Information Technology Services (ITS)
IT@UofT People — Yuwei Jiang
Published on: November 18, 2024
The backbone of any successful team is its hard-working people. The University of Toronto’s Information Technology Services (ITS) unit is no exception. It is made up of a diverse range of people with an even greater diversity in their interests and talents.
In this segment, entitled “IT@UofT People,” we will get to know our IT@UofT team across the tri-campus community and find out more about their hidden or not-so-hidden talents and/or pursuits outside of work.
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Department: Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration (EASI), ITS
Title: Junior User Experience Designer
How long have you worked at U of T?
I’ve been in my current role with the user experience and process design (UXPD) team for about eight months now. Before this position, I also had an eight-month co-op at EASI as a project coordinator and a work-study at the Innovation Hub as a design researcher.
What is your secret or not-so-secret talent or hobby outside of work?
I have a lot of hobbies. Many of them are related to my goal of keeping a healthy lifestyle, including kayaking during the summer and snowboarding or indoor climbing during the winter. Besides these, I would say Chinese painting is one of my top talents. It’s a traditional painting style in China that uses black ink and water-based colour to portray subjects such as mountains and rivers, flowers and birds and portraits.
How and why did you get involved in this hobby?
My passion for painting started when, one day, I randomly decided to paint some strokes on my grandma’s bedroom wall. This action continued for a few months until my parents eventually signed me up for a painting class to prevent me from further damaging the wall. Since then, I’ve kept practicing Chinese painting. I enjoy taking the time to carefully plan the strokes and colours to bring a painting to life. It always helps me find my peace of mind.
Do you have any professional training in this field?
Maybe not so professional, but I took Chinese painting classes on the weekends from age six to fifteen.
Do you have any outstanding memories or accomplishments from this hobby?
I won a gold medal once in a Chinese painting competition. However, I think most of my sense of accomplishment comes from the moment when I finish a painting and am satisfied with it. I remember one time I spent a few months painting a lion using the “Gongbi” technique, which requires detailed strokes to precisely depict a subject. I felt so happy and proud when I finally finished it and hung it in our living room, this time, making the wall look better rather than damaging it.
Who/what are your inspirations?
When I was taking classes, I painted various subjects, including mountains and rivers, flowers and fruits, and portraits. I eventually found that animals are my favorite painting subjects. My inspiration likely comes from the many pets I have spent time with since childhood (cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, fish, a rabbit and turtles). They have become one of the most important parts of my life and continue to inspire me in my paintings.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you are interested in Chinese painting and want to try it, feel free to let me know! I’m always happy to share this traditional technique with people.