Students to provide computer
skills at Olympics
By Laura Pelner
Special
Projects Editor
Jeff Hanson is excited about his first job as a
Purdue graduate even though it's only going to last for six weeks.
Hanson, who graduated in December with a degree
in computer science, left for Salt Lake City Tuesday to oversee an information
technology system at the Winter Olympics. He and three Purdue students
are four of 20 people who are interning until the end of February for
the technology company SchlumbergerSema.
"I'm looking forward to the Olympics and all the
different backgrounds of all the people," Hanson said. "It's going to
be a lifetime experience."
Hanson is working as a Commentary Information System
supervisor at the first rounds of the men and women's ice hockey venue.
He said the system is one all television commentators use to get scores
and information such as an athlete's medal standings or finish times.
He'll be working alone, which is a big responsibility,
though Hanson said he's confident he can handle any problems that might
arise.
"My job is to make sure (the system) is up and
running and accurate," he said. "If something goes wrong I log into
the servers to try to fix it … It should be interesting if it breaks
to see how I react. Without the software, commentators can't talk on
the air, which is bad."
If there are problems, Hanson may get help from
a Purdue student, Ryan Kaufman, a senior in the Schools of Engineering.
Kaufman is also working with the Commentary Information System, though
he'll be in the "war room" — the main room that controls each venue's
information system.
Kaufman said he'd be in a room with six to eight
computers and three other people; their jobs are to run the central
technology system.
"We keep track of all the different venues," Kaufman
said. "If one of the venues has a problem, we're responsible for getting
it working."
Kaufman likened his job to a dance and said that
when the programs start running they "really go," which can be stressful
but also fun. He said he's looking forward to the job because it's different
from anything he's ever done.
Most of SchlumbergerSema's interns are computer
science students, so Kaufman was a little nervous about being one of
only two engineers with the internship. He said he has some background
in programming but not as much as the others.
"Everyone else's forte is software; I'm a hardware
guy," he said, but he added he can keep up.
Renata Erika Shehan, a sophomore in computer science,
will also be working in Salt Lake City, though she'll be a technical
services supervisor at the Olympic Family Hotel. She said the hotel
is where many of the foreign heads of state and Olympic committee people
stay, so it should be a good experience.
Shehan said she'll be working in many different
fields, though mostly with technology. She also said she's looking forward
to the trip.
"Getting to see what happens behind the scenes
at the Olympics is a neat experience," she said.
Hanson and Kaufman are eager to see the Olympic
events firsthand and meet the athletes. Even though he's not a big hockey
fan, Hanson said since he'll be working the hockey venue he'll do some
research on the players, especially since National Hockey League members
will be there. Hanson also said he'd like to meet U.S. skier Picabo
Street.
Kaufman said he wants to see a hockey game and
some of the other events, and both he and Shehan are looking forward
to going skiing.
SchlumbergerSema interviewed 300 people from around
the country for the 20 internship positions, which makes the fact that
four people from Purdue — Hanson, Kaufman, Shehan and Angela Dickinson,
a sophomore in the Schools of Engineering — are involved remarkable.
"All I can say is, it's a stroke of luck," said
Kaufman. "I have no idea how I exactly got it. It's a good situation;
I'm really fortunate to have gotten it."
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