I’m Jason Trinklein, and I have a passion for science and education. I’m driven by mission and the pursuit of making the world a better place. I believe in the transformative power of education and the profound impact science can have on society. Driven by these dueling passions, I have found myself working for schools from K to College, sometimes in the classroom and sometimes behind the scenes. With degrees in Computer Science, I’ve found my niche working in IT at the University level and moonlighting as an adjunct professor. Originally from Long Island, I took a 15 year detour through Charleston, South Carolina, a charming city in the south where I got a degree, became an adult, grew my career, and met my wife. We moved to Worcester to be closer to family as we start our own.
Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Hannah and I were married at the start of the pandemic. They say that marriage changes the world, but when the world locked down on the weekend of our marriage, it literally did change! Hannah and I just welcomed our firstborn son, August.
Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I’m presently the Director of IT Infrastructure at Clark University. I came from a position as Associate Director of IT Infrastructure at the College of Charleston, a mid-sized public university in Charleston. I also spent time starting various small companies, including View2D (2D glasses for 3D movies), The Charleston Science Center (a non-profit science museum startup for Charleston, which has yet to be realized), AnalogArchiver (a media conversion company), CharlestonWiMAX (a wireless broadband internet service provider), and others. I plan to continue my career in IT leadership in higher education, but where that actually leads is yet to be known!
What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Some of our favorites include ‘Olo Pizza, Volturno Pizza, BT’s BBQ, Sol of Mexico, and El Nuevo Amanecer.
How long have you lived or worked in our community?
We have been in the Worcester area since Fall 2020, but we are now proud homeowners in Worcester as of Spring 2021.
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
Due to COVID, our ability to mix and mingle in our community has been limited. We’ve met few people, but those we have met have been welcoming and friendly. They say Charleston is the friendliest city in the US, but those people have clearly never been to Worcester.
If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I’ve been to many places across our beautiful globe. I couldn’t choose just one, but a piece of my heart will forever be in Vienna with some extended family, in Sweden for its ideals and culture, in Japan for its beauty and order, and in Deyang, China for the life changing experiences I had there and the friends I made.
What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
The Expanse has been my most recent favorite TV show.
What advice would you give to people?
Find virtues that have meaning to you, and follow them.
What is something on your bucket list?
Live in a foreign country for at least a year.
What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Chillout Lounge Mix with Tim Angrave – he does a superb job of releasing monthly chilled out mixes.
What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
We love the plant and book stores at Kelly Square and the new Lulu’s Bakery and Cafe.
If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would love to meet Martin Molin from Wintergatan. He is inspirational in his musical talent and his mechanical ingenuity. Perhaps I’d like to have to-go lunch from Nu-Kitchen and eat it at Technocopia!
What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
The diversity of our community is amazing. Did you know that 25% of Worcesterites are non-american born? No wonder we have such culinary diversity; we even have an Ethiopian restaurant!
Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
We moved to Worcester looking for a place to plant our roots and grow a family; I certainly hope we are still here in 5-10 years!
(Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
As a teenager, I wanted to convert a water tower into a house with epic panoramic views. I lost my drawings years ago, but I secretly wish I could still do this.
What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Hawai’i is the most stunning place I’ve ever been. From soaring mountains dusted with frost to vibrant technocolor reefs to dense tropical forests, it’s something out of a fantasy novel.
Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
I’m partial to my birth month, September. Every year, we celebrate with a family traditional dish called “plum dumplings” (and something nearly unpronouncible in some forgotten family lanuage), a dish that can only be made on this month due to the seasonal availability of the small European plums from which it’s made.
What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
My wedding weekend. We got married in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin, at a large Airbnb on a lake, with all our closest family. It was a perfect weekend.
Who inspires you to be better?
My wife and my son motivate me to be as great a husband, father, and example I can be.
What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Ocean Breezes, The Scent of Pine.
Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Family, Warmth, and Security
