Steven Sturman

Steven Sturman

Published May 28, 2019

Each month, we'll introduce you to an interesting member of the Professional Staff Senate. This month's featured member is Steven Sturman, instructional designer in the School of Social Work.

How long have you worked at UB?

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I have been at UB since 1997, so over twenty-two years.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I am an Instructional Designer, so I help faculty integrate technology into their teaching. Technology is constantly changing, so I am always learning new things and get to experiment with new technology, which faculty may use to improve learning outcomes for their students.  

What's the most difficult part about your job?

The most difficult part of my job is that technology keeps changing. I find useful tools that can quickly disappear, and hear people talking about the latest and greatest thing, that I may not have heard about yet. I always have to be on my toes and keep abreast of the changes.

What would you say is your biggest achievement at UB?

The inSocialWork podcast is the thing I am most proud of. I was instrumental in helping to develop the first podcast supported by a School of Social Work and am currently responsible for chairing the committee that makes it possible. We have been publishing it for over 10 years, we have over 250 episodes published and our episodes have been downloaded over two million times. The podcast has helped the school develop a reputation for being a leader in the integration of technology into the Social Work profession.

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for fun?

My main hobby is woodworking.  I like it because it lets me work with my hands and be creative.  I get a great sense of joy from seeing the neat things I can create from a block of wood. Lately I have been building wooden toys for my elementary aged boys. They love to play with the wooden planes, trucks and star wars vehicles that I create for them.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

If I had to choose one place to go, I think I would choose Machu Picchu.  The mix of history and culture and the raw environment would be cool to explore. 

Any other fun facts about you?

I recently started a new blog for the School of Social Work. It is called Helping Apps for Practitioners and Educators or HAPPE. The goal of the series is to connect practitioners and educators in the Helping Professions with mobile apps they may find useful in practice or in their pursuit of life-long learning. Check it out at https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/happe/