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The Grease Monkey of ‘Garage Mahal’

Mark DeLong knows his way around cars

Mark DeLong stands inside his
Mark DeLong stands inside his "Garage Mahal," where he's able to work on his cars, including a 1963 Jaguar E-Type. Photo courtesy of Mark DeLong.

Name: Mark DeLongPosition: Director of research computing, Office of Information TechnologyYears at Duke: Two stints totaling 20 years

What I do at Duke: We work to put together infrastructures and services that allow researchers of all types to reach their goals. Changes in higher education are beginning to frame education around computational technology - it's part of the framework of what we do. I want to take technology, work with faculty and IT professionals and bring them together to empower research at Duke.

If I had $5 million, I would: Endow a professorship for "automobile musicology." That's tongue in cheek, but it would be for the study of noises engines or squeaking suspensions make. I'd also buy an old car to practice my own automobile musicology.

My first ever job: I was a paperboy in middle school in Lubbock, Texas. I started in 9th grade and did that for somewhere between six months and a year. I had to get up well before light, maybe 5 or 5:30 to start my deliveries. The deadline to get papers delivered was 6 a.m. It was a good way to get up early in the morning and make money at a time when your work wasn't going to conflict with school.

The best advice I ever received: You can push through most things and in the end; things are going to work out if you apply yourself. Everyone enters tough times, but usually you can work things out.

What I love about Duke: You have opportunity to interact with all sorts of smart people, there's usually something new going on, it's a pretty vibrant and dynamic environment.

When I'm not at work, I like to: Restore automobiles. I've been working on a project since 2002 restoring a 1963 Jaguar E-Type. I found it on the edge of a cornfield in Virginia and it's nearing completion. I had it stripped down to the point where no two parts were together and I've put it back together. I've kept an online restoration journal on the work. At home, I have a three-bay garage I call "Garage Mahal." I have a lift and everything so I can do my restoration. My two boys frequently come to use the garage, too.

Something most people don't know about me: I have the distinction of being one of a few people escorted out of the White House. I was up in Washington for a weeklong event, part of which was held at the White House. I got caught up in conversation with a couple of people while we were walking along - they were headed a meeting in the bowels of the place. We all got lost in conversation and I accompanied them to a place I shouldn't have been. I said, 'I have a feeling that I'm not supposed to be here' to which was replied, ‘Yeah. Probably not.'

A few minutes later, a charming White House intern asked me to follow them and I ended up in a garden somewhere. No pepper spray or handcuffs were required. My children think of this as a Mr. Magoo episode in my life.