Techlandia

In this episode of Techlandia, we sit down with Jameson Watts, Dean of Willamette University’s School of Computing and Information Sciences, to explore how higher education is evolving to meet the rapidly changing needs of the technology industry.

From his early career working with startups in Colorado to earning a Ph.D. in marketing strategy and computational linguistics, Watts brings a unique combination of industry experience and academic expertise to his leadership at Willamette.

Watts shares his vision for an education that goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. His approach emphasizes real-world experience, industry-connected faculty, internships, apprenticeships, and hands-on projects that prepare students to make an immediate impact in the workforce.

A central theme of the conversation is the importance of what Watts calls “translational competency”—the ability to bridge the gap between technical expertise and practical business application. Whether communicating complex engineering concepts to executives or helping teams implement emerging technologies, tomorrow’s leaders must be able to work across disciplines.

The discussion also explores Willamette’s response to Oregon’s growing technology and manufacturing sectors, including the launch of an industrial engineering program that brings together business, engineering, data, and artificial intelligence.

Watts highlights the importance of collaboration with the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), the NSF FAST initiative, and regional industry partners to strengthen Oregon’s talent pipeline. He also discusses the opportunities emerging from Willamette’s planned partnership with Pacific University, particularly in biomedical engineering, healthcare analytics, and advanced manufacturing.

From AI and workforce development to science fiction and the future of higher education, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how universities and industry can work together to prepare the next generation of innovators.

Tune in to Techlandia for a conversation about building the workforce of tomorrow, connecting education with industry, and helping Oregon's technology ecosystem thrive.

Techlandia — Exploring the people, ideas, and innovations shaping Oregon's technology future.

This episode explores how Purpose in Expenses (PIE) turns everyday technology spending into steady funding for nonprofits without increasing costs. Founder Jamie shares his origin story, brokering phone and internet services to fund an 8-year bike trip that evolved into a model for charity funding. CTO Daniel explains how his IT background and a new automated portal removed onboarding friction so even small businesses can participate. They discuss client case studies (Techstars, Dr. Bronner’s, a home builder) and the morale, recruitment, and branding benefits when IT procurement becomes purposeful.

Bonnie Crawford walks through a nontraditional path from political science student to COO of Texada Software, explaining how early roles in executive support, product, sales, and customer success built a versatile toolkit. She defines customer experience as everyone’s job, arguing that product, sales, marketing, finance, and support must collaborate to create "customer awesomeness." Bonnie shares hiring tips valuing retail and service backgrounds for their customer instincts and stresses the importance of saying yes to uncomfortable opportunities that accelerate career growth. Listeners get practical leadership lessons on mentorship, psychological safety, and building a learning culture.

Amy Rosenberg, founder of Veracity, walks listeners through how PR has shifted from traditional media pitching to a blended strategy that accounts for search, SEO and the emerging field of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). She traces her path from entertainment PR and real estate marketing to creating a firm that pairs thought leadership with digital tactics. Amy explains why owned media ,especially clear, focused website copy and actionable pages, must come first, and why press still matters to build authority for both human readers and AI systems. She warns against quick fixes and urges a measured, test-driven approach.

In this episode of Techlandia TAO's Skip Newberry and guest Andy Harris from Northwest Corporate Law discuss key trends impacting businesses today. They explore the growing role of AI in various industries, the cautious approach investors are taking in funding startups, and how companies are getting creative with their financing strategies. Emphasis is placed on the importance of building a strong professional network, which can prove invaluable in navigating these challenges and seizing new business opportunities.

In this podcast episode, Justin Coats, co-founder of LearnAir, discusses his unique journey from serving as a helicopter mechanic in the Marine Corps to becoming an AI literacy advocate. Coats emphasizes the importance of fostering a mindset that embraces change, a skill cultivated during his military service. At LearnAir, Coats focuses on educating companies and individual leaders about adopting generative AI technologies. By training executives and employees, LearnAir empowers organizations to replace traditional tech stacks with innovative AI-driven solutions, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

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- Justin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ai-integrator

- LearnAIR Website: https://www.learnair.com/