Hollis Greenberg

Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems
Hollis Greenberg
"To live in 2021, I know that the barriers for women are coming down... I believe this generation will bring more women into STEM fields. "
Professor Greenberg joined Wentworth in 2015. She is an associate professor of Computer Information Systems in the School of Management.

What courses do you teach?
I teach Management Information Systems, Systems Analysis and Design, Project Management Applications, Project Risk, Computer and Business Applications, E-Commerce and CIS Senior Project.

How have your interests, research, or experience led you to your field?
When I was in elementary school, my family was one of the first to purchase a computer. Little did I understand then that Apple II would shape my career. I dragged that computer to college with me as I studied for an undergraduate degree in Marketing. In graduate school, I acquired a PC and fell in love with my new Computer Information System concentration. After graduation, I took a marketing research position at a large international firm. Before long, I convinced my manager to allow me to learn, develop, and rollout groupware to the marketing and sales departments. Within a year, I had a server on my desk and was wearing the hats of both the system administrator and application developer. Since then, I've taken additional courses, obtained multiple certifications, and switched my career from corporate to academia.

Why are you proud to be a woman in 2021?
My parents raised me to be independent and pursue higher education. To live in 2021, I know that the barriers for women are coming down. I have both a daughter and a son. I love knowing that both of my children can aspire to do whatever they want. I believe this generation will bring more women into STEM fields.

Describe one exciting thing that is happening in your classroom.
Even though my Systems Analysis and Design courses are fully remote, my students work in teams in almost every class. The teams work through a running case in class, applying what they learned in lecture and the textbook to a fictitious company. This real-time learning and application are incredible to witness first-hand. I take extra pride in these exercises because I authored this running case for Cengage last year.

What is one interesting fact about you?
I am a big pet lover! While I generally prefer four-legged, furry animals, I have owned birds, turtles, fish, and even a hedgehog. Currently, I spend time walking with my dog or cuddling with my cat.

Share your favorite quote for Women's History Month.
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, one of the earliest computer scientists, once said, “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, 'We've always done it this way.'"

List of recent publications and other accomplishments (2019 - 2021):

  • This past year, my first textbook was published! I co-authored “Principles of Information Systems, 14th edition.”
  • Last year, I authored a running case, “Appliance Warehouse”, which is now available on Cengage’s MindTap “Systems Analysis and Design, 12th edition.”
  • I participated in two panel discussions at the Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Information Technology Education (ACM SIGITE) conference in October 2019. The topics were “Increasing Female Enrollment and Retention for Computing Degrees” and “Online Learning, The Educators Experiences”.
  • I led a panel discussion, “What COVID-19 is Teaching Professors: Pandemic-Level Changes in our Classrooms“, at the ACM SIGITE October 2020 conference.