Work: Software engineering and coding, with a preference for C, C++, Linux and embedded platforms; extending into the hardware side where required (reading schematics, checking signals, fault diagnosis, etc).

Not-Exactly-Work: Classic cars (restoring, repairing, improving and driving), Hiking (mountains if possible), Mountain biking, Various micro-controller and software projects.

Education: Bachelors degree in Computer Science; Masters degree in Earth Sciences (Paleoclimate, Volcanology).

I love engineering: designing and building something to solve a problem. Creating structure out of a chaos of raw materials and a soup of ideas. I particularly like software engineering due to its inherent "virtual" nature: the designer is not restricted by the messy mechanical difficulties of fabricating things to test them; instead, we are free to build and experiment in an environment limited only by some very specific rules of logic.

I've worked in database design and web applications, but most of that was quite archaic (around 1999-2000). I try to avoid modern web application design, and I much prefer to get close to the hardware, working on embedded systems using C and C++. I've been working in this area for the last 5+ years, ranging from 8-bit PIC micro controllers to 32-bit ARM SOC running Linux. I've learned enough to be dangerous with Linux build systems, drivers and application software.

I have a strong interest in Earth Sciences and Geology, and I have worked in the past as a science technician, where it was my job to build and install all sorts of interesting equipment in spectacular places, including active volcanoes and steaming geothermal systems.

As a contrast to software engineering work, I like to mess about with old machinery, usually simple and with no computers at all. Any day involving welding is a good day. I also like getting outdoors and preferably into some back-country mountains, preferably away from the main trails.