Dr. Jay Lightfoot, Associate Dean & Professor

UNCO Faculty - Jay Lightfoot

"Students will learn basic database concepts and will have sufficient background to communicate data and reportingrequirements to computer professionals. Students will also learn how to perform effective data analysis utilizingpopular data analytics software."

Degrees Held:

  • PhD in Business Administration with Management Science/Information Science emphasis – University of Colorado at Boulder,1990
  • MBA with Information Systems emphasis – University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 1984
  • BS in Computer Science – East Texas State University, 1979

Career Highlights:

  • Selected as CIS "Professor of the Year" by students on three occasions
  • Recognized by UNC for "Teaching Excellence in Undergraduate Education" and as "Advisor of the Year"
  • Designated the MCB "Scholar of the Year" on two occasions
  • Certified as a "GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst" by the SANS organization
  • Published 30 refereed journal articles, including some in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, OMEGA, SpacePolicy, and Expert Systems
  • Keynote speaker for the North Texas Community College Consortium, Oct. 21, 2016
  • Worked in industry as a computer operator, programmer, systems analyst, and department manager

In which online degree program do you teach?

  • Which classes do you teach online?

    MBA 605

  • What do you want students to learn in these courses? What is the expected learning outcome?

    Students will learn basic database concepts and will have sufficient background to communicate data and reporting requirements to computer professionals. Students will also learn how to perform effective data analysis utilizing popular data analytics software.

  • What types of projects can online students expect in the MBA data analytics course?

    I will assign projects that utilize Data Analytics/Business Intelligence (BI) software. I will also assign projects that demonstrate students' understanding of basic database terminology and design concepts.

  • What advice would you give to those considering this online program?

    Don't be afraid to experiment with the software. You learn more when you play around with the packages than you do from a lecture. Also, don't wait until the last minute to start your projects. Give yourself enough time to do a good job.

  • Why did you start teaching?

    I am a very curious person and love learning new things. I want to understand how things work. I started teaching because it gives me the opportunity to impart these characteristics to others.

  • Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students might not know about you.

    I am a certified digital forensic analyst and occasionally work on computer forensic cases and consult as an expert witness. This has given me the opportunity to meet some interesting people.

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