In this heartfelt and wide-ranging episode of Candid Conversations, we welcome Dr. Robert Baird. Robert is the Senior Associate Director of Educational Partnerships at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) and an adjunct lecturer in the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With a background that bridges English, cinema, and cognition, Robert’s career has spanned Hollywood film editing, academic publishing, and over three decades of work in teaching and learning technologies. Known for his storytelling, curiosity, and deep commitment to mentorship and community, Robert brings both wisdom and warmth to the leadership table.

A long-time friend and campus colleague, Robert reflects on his unconventional academic journey from Oklahoma to Hollywood and ultimately to higher education, where he has spent over 30 years shaping educational partnerships and mentoring leaders at the University of Illinois. His stories, often infused with humility and humor, highlight the power of surprise and mentorship in helping people realize their potential.

Robert shares the pivotal influence of mentors who opened his eyes to the possibilities of academia and pushed him to evolve as a scholar and leader. From wrestling with dissertation advice to pivoting away from a tenure-track path, Robert offers honest insights into the values that guided his decisions. His leadership style—rooted in empathy, curiosity, and support—mirrors his years as a youth soccer coach and educational facilitator. He discusses how these personal experiences helped him coach emerging IT leaders on campus through the IT Leadership Workshop (ITLW), where his creative use of props—like pigeon books and redwood clippings—sparks unconventional thinking and analogies for leadership.

The conversation also delves into the evolution of educational technology, from the advent of email and learning management systems to the current wave of artificial intelligence. Robert speaks passionately about how AI challenges us to rethink what it means to be human and how students today are already engaging with it in complex and thoughtful ways. He highlights the value of writing, the importance of meaningful assignments, and how AI has exposed pedagogical practices that need to evolve.

Toward the end, Robert shares personal reflections on family, self-care, and the lessons learned from a career spent navigating change with compassion and creativity. From his philosophy on life balance—“family is the earth, and my career is a moon orbiting it”—to a candid admission of being afraid of heights, Robert remains as grounded as he is intellectually adventurous. His parting message is simple but powerful: if you’re grounded in empathy and love, you’ll be okay.

You can learn more about Robert Baird at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbaird3/

Hosts Candice and Chris are IT leaders at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and collectively have more than 50 years of experience working in higher education. Candice is currently the Senior Director of IT Partners at the College of Applied Health Sciences and Chris is the Chief Information Officer and Senior Director of IT Partners at the Gies College of Business.