Welcome to uidzero.net (aka zero.uidzero.net)

About me


I was born in Des Moines, IA a bit over 30 years ago. I lived there
for the first 18 years of my life, going to high school at Central Academy
and Hoover.

I came to Ames, IA (and Iowa State University) right after high school. I
started out studying electrical engineering, then switched to computer
engineering, then switched to both computer and electrical engineering. I
graduated in spring of 2000 with 2 BSs (BSEE, BSCprE) with a math minor
and CS minor. I also took (and passed) the Engineer in Trainging/Fundamentals
of Engineering test that year.

Most of my classes focused on computer networking, communications 
systems, and numerical methods. You can see most of my class
schedules on my webpage.

In January 2000, I dual-enrolled as an undergrad and graduate student because
I didn't have enough undergrad classes left to take and I planned on being
a grad student here at least initially.

Things got pretty messed up the first 2-3 years as a grad student, but
they seem to be more on track now (at least wrt making progress towards 
graduation. it was still a very educational time in a number of ways.) 

May 2005I got my MSCprE degree.

During most of my undergrad life (well, starting in Decemeber 1996) I worked
for the DOE Research Lab on campus, Ames Lab. I worked in the Scalable
Computing Lab. We researched cheap methods of getting higher performance
out of available hardware.

As a grad student, I worked one year for my former major professor (half
as an RA, half as a TA teaching an antenna theory/design course). 
I then moved back to the SCL. 

Currently I am working at IBM in Rochester Minnesota doing all sorts of 
things with BlueGene/L and BlueGene/P from bring-up to MPI development
to diagnostic writing to app porting

I have been a member of the Graduate (and Professional) Student Senate
since May of 2000. I have been on the executive board since April of 2001
serving as the communications chair (I handle the website, all computer
issues in the office, mailing lists, etc)

I am currently a member of the following organizations:
IEEE - The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
ACM - The Association of Computing Machinists
NSPE - National Society of Professional Engineers
AWS - American Welding Society
AFS - American Foundry Society
(ABC - American Bowling Congress)
NRA - National Rifle Association

My interests include 


  • Metal Working
    • 

  • Metal casting
    • 

  • Wood working
    • 

  • Reading


  • Fine Scotch (30 year Laphroig is my favorite)

  • Beer


  • Chemistry 


  • High-energy electromagnetics


  • PIC microcontrollers

  • Computers

  • Mandarin Chinese (I've had 2 years so far)

  • Cooking

  • Wine


  • Bowling

  • Rifle and pistol shooting