Apereo Foundation Fast Interview with Laura Fernandez-Moran
Laura Fernandez-Moran’s decade-plus of commitment and contributions to Apereo’s uPortal project was a small part of her nomination for a second Apereo Dolphin Fellowship in 2023. Laura spearheaded the effort to resurrect uPortal Dev Days held in Las Vegas in 2023, giving the community their first taste of in-person interaction since the pandemic. She serves on the uPortal Steering Committee and the Apereo Incubation working group. Her software development and project management skills serve both the uPortal and Incubation communities well and drive Apereo's mission and success.
Laura is the Director of Digital Transformation at The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX. Prior to joining UIW, Laura was a Strategic Project Manager and Developer at Unicon and has worked in higher education IT since 2005, holding various positions at academic institutions such as Rice University, University of California - Merced, and Southwestern University.
Laura holds her Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and is in the process of slowly obtaining her Doctorate of Education in Instructional Technology from Bradley University.
Michelle Hall (MH): Thank you, Laura, for taking the time out of your incredibly busy schedule to be interviewed!
Laura Fernandez Moran (LFM): Hi Michelle, it’s such a pleasure to meet with you.
MH: Laura, this is your second time being recognized for your leadership and service at the Apereo Foundation as a Fellow. Congratulations! You’ve been involved with uPortal at Apereo and Jasig for fifteen years before that. Tell us what keeps you so deeply involved in these communities.
LFM: The key factor is the amazing individuals within this community. Throughout my fifteen-year involvement, I've developed some extraordinary friendships. From the moment I initially joined, I experienced a warm embrace and support as a newcomer, and that feeling of welcome has remained with me. This community is dedicated to unity and collaborative work, making it genuinely special.
MH: What is one thing you would like the wider Apereo community to know about the uPortal project?
LFM: The uPortal project remains highly relevant in the current market, particularly as we strive to enhance the student experience. In a market lacking flexibility, the project has significant potential to compete. uPortal stands out as a robust platform, offering institutions the capability to customize and tailor features to meet the unique needs of their students and community culture.
MH: Do you have a “pet project” you would like to spend time on this year as an Apereo Dolphin Fellow
LFM: My new role [at The University of the Incarnate Word] keeps me busy, but it’s so enjoyable that I can make valuable contributions and work with some amazing and talented people. It’s very exciting to pull from all the experiences I’ve had with working with academic institutions around the country and providing a fresh pair of eyes in many areas across campus. But at the same time, I’m learning so much by being exposed to a new set of tools and applications. Honestly, I think my pursuit of my doctorate is enough of a “pet project” for me. LOL! I don’t think I have any more time aside from that.
MH: Indeed! That will take a gracious plenty of time and effort. Best of luck with your studies! Please tell us a smidgen about your Doctoral program and why you decided to work toward your EdD in Instructional Technology.
LFM: I started my pursuit of a doctorate primarily as a personal goal, concentrating on delving into the educational aspects of technology. My objective was to thoroughly examine how technology intersects with teaching, exploring its impact on instruction and how it can benefit learners of all types. Throughout my studies, I've gained insights into various methods of multimedia integration. A crucial realization is that, given the diversity of learners, different approaches can enhance the cognitive processing of information. This educational experience has provided me with a new perspective that will enrich the support I offer in this field.
MH: What do you see as the importance/the role/the value of women software engineers and women leading in the world of open source?
LFM: The presence of women in prominent roles within the open source community serves as inspiration for aspiring female software engineers. This diversity not only enhances project adaptability to different contexts but also actively contributes to building a more inclusive community. This representation is crucial in bridging the gender gap in technology, demonstrating that women can excel in these fields.
MH: Any special plans for your Fellowship stipend?
LFM: I am excited about utilizing it for professional development purposes, particularly for the upcoming uPortal Dev Days in 2024. This event has consistently provided a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow developers involved in the project. A significant aspect of the event involves brainstorming future strategies and exploring ways to enhance adoptability, which is why it has endured for such a long time.
MH: Laura, you serve as part of the Apereo Incubation working group, which is undergoing a bit of a reboot right now after going quiet during the pandemic years. What do you like best about working in this space at Apereo, and what would you like folks to know about the group?
LFM: I take great pleasure in assisting potential open source projects in becoming part of the Apereo community. Leveraging the extensive collective experience of our working group, we aim to provide valuable insights to enhance the success of these projects. Having experienced both successes and failures in open source, we've gained significant knowledge about what works and what doesn't in higher education. It's gratifying to share that wisdom and offer guidance to others.
MH: Last thing before we close our interview, please share some reflections on the value of open source in higher education within your career.
LFM: Based on my experience across various academic institutions, I can confidently assert that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every campus. Each institution has unique needs that necessitate tailor-made adjustments aligned with their specific culture and procedures. This is where open source solutions prove invaluable. They not only facilitate customizations but have also bridged gaps in cases of budget constraints. However, the significance of open source extends beyond enterprise applications, as it has frequently served in my career as the underlying framework for numerous administrative processes that may go unnoticed. Open source plays a crucial role in the technical landscape, and encountering these tools in day-to-day operations is virtually unavoidable. Many of the tools we use in development, such as IDEs like Eclipse, web servers like Apache, and API tools like Insomnia or Postman, are freely available. We often don't realize how much we depend on these open source tools in our engineering practices.
MH: Laura, thank you so much for your time and thoughtful responses to my questions. Thanks for joining me on the Apereo Foundation Fast.
Photo Credit: Josh Wilson
Caption: Laura Fernandez-Moran and Anne-Marie Scott (Apereo Board Chair) at the 2023 Dolphin Fellowship Presentations as part of FOSSY 2023.