Information Technology Services (ITS)
IT@UofT People — Paul Morrison
Published on: September 11, 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: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Title: Director of Information & Instructional Technology
How long have you worked at U of T?
I started working at U of T before I even graduated. I was a work-study program participant while I was a student and started working with the Sexual Diversity Studies program at University College before I had even convocated from my undergrad in 2005. I then joined KPE in December of 2012. I guess that would put me at nineteen years so far.
What is your secret or not-so-secret talent or hobby outside of work?
This was a tough one – I’m a serial hobbyist. I do woodworking, cook, grow tomatoes and strawberries hydroponically and conventionally and I blow glass. I’ll focus on glassblowing here.
How and why did you get involved in this hobby?
I always thought glassblowing was cool, so I started off taking a weekend class at Harborfront Centre. I loved that class so much I took it 20 or 30 more times and started going to more intensive courses at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. I unfortunately haven’t had an opportunity to blow any glass since the pandemic.
When/how did your interest in this area begin?
My interest was likely ignited by videos on YouTube of glassblowing demonstrations at the Corning Museum of Glass. Glassblowing pros make it look so effortless to manipulate such a tricky material. You can’t touch it – and you are always fighting gravity that wants to make liquid glass drip to the floor and more solid glass if it hits the floor seldom survives. And in either event, if it falls you need to resist trying to catch it since it is at around 815 degrees Celsius.
Do you have any professional training in this field?
As with any hobby, the more you learn about it, the more you realize you don’t know. I don’t really have professional training in any of my hobbies. A lot of YouTube, some books and I’ve taken classes at the Corning Museum of Glass, but I wouldn’t call any of it ‘professional’ since I wasn’t really looking to learn how to do it at that level – only for my own enjoyment.
Who/what are your inspirations?
I am inspired by people who have broad skillsets like Adam Savage or Donald Glover. Anyone that looks at something they don’t know how to do, or something they don’t know and instead of shrugging and walking away decides to do something about it. I also really appreciate smart people who have a sense of humor: David Mitchell, John Stewart and Stephen Fry come to mind.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Go try something new. Something that you’ve always watched and wondered at – once you get over that first hit of fear and anxiety over not knowing something, whole worlds open up. Also, surround yourself with amazing and talented people at work – nothing I do gets done without my incredible team.