While studying at BYU Marriott, Jordan Barlow accepted an invitation to participate in the PhD preparation track of the MISM program. That decision set him on the path to become an information systems professor.
"I've always liked the idea of teaching," Barlow says. "Once I realized I had the possibility to teach at the college level, along with doing interesting research, I was hooked."
Now a professor, Barlow is inspiring another generation of information systems (IS) professionals. He began his teaching career at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). For three years he taught database management, introductory programming, systems analysis and design, and informational technology security and privacy. He also mentored students through independent study courses.
Recently Barlow started as an assistant professor at the University of St. Thomas, a private Catholic university in St. Paul. "It has been a pleasure to work with such hardworking students at CSUF," he says. "I consider this job move to be a new opportunity with interesting new changes."
In this new position, Barlow works with graduate-level engineering students, helping prepare them for careers in software engineering, data science, information technology, and software management. Barlow hopes his expertise in human behavior research, online teaching, and business—as well as his religious background—can round out the department's faculty and add new perspectives.
"The University of St. Thomas is a faith-based university," Barlow says. "Like BYU, the university not only focuses on teaching students practical skills but also encourages students to use their education to promote good in the world. I'm excited to be working in that type of environment and to bring my LDS background to the table." As a student, Barlow benefited from the spiritual environment at BYU Marriott. He graduated with a BS in information systems and a MISM degree in 2010. While a student, he taught software classes and developed training videos at the Church's Missionary Training Center in Provo.
Following graduation Barlow worked as a small-business technology advisor at Squire and Company in Orem, Utah, before starting graduate school at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington. In 2014 he was one of three graduate students honored by the school with the Outstanding Graduate Student Award, and he graduated with his PhD in information systems the following year.
While at Indiana University, Barlow discovered his passion for research on human behavior. He focuses his efforts primarily on collaboration and information security. He is proud to have had his research published in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems and MIS Quarterly, among other top-tier IS publications.
Since first stepping in front of a classroom full of IS students, Barlow has influenced a countless number of young professionals. "I enjoy making a difference in students' lives," Barlow says. "The most rewarding feeling is getting a thank-you note or email at the end of a semester saying that I've helped students not only in the classroom but also in a personal way."
Alongside his many professional achievements, Barlow's favorite accomplishment is fatherhood; he has two children, ages eight and six. The Barlows live in Lakeville, Minnesota, where Barlow is involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He also enjoys arranging piano music in his spare time.
