After the brazilian Mauro Cesar Bernardes and the argentine Ernesto Chinkes, now is the chilean Nadja Starocelsky who answers our five questions about TICAL. In this interview, Starocelsky, who attended the TICAL 2014 as author and member of the Programme Committee, talks about the importance she gives to the event: "TICAL is the perfect opportunity to develop the cooperation".
Hello, Nadja! Tell us a little about yourself and your training.
Hi! I am a Civil Engineer in the Austral University of Chile, from those times when these careers were recently incorporated into the academic offerings of Chilean universities. Between 2010 and 2012 I did a Masters in Information Technology. Since 1990 I’ve been professionally working, starting this road in Telco companies. In 1995 I joint the Austral University of Chile as Head of Development Projects, aiming to modernize the Corporate Information Systems. After 15 years of developing different tasks as project leader and having implemented various systems at the University, I started working as Director of Information Technology.
Which was your first contact with the advanced networks and how do you evaluate its development since then?
I would say that around 2007 I had the first contacts with the advanced networks, when the Austral University of Chile implemented several Videoconferencing systems as a means of eliminating boundaries with other universities. But it was in 2010, when I started as Director of Information Technology, and in 2012, when I was appointed as the institutional representative to REUNA, when I really knew the true potential of the advanced networks. Universities that are attached to these networks have great advantages for collaboration between institutions both in the field of teaching and research, sharing knowledge, data, applications, among others.
In this context, what is the importance of TICAL for the growth of the networks and professionals in the field of ICT?
TICAL is a unique experience that allows professionals in the areas of IT in Latin America to share their experiences, build partnerships and establish or expand their networks; where issues associated with IT in teaching, research and liaison issues are widely discussed. In addition, TICAL is a space that allows us to recognize the potential of advanced networks for teaching and research.
You participated in the last two editions of TICAL, and in the last one in Cancún you were member of the Program Committee and author of a paper. What lessons did you get of these different experiences?
I have always considered that sharing work experiences among similar institutions generate important savings in terms of time and costs to organizations. When I knew about TICAL as a way of contributing to issues that involve the role and work of the Directors of Information Technology in Latin America, I could not pass up the opportunity to attend or participate in it. TICAL has allowed me to validate the fact that demands of IT in universities in the region are similar and therefore the Directors of Information Technology are confronted with similar problems. It gave me the opportunity to learn about experiences and innovative initiatives in other institutions, and forming links and networks with other directors and also to get proposals for universities from different vendors.
Personally and professionally, what are your expectations for TICAL2015? And why Chileans should attend the event this year?
I hope TICAL2015 exceeds the success of previous versions, a space where we –the ICT Directors- meet presentations of innovative initiatives and spaces to share enriching experiences. I have no doubt that my expectations will be amply met in this release. In Chile there are a variety of initiatives in Information Technology that can be shared with our peers and TICAL is the perfect opportunity to develop this cooperation!, especially considering that this year the distance should not be a variable that limits us to participate.
