Krystal Pintar’s father, Bobby Evans, used to fix anything and everything electronic from televisions to radios. His love for technology and learning was passed on to his daughter, who is the instructional media resources coordinator at UGA’s Center for Teaching and Learning.
“I suppose I inherited my father’s gene for working behind the scenes in technology,” Pintar said. “I have learned so much from him through the years and continue to do so even today. He’s so full of knowledge and has such a variety of skills. I try to soak up all that I can.”
At CTL, Pintar is responsible for helping coordinate and oversee a variety of areas from videoconferencing to classroom equipment inventories. The Athens native also oversees Channel 15, which is broadcast on University Cablevision and Charter Cable in the Athens area. Channel 15 provides national and locally produced programming to serve the mission of UGA.
“While all of our services are unique and important, Channel 15 is a wonderful educational resource that reaches not only the UGA campus but Athens and the surrounding counties. With it being streamed online through our website, it has been viewed throughout the U.S.-an example being Commencement ceremonies. Many relatives who are not able to attend watch through our live stream,” Pintar said. “There have been many aunts, uncles and even parents who have expressed their thankfulness for the service.”
Pintar also works with checking out equipment to those who need it.
“Our equipment checkout service is also an area highly used since faculty and students continually need equipment/media for class-related purposes. Making sure that we have enough items to circulate, that they work properly and the user is trained, if needed, on how to use it is very important,” she said. “You want the end result of any project to be of the highest quality possible without dealing with a lot of technical issues.”
During her nearly 30 years at the university-23 of which have been in the CTL- Pintar has seen the technology used by students and professors evolve dramatically.
“It went from setting up 16mm projectors and slide projectors to wheeling in 27-inch televisions with VCRs on rolling carts to our current setup of equipment installed in teaching podiums with touchpanels,” she said. “When you see a certain technology phase out, you mourn a bit at first. Especially those pieces you grew up with.
“I still prefer a paperback book over a Kindle and a record album over an iPod,” she added, “but as newer technology becomes readily available, you work and research to find where it can be implemented or what it can replace and, in the end, you don’t miss the older technology too much.”
With her team of two full-time staff members and four student workers, Pintar also works with departments and units across campus to coordinate streaming events like Commencement exercises, lectures and symposia online. The team also sets up videoconference sessions for departments and classes.
“I could not do all this by myself. I work with a wonderful team of individuals who perform the day-to-day responsibilities of these areas,” she said. “I would be lost without them.”
Between coordinating with departments and doing inventory of classroom equipment, Pintar rarely spends much time behind her desk. However, getting out and about is one of the best parts of the job, she said.
“It’s actually fun. I get to meet new people and to see the new buildings and classrooms that are being built or renovated,” Pintar said. “The new Health Sciences Campus is an example. If it wasn’t for doing inventory, I don’t know if I would ever have the opportunity to make it over there.”
Working with technology also keeps Pintar happily coming back to work each day.
“Working with technology and its changes-sometimes even its mishaps-keeps you on your toes and is also a wonderful way to continue to learn,” she said. “I’m always in school. It keeps each day interesting.”
