This semester, the iSchool welcomed Craig Evans as a new lecturer. Evans will be the primary instructor for Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications (IS 206), a required course in the iSchool's undergraduate programs.
Evans brings over 25 years of experience working in global corporations, mid-sized corporations, and a startup that came out of a university project. He has held IT and consulting roles in a range of locations, including heavy manufacturing, mining, financial services, and government. After earning his Certificate in Advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems from Parkland College, Evans founded a drone operations business, Vidaeris. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Wollongong and an MSLIS from the iSchool at Illinois. His graduate work focused on social network analysis.
"During my time as a grad student, I realized that the part of academe I enjoyed the most wasn't the research but teaching others. After decades in industry, when it came time to decide which direction I wanted to take after graduating, I decided that I wanted to take some of my experience and pay it back in the form of teaching the new generation of students that will be entering the workforce," said Evans. "When the opportunity to join the iSchool as specialized faculty came along, I jumped at the chance. The experience so far has been rewarding on a personal level, and I hope to continue nurturing curious minds and contributing to the students' ongoing success."