make a Difference by Taking Part in HackUConn2017

Posted on March 6, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Society is hosting a 24-hour event called HackUConn2017 to attempt to change the world for those suffering with severe allergies. Over the 24-hour period, students will collaborate to brainstorm and develop innovations to issues related to allergies. Mentors, speakers and prototyping tools will be available at the event to assist students in developing these solutions.

The event will take place starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 24th and go until 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 25th in the NextGen Hall. There will be free t-shirts, food and great prizes offered. Students of all majors and skill sets are encouraged to participate.

Students interested in participating should register here, as space is limited. Please contact Justin.Hall@uconn.edu with any questions regarding the event.

Student Spotlight – Katie Cavanaugh (MIS Senior)

Posted on March 3, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

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UConn senior, Katie Cavanaugh is pursuing a dual degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) and Political Science. Although, when she began her college career, she only had one major: Political Science. It was through her work in social science research that Katie discovered her interest in information systems.

“At the time, I had no technical knowledge of how any of this worked: I was essentially just following directions with little ability to understand why a result was the way it was. I became interested in learning more about the ‘why,'” Katie said.

In her research, Katie worked extensively using databases, performing data management and cleaning functions, and conducting data analysis. Because of this, Katie said she was intrigued to learn more about technology, particularly in data management and analytics, and she saw the MIS major as the perfect way to do so.

On campus, Katie is involved as a project leader for the UConn Consulting Group and representing the student voice in the School of Business Undergraduate Curriculum Revision Task Force.

In information technology, Katie is interested in exploring how businesses can align unique products or services with the use of technology to succeed. The dynamic of business processes has completely shifted because technology is so available and financially obtainable, she said.

“I firmly believe the most pressing strategy question facing any business today is how to leverage technology, specifically data, to gain a competitive advantage,” Katie said.

This past summer, Katie worked as a Data Analytics BLP-Intern for Synchrony Financial at their Innovation Station in Chicago. Katie said this real-world job experience allowed her to take the technical skills she has learned in classes and apply them at the next level.

“Working in the Innovation Station influenced me to really think of technology as a driving force for innovation within an organization, instead of the support function it once was,” Katie said of her experience.

After graduation, Katie will be working as a Management Consulting Analyst for Accenture’s Strategy division in Hartford. She said that she is very excited to begin her work in the field and to gain an even greater understanding of how technology affects different organizations. Additionally, Katie said she hopes to get involved in the startup community because it is where the majority of new technology development and application is happening.

As for her ultimate goal in the field, Katie hopes to pursue an advanced degree down the line and become a professor. She said, “I’m not joking when I say I love college and never want to leave!”

She encourages younger MIS students to take advantage of internship opportunities to build skills and get hands-on experience in different areas of the field. MIS is unique in that it offers students a chance to build technical skills in a variety of areas, which is great, she said.

“I would suggest looking at internships as a chance to explore these different areas in depth and, ultimately, discover which area interests you most in terms of your long-term career goals,” Katie said.

Katie attributes much of her success to UConn. She said it has uniquely prepared her for her career in ways that no other university would have.

“The realities and, at times, challenges of navigating a large, research institution have prepared me to face my career with the same grit and passion I see on campus every day,” Katie said.

Over the past four years, UConn has given Katie many one-of-a-kind opportunities, such as – taking part in a multidisciplinary academic program to build an uncommon skill set, working with a diverse group of students as a student leader, and connecting with dedicated alumni who she believes have been instrumental in shaping her career path. Katie is looking forward to her life as a UConn alum and bringing the skills she’s learned at the university into her professional life.

IT Security Networking Reception

Posted on March 3, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

jason The Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department, along with the Information Management Association (IMA) invites you to join them for an IT Security Networking Reception prior to the Executive Lecture on Thursday, March 9th.

Former MIS student, Jason Meller (Class of 07′) is the CEO and co-founder of Kolide, an early-stage, Boston-based cyber security startup. Jason has spent his 10-year career building technology that enable cyber security professionals to protect US interests from advanced and persistent threats domestic and abroad.

Before founding Kolide, Jason served as Chief Security Strategist at publicly traded cyber security firm FireEye. There, he was responsible for conceptualizing, building, and deploying, key flagship products. Jason helped bolster the FireEye portfolio by advising executive leadership on acquisition opportunities. In addition, he built a skunkworks team which created custom security solutions for Fortune 500 partners. Prior to FireEye, Jason co-founded and served as CEO of Threat Stack (a Techstars-backed cloud security startup). Before which, he served as a product manager at incident response firm Mandiant. Prior to Mandiant, he was a founding member of GE’s Computer Incident Response Team.

