Rate My Professor Louise Ross

Ross has excelled in driving operational innovations through Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Serving as co-team leader with Kitty Higbee on Projects DOUG (Domestic Otago Undergraduate) and AVA (Admissions Validation Automation), she spearheaded collaboration between Continuous Improvement and Student Experience Admissions staff. These bots automate repetitive tasks within the eVision system, slashing processing time from substantial daily efforts by four team members to just one to two hours by one person. As Ross explained, 'Processing applications can involve a lot of complexity, but also a lot of repetitive and time-consuming tasks. We collaborated with the Continuous Improvement team to come up with a way to make the process more efficient, and automation was an option that made complete sense.' This has enhanced staff productivity, improved applicant experiences, and benefited departments university-wide. The team's ingenuity earned the Vice-Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award for Exceptional Performance by Professional Staff (Team) in 2025. Additionally, in October 2025, Ross joined a University roadshow across three Indian cities—Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru—directly assisting students with queries at expos and events. She highlighted the importance of personal engagement: 'There is a big difference between reading on paper the opportunities available at Otago and getting to speak to someone in real time about them... Being able to connect with a friendly face goes a long way.' Her contributions strengthen international recruitment and operational excellence at Otago.