Tianxi Dong,
Ph.D.

Technology already played a role in most professions--and that role has only increased in the past two years. How do you prepare your students for the increasing role of technology in all facets of their future professional lives?

I have been teaching BAT 2302 Fundamentals of Information Systems for the past five years. The course aims at familiarizing students with the applicability of information technology in the business world. It investigates what we can do with IT, why we choose to use it, who is affected or interested in its uses, and how we are able to get the best from using it. To realize these course objectives, I emphasize the strategic value of IT by using vivid business cases, design hands-on projects to enhance students’ understanding of trending technologies that affect their future professions, and encourage them to investigate frontier technologies and report their findings in class. I have been teaching BAT 2302 Fundamentals of Information Systems for the past five years. The course aims at familiarizing students with the applicability of information technology in the business world. It investigates what we can do with IT, why we choose to use it, who is affected or interested in its uses, and how we are able to get the best from using it. To realize these course objectives, I emphasize the strategic value of IT by using vivid business cases, design hands-on projects to enhance students’ understanding of trending technologies that affect their future professions, and encourage them to investigate frontier technologies and report their findings in class.

You yourself were educated at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and finished your Ph.D. at Texas Tech, as well as working for large firms in China. How do you incorporate your international perspectives into the classroom here at Trinity?

In an increasingly globalized society, it is crucial that Trinity students understand the world around them and appreciate perspectives other than their own. With my international educational and working experience, I bring in global stories of how IT is adopted to improve business performance and people’s quality of life in Asian countries. For example, when we discussed using IT to create new business models, I introduced the business case of the OFO Bicycle Sharing company based in China, which used a dockless system with a smartphone app to unlock and locate newby bicycles and charged an hourly rate for use. Later this business model was widely adopted by other companies such as Lyft, Lime, and Bird. This international business case well illustrates how IT is used in a developing country to create new business opportunities and also enhances students’ global awareness. In an increasingly globalized society, it is crucial that Trinity students understand the world around them and appreciate perspectives other than their own. With my international educational and working experience, I bring in global stories of how IT is adopted to improve business performance and people’s quality of life in Asian countries. For example, when we discussed using IT to create new business models, I introduced the business case of the OFO Bicycle Sharing company based in China, which used a dockless system with a smartphone app to unlock and locate newby bicycles and charged an hourly rate for use. Later this business model was widely adopted by other companies such as Lyft, Lime, and Bird. This international business case well illustrates how IT is used in a developing country to create new business opportunities and also enhances students’ global awareness.

Cybersecurity is now one of the most urgent issues in our national conversation about defense and business. What aspects of cybersecurity do you find most important as you teach students and colleagues?

I always tell students cybersecurity is inevitable as long as you are connected with the internet. What we can do is to follow strict security measures to reduce the likelihood of being hacked. I gave them real examples of phishing emails I received and system vulnerabilities Meanwhile, I also emphasized the huge potential losses incurred by cyberattacks in class. I introduced multiple severe data breach events in recent years, such as Home Depot, Tjmaxx, and Equifax. These affected firms have suffered huge reputation and financial losses after cyberattacks. After learning about these severe data breaches, I hope students‘ cybersecurity awareness will be enhanced.

Much of college (and Pathways!) is about skills and skill-building. What are some particularly effective skill-building activities that you’ve employed in the past, particularly for students who are nearing the job market?

I published a paper, with my coauthor, regarding the job skills for entry-level data analysts in 2020. Data analyst is one of the primary job placements for BAT major students. Therefore, this research can guide students who want to work as a data analyst on skill-building. In this research, we examine over 9,000 job postings for entry-level data analytics jobs over five years (2014-2018). Using a text mining approach and a custom text mining dictionary, we identify a preliminary set of analytic competencies sought in practice. For students who are nearing the job market, they can improve their resumes by highlighting the job skills or competencies highly demanded by employers. Here is the link to my publication.