Feature Stories

The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities, renewed perspectives, and the perfect moment to set purposeful goals for success. For UITS, it’s a time to align our vision with the university’s evolving needs. While we prioritize enhancing the campus’s technological landscape, it’s just as vital to focus on personal growth—staying organized, maintaining focus, and embracing a mindset of continuous learning.

President Garimella announced on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, that Dr. Elliott Cheu has been appointed as Interim Chief Information Officer, effective Jan. 6. Barry Brummund will remain in the position until his retirement date of Jan. 17 to support Dr. Cheu in his new role.

Steps the university is taking and that you can take to prevent security breaches and fraud.

This story continues that journey, which was first published in Part 1: Reflections on University Email Security on Nov. 20.

After much reflection, I have decided to retire from my position as chief information officer of the University of Arizona effective, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.

The University of Arizona's email system has evolved from a simple messaging tool to a key platform for collaboration, driven by the need for greater security and integration. Initially used by researchers and government agencies, email became essential for university staff, with major upgrades including the switch to Microsoft Exchange in 2010 and later to Office 365 to address security concerns. These changes introduced advanced threat protection and better integration, ensuring a safer and more efficient system. The university’s ongoing efforts to modernize its email technology continue to focus on balancing functionality with cybersecurity.

As Thanksgiving approaches, it's important to stay vigilant about cybersecurity, as cybercrime often spikes during the holiday season. Phishing and ransomware attacks increase as attackers exploit distractions, holiday shopping, and reduced IT staffing. To stay safe, be cautious with emails containing links or attachments, back up your data offline to protect against ransomware, update your devices with the latest security patches, and use strong passwords with two-factor authentication. Taking these precautions will help you enjoy a worry-free holiday while keeping your devices and data secure.

At the University of Arizona, veterans are honored year-round for their service and the valuable skills they bring to the community. With a long military history, the university ranks as the top program for veterans. Veterans like Jeff Jones and Jeff Otteson use their military experiences in IT and security to strengthen UITS, applying skills in problem-solving, resilience, and adaptability to support the university’s mission and technological growth.

Dr. Elise Lauterbur’s work as an evolutionary ecologist highlights the impact of High Performance Computing (HPC) in advancing scientific research. Starting with behavioral ecology, she used HPC to study virus resilience in bats and viral adaptations in mammals, developing tools like Bayesian models and a convolutional neural network (CNN) for genomic analysis. Now a faculty member at the University of Vermont, Elise credits HPC for enabling her to explore complex biological questions in ways that were previously impossible, driving innovations in genomics and evolutionary biology.