Leadership one-on-oneJennifer Burns

JB: I believe in authentic leadership — leaders that have the courage to be themselves, to live by their values, and to stand by them. I think this allows you to make the best decisions and adds consistency as well as openness and transparency, and that’s really important to encourage.

JB: One of the things that makes me laugh is my favourite sitcom of all time, Yes Minister, a British comedy from the 80s. It was a witty, intelligent comedy that I really liked. I also enjoy anything from Alexander McCall Smith, and because I’m in IT, I can’t forget to put Dilbert on the list.

JB: I find my parents very inspirational. They grew up in England during the war, and they went through some really challenging times. Afterward, they had the courage to move to Canada, and as new immigrants they worked hard, had their own businesses, and employed a number of staff. My sisters and I learned the value and importance of work that contributes to society from our parents.

JB: I think for me, it’s about the relationships that I’ve built, and continue to build. At the end of the day, it’s important that we ensure people at the university feel confident in IT to deliver the services they need to do their work. It’s about continually earning trust and delivering on promises.

JB: I would say it’s a lot of meetings — planning, and working with our partners across the institution to look at the status of projects, to determine risks, and to look at opportunities. It’s a lot of dialogue and planning for the things that are going to move UBC forward.

JB: There’s a lot of energy in my role, so after work I enjoy the simple things. Spending time with my family, taking my dog for long walks, and riding horses — when I go to the barn, it’s very quiet and peaceful (and very low tech!).

JB: I think for me, it’s the role that UBC plays in society. When you think about the ways that UBC contributes, from health to engineering, to sustainability and the arts, it’s amazing. UBC is changing the world, and I get to be a small part of that.

JB: One of the big focus areas is cybersecurity and the risks in that area, as universities are significant targets for cybercriminals. The Internet of Things and pervasive technology will continue to have an impact too. Virtual and augmented reality will be an interesting area as it relates to teaching and the student experience. In addition, there are a lot of changes that will be driven by advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence. We’re looking at how all of these areas will impact the experience of our faculty, staff and students, and where new skills will be required.

JB: I feel really fortunate — I think UBC has a lot of great people, and those I work with across the institution are incredibly dedicated, are very talented in their areas, and want to collaborate. People here really care about UBC and they want the university to be successful.

JB: I think of myself as a steward and I want to leave UBC and IT a little better off, whether it’s from the strategies that are put in place or the fact that people in IT feel supported. For me, it’s important that people feel valued.

JB: We have major systems programs coming up in the near future, including replacement of the Student Academic System and the Learning Management System. We’re also focused on privacy and information security, as well as aligning our work and priorities with UBC’s core mandate of teaching and learning, and research.  And, of course, making sure our current operations are stable and secure.