Jeff Jenkins

I am a Professor of Information Systems at the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. My teaching focuses on tech entrepreneurship. I help develop the next generation of tech leaders by guiding students as they launch businesses built around new tech products and grow minimum viable products (MVPs) into enterprise-level solutions. My goal is to provide a world-class education while inspiring students to do great things. I also serve as an associate director at the BYU Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, where I enjoy mentoring startups.

My research uses data from human-computer input devices—such as computer mice, touchscreens, and keyboards—to better understand users’ cognitive and emotional states. I have applied this work to fraud detection, risk assessment, behavioral information security, system usability, and online learning. BYU has patented technologies arising from my research, and I have published extensively in leading business and technology journals.

I earned a Ph.D. in Management, with a major in Management Information Systems and a minor in Computational Linguistics, from the University of Arizona. My advisor was Dr. Joe Valacich, who co-founded NeuroID, Inc. with me and continues to be a mentor, advisor, and friend. I also earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from Brigham Young University, as well as an associate degree in Information Systems from Brigham Young University–Idaho.

I have created, led, and contributed to high-impact innovation initiatives and high-performing teams. Three principles guide my leadership:

1. Innovation

I’m drawn to challenges that don’t have an obvious solution. One of my strengths is simplifying complex problems and finding a practical place to start.

I believe that making progress is better than waiting for perfection. By prototyping, learning, and iterating, teams can create value early while moving toward a more complete, enterprise-ready product. My training as a researcher and scientist taught me that solving difficult problems isn’t an exception to the work—it’s part of the work.

2. Team

A healthy team culture is essential to achieving great things. People do their best work when they enjoy the environment, take ownership of meaningful responsibilities, and feel encouraged to improve how the team works.

I favor empowerment over micromanagement. People can accomplish more when they’re trusted and motivated to take initiative. One of the greatest rewards of technology leadership is watching a team achieve outcomes that no leader could have produced alone.

3. Stability

Technology leaders help create stability and consistency across the organization. I think about this in three ways:

• Reliable technology: Downtime and errors are inevitable, but a capable team can build and maintain robust systems that let the organization work with confidence.
• A steady team: Every company faces setbacks and uncertainty. Leaders can help teams respond constructively by focusing on specific improvements, maintaining confidence, and treating problems as challenges to solve rather than reasons to lose momentum.
• Predictable processes: Clear routines, thoughtful prioritization, and dependable schedules help teams focus. Leaders should also protect the team from “false fires”—issues viewed as urgent crises even though they are not.

My wife and I have five children. We love spending time outdoors, traveling, eating good food, and doing spur-of-the-moment adventures. We want to make the world a better place by striving to show love and kindness to all. We are active in our church—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—and are thankful for the opportunity it affords us to become better people.

Our family loves the outdoors. I grew up on a small dairy farm in Idaho with the best parents and grandparents (who lived next door) imaginable. I spent a lot of time outdoors on the farm. I would work on the farm mornings before school and then again after school. While working on the farm from age eight to eighteen, I saw the sun rise and set almost every day for over a decade. I regularly saw the milky way stretch across the entire night sky. I would frequently experience the awe of walking in the fields watching the blue sky meet the ripening crops without an interruption of screen or sound. On occasion, I would even see the northern lights dance across the sky when changing the irrigation waters at night. Because of these experiences, spending time in the outdoors is much more than a recreational activity for me, it’s a deeply profound and grounding experience. Some of my most influential and impactful life learnings have been received while spending time in the outdoors.

We love to travel. The world is a beautiful place and traveling brings understanding and wisdom. Although the sites and sounds of different places is awesome, my favorite part of traveling is the people and the culture. Interestingly, the thing that makes traveling so beautiful is often the thing that divides some nations apart – our differences. I can’t help but wish for more peace, respect, and admiration of each other’s differences in our world. I think we can all learn a lot from a childhood favorite song:

"It's a world of laughter, A world of tears. It's a world of hopes, and a world of fears. There's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware, it's a small world after all."

"There is just one moon, And one golden sun. And a smile means Friendship to everyone. Though the mountains divide, and the oceans are wide, it's a small world after all." (It's a Small World by the Sherman Brothers)

Our family strives to be devout Christians and are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I’ve studied many world religions and admire the good that each one brings. In my life, I have found great strength, peace, and direction by studying the life of Jesus Christ and following his teachings. I find this strength, peace, and direction when I study the Bible and the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ translated from ancient records by a modern-day prophet, Joseph Smith (read more here). In addition to studying the words of ancient prophets and historians in scripture, I study the words of living prophets, whom I believe are called of God, testify of Christ, and help me live a better life. I am aware of arguments for and against religion and my beliefs, and I do not have answers for all arguments; however, I have overwhelming personal experience that show me there is a loving God who has guided me in my life. Another one of my favorite childhood songs summarizes what my religion does for me:

"I'm trying to be like Jesus; I’m following in his ways. I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say. At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice, But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers, Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, For these are the things Jesus taught." (I'm Trying to Be like Jesus by Janice Kapp Perry).

Reach out. I'm always happy to talk.