May 2008

Spotlight on Staff: Andrew Gallo

By Jill Lindstrom

Andrew Gallo’s internship on Capitol Hill as a GW political science graduate student taught him a very valuable lesson—that he didn’t want anything to do with politics. In 1995, Gallo, a self-described “computer nerd,” took a job as an administrative assistant in Funger Hall to help pay for tuition. When the departments he worked for needed assistance with their computers, Gallo gladly helped out. One thing led to another, and today, 12 years later, Gallo works as senior information systems engineer with Information Systems Services.

Q: What are your main job responsibilities?
A: I do design and engineering for the University’s communications and data network, which is what you use every time you check your e-mail at the University, use any of the Web servers, or access Banner. I don’t provide any of those services, but I work with the network that connects you to them. You could say I’m a “digital plumber.” It entails a lot of work for the remote offices, and I designed the connections to the Mount Vernon and Virginia campuses. I’m also tangentially involved in a process to bring wireless throughout the whole campus. I work a lot behind the scenes.

Q: On what TV show would you like to make a guest appearance?
A: Myth Busters on the Discovery Channel. I love that show! I also like the History Channel’s Modern Marvels.

Q: Which three Web sites do you visit regularly?
A: There are some geek sites I visit often: slashdot.org, its catchphrase is “News for Nerds”; digg.com, a news aggregation site that picks up content on all topics from anywhere on the Web; and engadget.com, a blog that tells you about new tech products on the market.

Q: What do you do on a rainy Saturday?
A: Lately, I’ve been catching up on some reading. I like Jack London, classic fiction. I go back and forth between fiction and non-fiction. For sci-fi, I choose Neal Stephenson and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Q: Do you cook?
A: Yes, but mostly desserts. I do more baking than cooking. If I invite people over and I have to plan a dinner, I normally start with the dessert and work my way backward.

Q: What’s the world’s greatest invention?
A: The obvious answer would be the transistor, because everything relies on that. It’s a very utilitarian answer! For me personally: the ice cream maker. I have one, and I use it to make ice cream all the time.

Q: What would you like to know about the future?
A: How much bandwidth HDTV will take up on my network. Students and staff at GW want HDTV, and we’re considering it. But it takes a fair amount of bandwidth.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I do a lot of cycling, both road and mountain biking. I’m planning a big trip to Colorado this summer. We’ll start in Fruita, Colo., go for a four-day loop, and end up in Gateway, Colo. It will be the second time I’ve spent several days out in the back country riding through the mountains. It’s a lot of fun! The last trip lasted 260 miles over seven days, and we had no contact with the rest of the world. One day we passed through a town with a payphone, but our cell phones didn’t work. I absolutely loved it! I have no problem turning everything off.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu