Paul Sammons is a technical instructor of information and communication technology. He came into teaching after more than 20 years in enterprise IT, where he worked in data centers, application delivery and virtualized environments.
Sammons' classroom is built around doing. Students learn best when they have built something, broken it and fixed it, so much of classroom time is spent working hands-on in a lab that mirrors a real workplace. He'd rather a student struggle productively for 20 minutes than watch him demonstrate something flawlessly. Sammons also draws on his years in the field to share experiences from his career, including mistakes he's made along the way.
Ethics runs through everything Sammons teaches. Whether the class is discussing user data, access to systems or the use of AI, he wants students to ask not only “Can I do this?” but also “Should I?” His hope is that students leave with sound judgment that shapes the decisions they make throughout their careers.
His scholarly interests center on the ethical responsibilities of IT professionals and the thoughtful use of AI in education. Outside of technology, he is drawn to philosophy and psychology. He has studied the Stoics, especially Marcus Aurelius, and the work of Carl Jung, both of which inform how he thinks about self-discipline, character and self-awareness. He says those interests help his golf game, too.