Skip to main content

Free Tech Seminars Start Jan. 20

Learn IT @ Lunch teaches skills and offers networking opportunities

Julie Grundy from Duke Web Services teaches a user experience class for a Learn IT @ Lunch series.
Julie Grundy from Duke Web Services teaches a user experience class for a Learn IT @ Lunch series.

Like some employees at Duke, Michael Wojcik wears many hats and works with multiple departments. As a web developer for Interdisciplinary Studies at Duke and also the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Wojcik has several large website redesign projects looming in 2016.

To help prepare for the projects, Wojcik attended a free Learn IT @ Lunch seminar about website user experience and learned how to prototype a typical web visitor into his web redesign projects.

Read More

“I'm a team of one and I manage multiple sites. I don't have other web development colleagues to work with directly so this is a great opportunity to learn new skills and network,” Wojcik said.

From Jan. 20 to April 6, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) is offering its Learn IT @ Lunch series, which covers topics ranging from designing digital flyers and identity theft protection to “7 Habits of Highly Productive People at Duke.” Most sessions are from noon to 1 p.m. and will give Duke staff, faculty and students practical information to apply right away.

The first session on Jan. 20, “Design Cool Digital Signs & Promote Campus-wide through DukeFlyer,” will show participants how to design and submit eye-catching digital signs to promote messages and events on campus. DukeFlyer is a publishing system that allows anyone with a Duke NetID to submit a request for a flyer to appear on digital signs on campus.

“DukeFlyer is a great tool for sharing information across campus,” said Teresa Jennings of OITs Digital Signage Service Team. “Flyer submitters can easily monitor when and where their flyers are being displayed on campus, and sign owners can manage their own content.”

Also in January, Duke OIT Labs will teach “3D Printing & Digital Fabrication,” an introduction to 3D printing, including a tour of OIT’s Innovation Studio.  3D printing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects by adding successive layers of material such as plastic filament.

Chip Bobbert, a digital media and emerging technologies engineer at OIT, said Duke has one of the largest free fabrication studios in higher education.

“I can’t find another university that has an open lab with 32 printers available to everyone at any time,” he said.

Registration is not required to attend a Learn IT @ Lunch seminar, however seating is available on a first come, first served basis.