Job hunting and filling a position is a difficult task on both ends. It is even more challenging during a pandemic.

After a long search, we are thrilled to have Brian Boyle on the team! He jumped right in his first Zoom Staff Meeting and hit the ground running. 

What is your official title?

• My official job title is Senior IT Specialist, as a part of ATLAS at the College of LAS.

Where are you from originally?

• I’m a Champaign-Urbana native and have lived in the area most of my life with the exception of some time spent in Madison, WI, and two half-year stints in Santiago, Chile (one of which was unintentionally lengthened while put into quarantine in 2020!). I got into IT as a student worker while majoring in Philosophy at UIUC! Both sides of my family are from the Chicago area, so I have also spent a lot of time up north.

As a "townie," what are some of your favorite things to do in Champaign-Urbana?

• I like to play ice hockey at the “big pond” rink on campus, and am looking forward to its reopening hopefully in the Fall of this year! I also enjoy biking and walking my dogs at the many trails and woods in the area.

What are your goals as you get settled in the department?

• Our first big goal of the summer is to complete some much-needed computer upgrades around the building, including in three of the computer labs, as well as in some of the shared conferencing and classroom spaces. And after things start getting back to normal in the Fall, hopefully getting to know the faculty and staff at Psychology a little bit better!

What is your favorite part of your job?

• My favorite part of IT is just to help solve technology problems for people in order to make things easier for them in the course of their work. I also like being involved in the academic side of what is happening on campus, for example, research projects, and what tools or technology might be available that can help. So please reach out, and let’s work together to come up with a good solution for your next project!

We cannot wait to get to know you better as well. Welcome to the psych department!