Pierre Fortier
Get to know Pierre, your friendly neighborhood web developer! This Québec native knew nothing of Ohio but followed his wife to Columbus—and the rest is history! A wannabe astronaut, he got a master’s in astrophysics but ultimately pivoted to his side-gig of graphic and web design. As a father of 8 (two human, two canine, four feline), it’s unclear how he finds time for his hobbies! If you are planning a trip to Québec City, be sure to ask Pierre about the must-eat poutine places.
Q: What is your role at the university? I’m a front-end developer.
Q: How long have you worked at Ohio State? Since April 1, 2019.
Q: Have you worked on any large projects since you’ve been here? I’ve been lucky enough to work on the Buckeye UX (BUX) project. Check it out at bux.osu.edu!
Q: Did you always know this is what you wanted to do as a career? No! As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut, and that lasted a long time, probably into my teens. I eventually figured the next best thing would be to study astrophysics. I went as far as getting a masters in astrophysics, but at that point I decided that academia wasn’t for me, so I pivoted to graphic/web design, which was something I’d been doing on the side up until then.
Q. How did your career path bring you to work for us? When I met my wife, I’m not sure I could have placed Ohio on a map. She’s from Lordstown, but was doing her PhD in Québec. When she graduated, she got a job at the Wexner Medical Center, and the rest is history!
Q: Where are you from originally? I was born and raised in Québec city. Oui, je parle français! I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a European-vibe vacation that is also drivable from Columbus! (It’s a very doable 15 hours with stops). Be sure to get some Poutine while you’re there.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I would love to go to the South Pole. You can buy a plane ticket to pretty much anywhere, but the South Pole is still remote. I wouldn’t want to stay long, mind you, maybe just long enough to put my feet on the ice, breathe in the cold, cold air, and take in the feeling of being at the bottom of the world.
Q: Can you tell us about your family? My wife Stephanie and I have a beautiful daughter, Luna, a handsome son, Arthur, two beagles, Mr. Spock and Buster, and four cats, Mapes, George, Mittens and Snowball. It’s a zoo!
Q. What do you do for fun outside of work? Do you have any hobbies? I love cooking, gardening, and when I get time, cycling!
Q: What is something most people might be surprised to know about you? As a Canadian, everyone assumes I love Hockey. Sorry to disappoint, but y’all probably know more about Wayne Gretzky than me!
Q: Best concert you’ve ever been to? Radiohead at the Shot.
Q: Do you have a favorite book or movie? I don’t know about favorite, but certainly the most influential film in my life is 2001: A Space Odyssey. A more recent film that I really enjoy is Arrival. The short story it’s based on is also great.
Q: It’s 9 p.m. on a Saturday. What are you doing? Struggling to put my daughter to bed.