Elizabeth Simpson
Simpsone@uww.edu
(262) 472-3244
Spotlight
Q: What do you do – explain how you fit into ICIT?
A: I am the Instructional Design Specialist with the Learning Technology Center. I help our faculty use technology in pedagogically effective ways. I create tutorials, run workshops, and meet with faculty individually to support them with their courses.
Q: One thing people don’t know about you?
A: I lived in a museum for three years. I have a master’s degree in history, and after graduation I was hired by the Milwaukee County Historical Society as a caretaker for Trimborn Farm in Greendale, WI. My husband and I took care of the buildings (including two farm-houses, two barns, and a few other old farm buildings), guided tours, hosted weddings, and performed basic collections management. I also supervised our interns – Amy Williams who is currently an ITS Support Specialist for LTC – was one of our interns. I lived on the 2nd floor of the main farm-house; an area comprised of offices and the collections rooms. Most of the volunteers thought the site was haunted, but after three years I witnessed no spooky occurrences.
Q: What is your favorite hobby?
A: I love the outdoors. I like backpacking, snowshoeing, hiking, and kayaking. My husband and I moved to Whitewater this past July, and we really enjoy everything that the area has to offer. We visit the kettles at least once a week, and look forward to seeing everything with snow. Next year we are hoping to go to the Boundary Waters wilderness area for a week.
Q: What was your first job?
A: My first job was working in a corn-dog booth at the Racine County Fair. I was probably 14 years old, and I loved it because I could eat fried food all day and hang out with my friends.
Q: Tell me something interesting about yourself?
A: I’m really good at painting and drawing. In high school I won a few state-wide competitions, in college I minored in art, but stopped once I started grad-school. I picked it up again about a year ago, and I spend a few hours a week practicing.
Q: Do you have any special talent?
A: I can read German, Latin, and Middle English.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure?
A: TV crime dramas, like Bones, NCIS, all the CSIs, Psyche, The Finder, Monk, etc. Almost every night I tell myself that I will spend my time doing something enriching and valuable, but instead I snuggle on the sofa and watch a marathon of CSI.
Q: Favorite food?
A: I love pickled food. I’ve gotten very good at making dilly beans and pickled onions, and have recently started making pickled eggs as well. I want to start making chutneys and Indian lime pickles, but I need to clear out some space in my pantry first.