My name is Matthew Goepfert, and I work in the Fibre Channel (FC) Consortium. I am currently a junior majoring in Information Technology (IT). Upon ending my sophomore year this past winter, I was in need of a job that would give me hands-on experience with some aspect of IT. I have always had a particular interest in computer networking and plan on getting involved with system/network administration upon graduation. I had heard many positive remarks about the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) from several students at UNH regarding the vast knowledge and experience that people obtain from working there. After applying and being accepted at the start of this past spring semester, I found out that I would be working in the FC Consortium. Up until that point, I had never even heard about FC, let alone had any actual experience with it. This would soon change, as I have gained a very personal level of knowledge regarding the technology from performing various tests on FC devices.
After working with the UNH-IOL for just a few months, it is safe to say that I have learned a great deal. While I have been focusing primarily on FC, I have gained a wealth of knowledge of other technologies, as well as computer networking as a whole, which I would never have found anywhere else. When I apply for jobs after graduation, I know that I will be much more marketable to employers, due to the valuable hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology that I have/will gain from my time here. In the days ahead, I look forward to learning even more while taking Professor Bartos' summer Computer Networking Course.
Matthew Goepfert, Research and Development