Education:

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, 1994

My graduate education started at Stanford University, on the outskirts of silicon valley.

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland at College Park, 1999

I finished up my graduate education at the University of Maryland in parallel with working at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. My advisor was Professor Robert W. Newcomb, a gentle and exceptionally creative man and about as perfect a thesis advisor as one could request. Professor Newcomb is the type of person who can be fifty years ahead of times, fifty years behind the times, and often both at the same time. (Those who know me recognize that this is a high compliment.) He made you work hard, but more important, he made you find your own path. The accomplishments of his former students speak well for his style as an advisor.

Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, University of Virginia, 1993

I was attracted to U.Va. partly because it was strong in all academic disciplines and partly because it is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Even though I am a pure engineer, my favorite professors were those in the arts and those in comparative religious studies.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and Robinson Secondary School, 1988

I technically graduated from Robinson, but spent my senior year at Thomas Jefferson for their "senior experience" program.

Positions Held:

Centeye, Founder and President, 2000 onward

I started Centeye in 2000 with one employee, a $200 oscilloscope, some electronics parts from Radio Shack, a $1000 laptop computer, a boilerplate Articles of Incorporation, and a lot of "desire".

Naval Research Laboratory, Research Engineer, 1995-2000

From 1995 to 1996 I was involved in a research project to study the use of biologically inspired neural network algorithms for classifying radar signals. In 1996 I found my way to a project to develop "micro air vehicles", or a robotic aircraft with a then-aggressive wingspan of fifteen centimeters. Plenty of people were interested in developing the air frame or the power source; I decided to tackle navigation. I proposed developing optic flow sensors that would afford these aircraft with insect-like depth perception. And, of course, many people thought I was nuts.

I am very grateful for the time I spent at NRL. This is a first class institution, where an aggressive young researcher can be exposed to difficult technical challenges and given significant responsibility in the development of their solutions.

Geo-Centers, Inc. On-site contractor at Naval Research Laboratory, 1994-1995

LevyLab, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Undergraduate Research Assistant 1992-1993

My early introduction to biologically inspired algorithms came when I joined Professor Chip Levy's laboratory at U.Va. Professor Levy studies learning mechanisms in a section of the rat's brain called the hippocampus. This research involves both "wet work", or experiments on living neural tissue, and "dry work", or software simulations of neural network models. My part was all dry work, however I was fascinated by the pops and crackles coming from the next room, where wet researchers were recording electrical signals from neurons. These early experiences gave me an appreciation for the way neural tissue performs computations, which is quite different from that of a digital computer. These experiences are still influencing my current work.

Personal:

Born in 1970 in California. German and Italian descent.

Proud resident of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Former resident of the Logan Circle and Adams Morgan neighborhoods, now resides in North Cleveland Park.

Hobbies: Dance (modern and African-influenced jazz), cures for audiophilia nervosa, weekend drives down windy country roads.

Happily Married!