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The ANT Legacy
Applied New Technologies (ANT) was a department within the Student Services (later Student Affairs) division of the University of California, Irvine from around 1995 to 2000. ANT was unique at the university because it focused on technology research and development from an administrative, rather than academic, perspective. ANT investigated emerging technologies, particularly in the fast-paced early days of the World Wide Web, and piloted projects that could apply them to solving University problems.
Two staff members from the UCI Registrar's Office were tapped to create and develop ANT. Richard Everman served as director and John Yasuda served as assistant director throughout the lifetime of the department. In an unorthodox move inspired by earlier success within the Registrar's Office, they chose to staff the office with UCI student workers rather than full-time professionals. These student workers evaluated and demonstrated new Web-based technologies, developed new software platforms for implementing Web applications, and supported and trained staff throughout the division.
Following the retirement of Richard Everman in 2000, the department was re-merged with the Registrar's office, where John continued to manage ANT student workers. Being a part of the Registrar's office gave ANT students greater access to University information and student records, and ANT students participated in the development of many of UCI's online services such as class registration, transcripts, statements of legal residence, and so on.
Over time, many of the ANT students graduated and went on to careers outside the University in a gradual diaspora. Some stayed to take up full-time positions within the Registar's office, and others remained in graduate school at UCI for a while. Sadly, John Yasuda passed away in 2006, and ANT has increasingly faded as a result. Nonetheless, ANT touched everyone who was part of it and its spirit lives on through its alumni. This is the ANT legacy.
ANT was distinguished from most other workplaces by its culture and traditions. Many of these emerged over time in an ad-hoc way. New ANT members were generally selected and hired when the existing membership felt that they had the "ANT nature." Although it is impossible to describe exactly what gives a person the "ANT nature," several common characteristics are evident. These include general irreverence, skepticism about bureaucracy (especially when it manifests itself as an impediment to doing good work), extreme passion about esoteric subjects, a willingness to try new things, and above all a fine-tuned sense of humor.
As noted above, the ANT members have gradually gone on to lives beyond ANT. This section is intended as a way for ANT members to find each other and keep each other posted on their lives as well as current contact information. Official ANT members are listed here, but Honorary ANTs (those with the ANT nature who were never officially part of the department) are also welcome to join here.
John Ichiro Yasuda (1961-2006)
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ANT Assistant Director, 1995-2006
John Yasuda was the founding assistant director of ANT and continued supervising it as it became part of the Registar's office. John passed away in 2006; he was the heart and soul of ANT and truly defined the 'ANT nature.' A tribute page is linked above.
Eric Dashofy
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ANT Staff, 1997-1998; 1999-2000
Eric Dashofy has a Ph.D. in Information and Computer Science from UC Irvine. He currently works as a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA.
Over time, the contact info for some ANTs (especially those folks who participated in the very earliest incarnations of the department) has been lost! If you are an ex-ANT or friend of ANT, please get in touch so we can add your information to this page!