HIS 5944 (3/13-3/19/2021)

 

This week saw less interviews than before as we have slightly slowed down in marketing to catch up on the administrative front end. The project exhibits an ebb and flow between processing interviews and conducting them. I interviewed two people with one of them being a professor within an unique department within the University of Central Florida. Prior to my contact, my extent into the University’s wide range of departments was limited to the History Department. Contacting professors in the History Department felt more comfortable to approach as someone that belonged in the department. However, to continue with the integrity of the COVID-19 project, I pitched the idea of collecting perspectives from the vast other departments within UCF. I coined it as the “Noah’s Ark” approach or “arking” it, simply meaning gathering two perspectives, at minimum, to preserve. I confess that this process is slower than simply randomly pulling people, yet it does provide for different perspectives on the effects of COVID.

For example, the Department of History does not rely on being present within a laboratory to conduct experimentations or work that the Department of Engineering may rely on. Our work always can be done at home with a computer, typing our research out, yet we also lean on having primary or secondary sources that the library generously provides. Shutting down the library will not see an effect on the Computer Science Department as it does with the History Department. These perspectives matter in the grand scheme with how people’s attitudes are with the pandemic even drawing aside the differences between students and teachers.

On Monday, I had the pleasure of interviewing the Computer Science Department’s Matthew Gerber who was very pleasing to listen about his reaction to the pandemic. As a teacher, Gerber experienced challenges of switching modality and providing for the education without the advantage of being used to a physical methodology of teaching. Throughout my academic endeavors, it is often difficult to separate the person from the professor as a student. The students only see the professor as a pseudo-boss as someone who gives lectures and grades papers or assignments with a lacking care. However, Gerber’s interview represents a reminder that the professor is a human being with their own troubles within their life. I was happy to hear that his own students cared for him as much as he cared for them and their education.

Gerber’s interview brought up a few questions and future endeavors that I may seem to be interested in. We discussed if there was a difference with education going from a regular society to a pandemic world and such. However, what really was pivotal with this interview was his contacts and suggestions for the project. He named a few professors and some CPEL that would also have a unique perspective of the effects of COVID-19.

I am happy to say that this internship has helped me identify with professors and empathize with them at a different level than as a graduate or undergraduate student. The pandemic has reminded us that deep down we are all human beings attempting to get through the day. I hope that this project can capture that perspective which reveals the more human part that sometimes is difficult to ascertain.