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Graduate school is about expanding the breadth of your knowledge and finding the area in which you also want to achieve some depth.” Andi Ogier received this advice from an advisor and took it to heart. She chose data curation as her area of expertise and found that the GSLIS specialization in that field prepared her for data-focused work in a variety of projects.
Where do you work and what is your role?
I work at the University Libraries at Virginia Tech, and I am responsible for data management plan consulting, data management and literacy instruction, and data-related informatics projects.
What do you like best about your job?
I like being able to work with a diverse group of researchers in the library and throughout my campus community. As a data-focused generalist, I can be involved in any kind of project. I've worked on projects related to the digital humanities, the sciences, and the social sciences.
How did GSLIS, and specifically the Specialization in Data Curation, help you get to where you are today?
The Specialization in Data Curation gave me a framework for the courses I took to gain the tools that I use in my day-to-day work. For example, while I could have taken courses covering topics in metadata, digital preservation, and programming outside of the specialization, my focus on data curation—and especially the Foundations of Data Curation course—really helped me conceptually tie together all the courses I took at GSLIS.
What advice would you like to share with GSLIS students?
One of my graduate advisors in a previous lifetime (and previous degree track) once told me that graduate school is about expanding the breadth of your knowledge and finding the area in which you also want to achieve some depth, and I think both of these things are important. A master's degree in library and information science is incredibly useful: don't be afraid to look outside the world of libraries for inspiration and future employment!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I just returned to work after having a baby, so my spare time is taken up by bottles, diapers, and baby cuddles!
What’s next for you?
I'm really enjoying the informatics projects that I've been working on, so I'm planning to start diving into the world of project management!