Before becoming an Instructor in-Residence in the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department, Professor Jon Moore started his career at UConn as an IT Manager for HuskyTech in 2007. Professor Moore said that his time at HuskyTech was when his relationship with the OPIM department and the Management Information Systems major began.

The OPIM Department approached Moore because he said they noticed that the students working for him at HuskyTech were the ones getting some of the top jobs in their field and the department wanted to coordinate with him. This created a relationship that would later become an opportunity to have Moore join the department in a full-time capacity.

After obtaining his Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Professor Moore said he first started as an adjunct professor, teaching one class each semester while he was still working as a manager. Three years later a full-time position within the department became available and Moore made the decision to leave HuskyTech to pursue the position of Instructor In-Residence.

Professor Moore said that the OPIM Department wanted to bring in his background in IT systems and networking, but also his experience in recruitment and development of students.

Moore admitted that he did not know MIS existed when he was in college. Although MIS is one of the smallest majors in the School of Business,  Moore said that it has become one of the most sought after by companies because it is at the intersection of business and technology.

Professor Moore said that he would advise students considering majoring in MIS to not let the technology aspect intimidate them because it is very flexible. Within the major, there are some very technical students and some not so technical students,  Moore said. What sets it apart is that MIS students have a variety of skills and can get jobs pertaining to their particular skill set, he added.

As a professor and an academic advisor, Moore said that his favorite part about his job is getting to research topics he is interested in and to inspire students to follow their interests as well.  He said that his passion is making sure that technology stays human.

“In everything I do, I kind of look at technology from the perspective of – how can we use it to bring people together,” Moore said.

As for his future goals for the OPIM Department, Professor Moore said that he wants to bring more hands-on, experimental learning and programming with a focus on real-world application.

Moore said that the first steps toward his goals are underway through the redesign of the department’s research lab and the creation of innovation space. He said this will be a great way to introduce students to the technological aspect of MIS. Moore hopes these programs will provide students with experience outside of what is offered in the classroom and potentially become part of the curriculum.