Meet Informatics Grad Coordinator Dr. Mike Totaro
Meet Dr. Michael Totaro, the graduate coordinator for the master小蝌蚪APP檚 in informatics program and associate professor in the School of Computing & Informatics. He小蝌蚪APP檚 been recognized for his commitment to the field and to his students. He小蝌蚪APP檚 now leading the state小蝌蚪APP檚 first master小蝌蚪APP檚 program in informatics at the 小蝌蚪APP.
Dr. Totaro小蝌蚪APP檚 career started in computer science. He worked as a programmer after graduating with his bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree and loved it. But after a few years of working in software development, he wanted to learn more.
小蝌蚪APP淚 wanted to understand more about the business side of things, because, quite frankly, I was developing software for business solutions but I knew nothing about business,小蝌蚪APP he admitted. So he decided to earn his MBA小蝌蚪APP攁nd that led him to informatics.
小蝌蚪APP淭hat really broadened my perspective and expanded my interests to go beyond just the technology: to also recognize fully that, without the end user and end organization, pretty much what I小蝌蚪APP檓 doing is not going to be worth a whole lot,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hat小蝌蚪APP檚 what informatics does: it loops back and it always includes小蝌蚪APP攊n a significant way小蝌蚪APP攖he end user and the organization. Early on in my career I recognized the importance of that, and realized it小蝌蚪APP檚 what I小蝌蚪APP檓 really passionate about.小蝌蚪APP
With his MBA, he started working in the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Business Administration in 1989 as the college小蝌蚪APP檚 IT director. The next year, a management professor asked if he would be willing to teach a computer-related course to undergraduates.
小蝌蚪APP淭hat was my first taste of teaching and it really did whet my appetite,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 was like, 小蝌蚪APP榃ow, I could see myself doing this at some point in my career.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
He became a full-time faculty member in 1996.
小蝌蚪APP淲hen you see and work with students who are engaged, who seem to have a real interest in the topic, and especially when you observe the lightbulbs going off小蝌蚪APP攖hat小蝌蚪APP檚 what I love,小蝌蚪APP he says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a sense of gratification because you think, 小蝌蚪APP業小蝌蚪APP檓 doing a small part to help these individuals move forward in meeting their personal goals and their professional goals.小蝌蚪APP I don小蝌蚪APP檛 see my contribution as major, but it小蝌蚪APP檚 something. I enjoy knowing that I played a small part in that.小蝌蚪APP
Dr. Totaro was for his contributions in the classroom.