HIGHLIGHTS

Skills Summary

Extensive experience and proficiency with all of the following:

Cloud computing and distributed computing: Google MapReduce, Condor, Protocol Buffers, lots of experience writing networked and client/server software
Programming languages: C, C++, Java, Python, SQL, C#, VB, VBA, Tcl/Tk
Databases: MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access
Operating systems: Windows, Linux, UNIX, and Mac OS
Web programming: HTML, ASP.NET, PHP
Deep understanding of algorithms and data structures, and years of experience applying this knowledge to solve real-world problems
Well-practiced in using Artificial Intelligence techniques such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, decision trees, Bayesian networks, and heuristic search algorithms

Summer 2009

Interned as a software engineer with the Web Search team within Google
Designed and implemented a new component of Google's document-scoring system
Significantly expanded knowledge of state-of-the-art computing technologies by becoming well-practiced in the use of such Google technologies as MapReduce, GFS, and Protocol Buffers
Actively followed and contributed ideas to company-wide debates and discussions, in some cases succeeding in changing the direction of certain products planned for public release in small ways
Had an absolute blast by running my software on huge clusters of machines on a daily basis

On and off between April 2007 and December 2008

Used databases and web programming tools to create successful business intelligence tools that are now used by senior managers
Developed and tested trading strategies that make use of a variety of artificial intelligence techniques
Independently identified areas where the business could be improved, and took the initiative to devise systems and software tools to capture new opportunities
Created dynamic web applications powered by databases under Microsoft Windows and Linux
Applied clustering analysis to stock market data to extract insight
Applied forecasting models such as Markov models, neural networks, and genetic programming to stock market data

On and off between November 2005 and December 2006

Independently identified applications of the data-mining technologies invented by colleagues in the fields of cancer research and intensive care. Arranged meetings between specialists in medicine and NRC personnel on own initiative
Used data-mining to investigate climate change, genetics, proteomics, and other fields
Developed interactive virtual reality software from scratch using OpenGL
Maintained parallel versions of C/C++ software on Windows and Linux
Used Linux clusters and distributed computing environments for high-throughput computing

June 2003 to June 2005

Performed lifeguarding and instruction duties at a number of pools around Ottawa
Taught swimming lessons to children and adults of all ages
One-on-one work with physically handicapped and autistic children

Author of several successful chess- and checkers-playing computer programs, including some that learn to play on their own without any human instruction
Succeeded in creating a program that can pass the test used by Google to tell the difference between humans and malicious computer programs (such as e-mail harvesters or spam-bots trying to sign up for e-mail accounts)
Data mining news articles in real time to extract various insights
Dozens of personal projects that make use of databases and artificial intelligence
Economics and financial markets: investment strategies and market forecasting
Discovering trading strategies using artificial intelligence

Lots of experience in alpine ski racing, biking, rugby, track & field, ski jumping, curling, swimming, sailing, and other sports
Enjoy playing and writing songs on the guitar and piano
Extensive first-aid training
Several awards in programming, mathematics, athletics, and music