OCTOBER 30, 2019
Meet PaTH: Alice Livshits
Get to know Temple University’s informatics lead, Alice Livshits
Question: What is your role in PaTH and what does it entail?
Alice Livshits: I am a Research Analyst and System Administrator at Temple University, and I am responsible for collecting CDM data, responding to queries and data curations, installing and upgrading software, etc.
Q: Did you always want to work in IT? If not, what did you originally want to do?
AL: Both of my parents were among the first people to work with computers, IBM-like mainframes. I thought it was very romantic when I was growing up, so I decided to study Automated Management Systems at the Computer Science Department of Polytechnic University of the Republic of Georgia. I’ve worked in IT since I graduated, but later I studied painting and I have an MFA in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
AL:: I consider myself a painter, so when I have some free time I paint. It’s not a hobby for me anymore, more like a second job. As for hobbies, I love to travel, read and cook. I enjoy going to the movies. But whatever I do, there is always a question in my mind: can I paint this?
Q: What is something people might be surprised to learn about you?
AL:: Shortly after graduation I got a fortune cookie saying that I will have a career in healthcare. I didn’t believe it, but here I am almost 30 years later and the majority of my jobs have been in healthcare.
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
AL: I haven’t owned a TV for at least 10 years now, and I have to admit that I don’t watch any shows. The last one I watched was “Flight of Conchords”, so it must be exactly 10 years.