Member profile: Andria Waclawski

Creative Services Lead for the Office of the VP for Research

Started at the University of Minnesota in September 2006

UMCF member since 2006

Andria was nominated by Kelly O'Brien who is excited to hear more about Andria being a Google Glass beta tester.

Connect with Andria online:
Twitter: @SoBatman
Facebook: facebook.com/word.srsly
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heyandria/
Personal website: heyandria.com   

What is your favorite aspect of your job?
My job is super varied (graphic design, photography, strategy, web design, and more) and has changed over the years, but getting out to take photos/interview researchers, meet their students, and learn about their work has been a constant perk. Bonus: Working for a University-wide office means I get to work with people in all the various colleges/units. There is so much going on here; it's staggering and inspiring and intimidating all at once.

What advice do you have for communicators at the University of Minnesota?
It's a big place and we've got a lot of work to do to get the word out. The most important lesson that I've learned is to see where you can partner and coordinate with fellow communicators to get the most out of every story and ultimately deliver a more consistent, informed message to your audience. It also doesn't hurt that this can help dodge the dreaded Duplication of Effort.

Tell us about one of the coolest projects you've worked on for your job at the U?   
Right now, I'm working on a special project called U of M Explorer (umnexplorer.com). I was selected by Google to join their Glass Explorers program--sort of an alpha test for their new wearable technology platform--and I've been using Google Glass to bring a new perspective to the storytelling I do on behalf of the U of M. It's been a unique experience to say the least and I'm excited to do more with it.

(Want to join Andria in her umnexplorer.com adventures w/@googleglass? Click here for more information.) 

My favorites:
Book/author:
Either the bizarre J-Pod by Douglas Coupland or the Scott Pilgrim series by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

Website:
YouTube. Come for the cute animals, stay for the PBS Idea Channel, Crash Course, Mental Floss, and more.   

Source of inspiration: 
HOW Magazine, Pinterest, and being behind my camera (be it my Nikon or iPhone). 

Favorite word and word that annoys me:
Dude and twee, respectively.

Food and drink:
I am a fool for toast with butter and Tupelo honey and a hot cup of peppermint tea.

TV show and movie:
I tried to answer this question for 15 minutes. If anyone wants to go talk movies and tv with me, let me know. I love City Lights and The Wire just as much as I love Galaxy Quest and Fawlty Towers.

Musician or band:
This is just as hard to answer as the previous one, but I can say that I often turn to Spotify genre stations based on David Bowie, The Beastie Boys, and Nina Simone.

Place on Earth:
So far Bogotá my most special destination, since I got to explore my Colombian heritage (the music, the food, the art, the lifestyle, the natural landscapes). 

The Top 3 highlights of my life:

• Going to Comic Con International in San Diego
• Seeing a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theater in London
• That one time Hugh Jackman touched my hand

People may be surprised to know:
You can act as your own marriage officiant in Colorado. I know, because I eloped there almost two years ago and married my best friend at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Related fun fact: You can simply show up at a museum in a wedding dress, take a bunch of pictures, and get married for the price of a regular admission.