Randal Harrison
As the Emerging Technologies Librarian at the Hesburgh Libraries, Randy assists faculty, staff, and students with the identification, evaluation, and use of emerging technologies, innovative online tools, and related services. He is particularly focused on identifying learning and engagement opportunities to support student research and promote student success. Randy also holds concurrent faculty roles in The Mendoza College of Business and ESTEEM, where he teaches Quantitative Analysis. A large part of his faculty roles involves theorizing, teaching, and practicing design. Randy’s work often sits at the intersection of graphic design, technical communication, and instructional design, particularly forms of design that help people better learn and connect, especially in digital spaces.
Randy shares some insight into his professor journey and offers advice to ESTEEM students.
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ESTEEM: What was the most surprising or unconventional lesson you’ve learned in your professional journey?
Randy: The most surprising lesson I’ve learned in my professional journey is that a non-linear, hybrid career path can be a strength rather than a liability. I remember reading Tolkien’s words when I was younger: “Not all those who wander are lost.” I realized recently this has been my strength in growing professionally — to explore broadly and go deep where it suits me. Instead of moving cleanly through academia into a single, well-defined role, I’ve blended scholarship, teaching, technical know-how, design and communication skills into an ability to translate ideas across disciplines, to build tools that teach, and create learning experiences that connect theory with practice. Embracing this hybridity has allowed me to have greater impact than staying within any one silo ever could.
ESTEEM: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career when you took a risk or embraced uncertainty, and what you learned from it?
Randy: A pivotal throughline in my career has been a willingness to resist the idea that something is “not for me” or that I’m somehow not allowed to do it. Early on, that meant moving to Brazil with very little money where I taught English as a Second Language. I moved there before I had certainty, credentials, or a safety net. What I learned there was that capability often reveals itself after you commit, not before. A motto I held onto while finishing my PhD was ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man.’ I’ve tried to rise to the challenges that I set for myself. That same mindset later shaped my work building apps and software tools in academic contexts. No one explicitly told me I could or should build software. But no one said I couldn’t, either. So I tried, learning as I went, and ended up building things that solved real problems for folks. Those tools weren’t experiments for their own sake, they were practical work in good faith that they would show value over time. I guess what I’ve learned is that meaningful growth doesn’t come from “following a dream” in the abstract. It comes from finding work you have some natural aptitude for, that you genuinely enjoy, and that challenges you productively. That intersection where curiosity, usefulness and challenge meet is where the best work happens. As Nelson Mandela wrote, "It always seems impossible until it's done."
ESTEEM: If you were a student starting the ESTEEM program this year, what would you make sure to focus on learning or doing during the year?
Randy: If I were starting the ESTEEM program this year, I’d focus on two things at the same time: keeping pace with the program while also going deeper where it really matters. It’s easy in any master’s program to fall behind by trying to do everything perfectly or, conversely, to skim too quickly without building real understanding. I’d treat the core requirements as non-negotiable: stay on top of deadlines, show up prepared, and keep momentum. However, deliberately choosing a few skills or topics to push further than what’s required is the best way to get the most out of this time apart from the real working world. I’d also be intentional about identifying gaps early, whether that’s in technical skills, data analysis, communication, etc. Invest extra time to strengthen these before they become bottlenecks. At the same time, I’d resist the urge to chase every new tool or idea. Mastery comes from sustained focus on the right tools, not constant exploration of “the next tool.” Use the program as a testing ground so that you’re more polished in everything you do when you [re-]enter industry.
ESTEEM: What emerging trends or challenges in your field do you think ESTEEM students should be paying attention to?
Randy: AI is likely one of the most important emerging technologies our students need to master. Professional life is shot through with AI already, and it’s rapidly reshaping how we produce and communicate knowledge, as well as how analysis and decision-making occur. Used thoughtfully, AI can be a powerful tool, but used uncritically, it can undermine learning and even damage professional credibility. As instructors, then, our responsibility is to help students treat AI as a thinking partner rather than an answer machine. But students should explore AI deeply on their own, as well. Not only to learn how to use it, but also to recognize when not to use it, for example, when it means outsourcing core intellectual work. Strong AI literacy is ultimately about judgment, transparency, and intellectual ownership, not simple efficiency alone.
ESTEEM: What do you personally learn from working with ESTEEM students year after year?
Randy: Working with ESTEEM students year after year teaches me a great deal because they are anything but a monolithic group. Some arrive fresh from undergraduate programs, while others bring years of professional experience or advanced degrees. Some are still finding their footing in graduate school, others come in with a clear vision they’re ready to execute, and some are intentionally open to being shaped by the experiences of the program. One of the most interesting parts of the work is simply learning what students are building with their research, what they care about, and how they plan to navigate the program. Their strategies, motivations, and paths forward are often strikingly different, and seeing those differences play out continually reshapes how I think about mentoring, teaching, and supporting entrepreneurial growth.
ESTEEM: If you had one piece of advice for students striving to make an impact, what would it be?
Randy: There are a lot of moving pieces in ESTEEM. Don’t fall behind. Pivot from mapping deliverables to executing on them. Pop your head up to assess your roadmap, sure, but then get back to putting one foot in front of the other. Meaning, focus on doing useful work well and consistently. Impact rarely comes from a single big idea or a perfectly polished moment. It comes from showing up, learning deeply, and applying your skills to real problems that matter to real people. Set a routine that ensures you will execute on what is required of you and stick to it. Fail fast—be willing to start things before you feel fully ready, stay curious when things get hard or unclear, and keep improving through feedback and iteration. Over time, that combination of persistence, judgment, and care for the work will compound, and that’s where meaningful impact will surely emerge.
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About the ESTEEM Graduate Program:
Over the course of this 11-month Master of Science degree (in Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) program at the University of Notre Dame, students from technical backgrounds are equipped with the skills and experience to launch new businesses, become innovators within large corporations, and be leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. Students are immersed in an entrepreneurial sandbox, where they get their hands dirty with entrepreneurship and innovation through a cutting-edge curriculum, a capstone commercialization project for an emerging technology, and outstanding out-of-the-classroom experiences.
To learn more about the ESTEEM Graduate Program or to apply please go to our website.