Patti Ota has been with the University of Arizona since 1999 and has been teaching management information systems since 2000. She earned her PhD in Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania in 1972. Before coming to the University of Arizona, she held a variety of positions at Lehigh University, including working as an assistant professor of computer science and electrical engineering, assistant dean of the College of Engineering Physical Sciences, dean of the College of Business and Economics and associate to the president and vice provost. Her areas of expertise include decision making and problem solving, critical thinking and interpersonal communication and system design