Jessi Middleton is the Office Administrator for the Institute for Optical Science. She received a Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University in 2011. She has been a STEAM member since 2021 and will be moderating the upcoming STEAM Exchange on Light.

We asked Jessi a few questions about her role at Ohio State, as well as her thoughts on the STEAM Factory!

1. Tell me about yourself and your role at Ohio State University.

   1. I am the Office Admin for Institute for Optical Science… which means I wear many, many hats! I also am the Director of Communications for our NSF AccelNet project, The X-lites Network!

2. What is your favorite part of your role at OSU (something that you might not have expected or that you were surprised by)?

   1. My favorite role is event promotion and planning. I enjoy graphic design for flyers & agendas that are visually appealing. They add that something “extra” to the event and I get to use my artistic talent!

3. Are you involved in any other organizations around campus or beyond Ohio State?
   1. I am the volunteer coordinator and event planner for a community service group that I started at my church!
4. What are your interests/hobbies in your free time?

   1. I am a Certified Tourism Ambassador for Columbus. I love going to new restaurants, venues, coffee shops, bars… you name it! I love my city and I enjoy helping others discover how wonderful Columbus can be as well!

      I love to travel. I went to South Korea to visit my husband’s family last summer (yes, the food was AMAZING) and we’re going to Paris for our 1-year wedding anniversary!

5. What is your favorite STEAM event/program? Or what is your favorite aspect of the STEAM community?

   1. My favorite is Coffee and Co-Working every Friday. Such a nice way to celebrate Fridays, have a cup of coffee, and work in fresh scenery!

6. You will be moderating our upcoming STEAM Exchange on Light. What drew you to this topic as a moderator?

   1. The Institute for Optical Science strives to promote a community of multidisciplinary researchers. The STEAM Exchange shares the same goal of bringing people together from different disciplines for networking and collaboration. Choosing a theme of LIGHT is a wonderful way to bring us all together!