The networking reception will be an informal event in which Jason can speak to his experience in the IT security field. This will be a smaller setting in which the MIS / BDA and IMA members can ask him questions about his background and advice on how to make it in entrepreneurial setting. All are welcome to attend his Executive Lecture (for the OPIM 3103 students) that will follow the reception.

When: Thursday, March 9th from 5 – 6 p.m.

Where: OPIM Gladstein Lab, Rm 391

Light refreshments will be available for attendees. We hope to see you there!

Finance opportunity at Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC, open to all majors

Posted on March 1, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

There is an opening at Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC for a Junior Financial Advisor to provide operational support to a team of advisors and their client relationships.

Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC is a small Registered Investment Advisory Firm that works with high net worth individuals nationwide. The company claims the position to be teamwork-oriented and fun.

Although this is a Finance-based position, the opportunity is open to any major. This is an ideal position for those looking to pursue a career in financial services. The company is looking for an individual that is intelligent, detail oriented, focused and possesses strong communications skills when interacting with clients. More details about this position can be found here.

If you are interested in applying, please send your resume and a personal statement describing your interest and why you would be an ideal candidate for the position to recruit@business.uconn.edu by Wednesday, March 8th at 5 p.m.

Practicing with SQL

Posted on February 27, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

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On Friday, February 24th, the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department’s Gladstein Lab maxed out in attendance for the second technology workshop of the semester, an Introduction to SQL. The workshop is part of a series of technology workshops being put on by the department throughout the semester, as part of the new OPIM Innovate Initiative.

For those who do not know, SQL (Structured Querying Language) is a data-driven application that retrieves information from databases and allows for creating, processing and querying data by retrieving information.

Anna Radziwillowicz, an Instructor in-Residence at the Hartford and West Hartford campuses, taught the workshop with the goal of giving students a basic understanding of SQL and practice writing queries. Radziwillowicz gave a background on databases before moving into creating a data table.

Three students at the workshop claimed to have previous experience using SQL, Radziwillowicz said. Because the majority of the students did not have any or limited experience, she concentrated on giving students a basic overview of the technology, not going too far in depth. She said that a continuation class was a possibility if there was enough interest.

The OPIM Department created demo accounts for students to practice with SQL. During the workshop, students practiced retrieving data from a database, creating a data table and entering data to the table.

At the end of the workshop, Radziwillowicz said students could request a personal account to further practice with SQL at the Business Help Desk by mentioning completion of the workshop.

Keep up-to-date with the upcoming workshops and register online ahead of time to reserve your spot at the next workshop.

Full-time opportunity at Cigna for MIS grads

Posted on February 27, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

Cigna in Bloomfield, Conn. is seeking to hire a graduate of UConn’s Management Information Systems (MIS) program. The position in titled “Business Analyst Senior Specialist.” Cigna is looking for a recent graduate with strong computer programming skills and knowledge of accounting and healthcare. Students graduating in May of 2017 or earlier are eligible for consideration.

The position focuses in information technology, app development and management. Potential candidates must be able to gather requirements, design, code, test and implement automation processes. Proficiency in SQL and data querying language is required.

Additional information about the position and the online application can be found here.

Faculty Spotlight – Jing Peng

Posted on February 24, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

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After earning a Ph.D. in Operations, Information and Decisions from the University of Pennsylvania, Jing Peng began his work at UConn six months ago. Peng is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department. He currently teaches students at the graduate level in Data Mining and Business Intelligence (OPIM 5671).

When he is not teaching, Peng is working on research. Peng’s current research focuses on business analytics in relation to social media marketing, recommender systems and data mining. His goal is to provide actionable insights regarding who to target on social media and e-commerce platforms and how to effectively reach these target people. His goal in his research is to provide actionable insights to managers in order for them to use social media and digital platforms more effectively, he said.

With the flexible hours of academia, Peng is able to teach, while conducting his research at the same time. This is one of the many reasons that he likes working as a professor, he said. His favorite part about his career as a whole is that he is able to align his work focus with his personal interests in the information technology field.

The best part about the field for Peng is the wide range of interesting topics and the sustainability of a career in the field, he said.

“It’s a growing field covering a wide range of topics. It’s easy for anyone to find a topic he or she is interested in,” Peng said.

Peng advises students to enter the information technology field because it encompasses a wide range of topics that are extremely fascinating to learn about. He said the skills obtained with a degree in the field are some of the most sought after in the business world today.

In the future, Peng hopes to have his research papers published in premier journals, as well as receive tenure from the university as a professor. Outside of his professional career, Peng said he enjoys photography, basketball and swimming.

About the OPIM Innovate Initiative

Posted on February 21, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

OPIM Innovate is the new initiative adopted by the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department in the Fall 2016. The initiative was developed to market the Management Information Systems (MIS) major and to bring new emerging technology to students.

Department Head Ram Gopal and Instructor in-Residence Jonathan Moore developed and implemented the initiative by expanding the department’s research lab space, bringing in new emerging technology. The lab is equipped with Virtual Reality (VR), 3D Printing, Internet of Things (IoT), Microcontrollers and data analytics.

Initially, the OPIM Department came up with the initiative because they were finding that MIS students with internships in the field were working in innovation centers with technologies, such as IoT, drones, and VR.

“We realized that many interests lie in technology outside the provided curriculum,” Moore said of the expansion.

Moore said that this idea lead to building a more dedicated space for students and faculty in the department to work on projects and learn about different types of technology outside of the classroom. As a whole, the initiative is meant to help students work through the process of completing a project, while learning new technology in the process.

Beginning in the Fall, Moore organized multiple workshops for students featuring different topics relating to new technology. So far there have been workshops about Linux, 3D Printing, Splunk Analytics, IoT, Tableau, and VR. What started as exclusive to MIS students, workshops are now open to all students.

This spring, with the initiative more developed, OPIM Innovate hired a team of students, trained in the design thinking process to operate the Innovation Space and Research lab. Having these students involved helps guide users of the space and to provide technology demonstrations and follow ups to the formal workshops.

An advisory group, made up of students and faculty, has been formed for the initiative to brainstorm different ideas, provide feedback on the current processes and to build buy-in from different areas. Moore said that they are always looking for students or faculty interested in joining the advisory group to share their ideas for the innovation space, future workshops, and to give him any feedback they may have. Any individuals interested in joining the advisory group should contact Jonathan Moore at jonathan.a.moore@uconn.edu.

In the future, Moore hopes to team up with other groups at UConn and potentially outside companies to advance the space and better the experience for students.

MIS Meet and Greet

Posted on February 20, 2017February 25, 2019 by Taylor Begley

The Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department held a seminar about the Management Information Systems (MIS) major on Thursday, February 16th. Students and faculty filled the UConn School of Business Lounge to eat, network and hear more about the MIS major.

The purpose of the MIS Meet and Greet was to inform students about the major and to allow them to connect with faculty and other students in the department.

Professor Jon Moore of the OPIM Department gave a presentation about the MIS major – what makes a successful candidate, skills necessary for the major, options within the major for different interest areas, an overview of the curriculum, and a career outlook.

MIS is a very diverse major in that there are some very technological students and others that are not. He explained that there are different career options for MIS students based on their involvement or lack there of in the technology aspect of the major. Contrary to what one may think, he said that the majority of MIS students take the management role versus an IT-heavy role in their careers.

Moore said that the great thing about a career in MIS is the flexibility and potential for growth. He said that of the School of Business, MIS undergraduates have the highest average salary right out of college. The courses offered in MIS focus on different types of emerging technology to increase marketability of students and to prepare them to go right to work in the field.

Additionally, Moore announced the new Data Analytics minor, coming to the OPIM Department in Fall 2017. He said the minor will be more of an option for students who are not MIS majors, but are still interested in the subject.

Moore encouraged all students with an interest in MIS and technology to join the Information Management Association (IMA), as it is a great way to prepare for a career in the field through networking and career-building events.

Finally, Moore spoke about the OPIM Innovate initiative and the new Innovation space that will be opening for students. He said that the space will be available to all students, not only MIS majors. He encouraged students to give their feedback on what the department has been doing so far, such as the technology workshops, and he is open to any suggestions for the future.

There is a “Workshop Wishlist” posted in the Gladstein Lab and Moore told students to go in and write any suggestions for technology workshops that they’d like to see in the future. There is also an advisory group that meets each Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon to discuss feedback and hear suggestions on the initiative. Moore encourages any students interested in joining this advisory group to contact him at jonathan.a.moore@uconn.edu.

Moore said that due to a great amount of interest, the OPIM Department will be adding two additional workshops this semester – an Introduction to SAS and an Introduction to Gamification. Once the dates for these events are finalized they will be posted here.