Posted on October 5, 2020 by College of Sciences
#FacultySpotlight
Mark Robinson, Ph.D., Department of Computer Science
Can you share a little about your journey to UTSA?
I graduated from Trinity in 1993 and jumped into software development and entrepreneurship. After a few software business successes and failures, I found I had some free time in 2002. I decided to check out the Computer Science (CS) master's program at UTSA, fell in love with CS all over again, and have been here as a grad student and faculty member since then.
What does a typical day in your job entail?
A little bit of client work (I am still involved in industry), a little bit of coursework improvement, a little bit of teaching, and a lot of chatting with students and colleagues on Discord.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
When students email me and tell me that something that they learned from me has had a positive impact on them, their jobs, and/or the world around them. That's the real payoff for me.
Are you currently conducting any research?
My research primarily consists of working with students to build software that helps the public and/or UTSA Computer Science Senior Design partners. Our latest success has been a fast and flexible surgery scheduling and task management program for UT Health San Antonio. COVID-19 forced them to hastily reschedule elective surgeries and their process at the time was very problematic. My students and I built and integrated a solution in six weeks that they are currently using to respond to the second COVID wave. I am very proud of the students who were part of that project, crunched like mad, and the great results that the software has had.
What is one thing that your students might be surprised to learn about you?
I am a Dungeons and Dragons nerd.
What is your advice to incoming students?
Major in something that you love and that challenges you.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I am very happy to be part of UTSA and am always looking for opportunities to collaborate with faculty and industry.
— College of Sciences
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