Feb 02, 2021 Bright Spots in a Pandemic Winter

By TJ Ferrill

It’s been just about a year since the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though we are constantly facing challenges and suffering brought on by SARS-CoV-2, there have been some positive changes. Here are my top 5 items to help me look on the bright side:

1. I have had a chance to look carefully at the work I am doing and ask: How is this work serving student and research needs? For me, this has been a time of self-reflection, and an opportunity to find new ways to serve. Increasing access to information, skills, and technology has never been more challenging, nor more important. The big upshot here is that strides we make as an organization will outlast the pandemic, and we have made some great strides: online 3D printing, increased VR capacity, and remote consultations to name a few.
2. Working from home, quarantine, remote schooling, and social distancing have given me more time to spend with my spouse, two young children, and elderly dog. Though my work has always felt very “in-person”, the pandemic has pushed me to create value for the campus community in ways that I had not previously thought possible.
3. Remote meetings have brought the Creativity & Innovation team closer than ever. As described in Greg Hatch’s earlier post about our Virtual Reality retreat, the group has continued meeting in VR and experimenting with ways that VR can help us communicate. I will include a few photos below to highlight some of our activities. Side-splitting laughter from VR shenanigans with my co-workers is a definite upside.
4. The reduced foot traffic and lowered building capacity mean that our normally-very-crowded library has been quiet. This has enabled progress in the build-out of ProtoSpace™ with the start of two construction projects soon to begin in the space. These projects will replace old carpeting and the desk / grate that open into the level 2 hallway, and will add a welcome refresh to the look and feel of our developing space.
5. Related to the previous point, this time has given us an opportunity to re-tool some aspects of our services, and provides us with motivation necessary to organize our progress into future work. Publications, presentations, and curricular adoption of library resources have all sprang to the forefront of our group efforts.

Here’s hoping that the vaccine rollout will mark the beginning of the end of this uncomfortable chapter in our history.

And now, for some pictures.

Greg and Brandon discussing Sundance 2021 in VR.

Greg playing VR charades with the CrIS team.

Justin and Tony posing as shark-bite victims in VR.

Best wishes to all,

TJ

TJ Ferrill | Assistant Head of Creative Spaces
Creativity & Innovation Services / Creative Spaces
thomas.ferrill@utah.edu