Allan F. Randall, M.Sc.
Programmer, Web Developer and Technical Writer
29 Aldergrove Ave., Toronto, Ontario M4C 1B3
randall@elea.org, 416-690-5146
http://www.elea.org/

Overview Skills Computers Graduate Courses Work (Computers) Work (Teaching) Writings Research

Overview

Ø Seeking position as a technical writer or software/web developer.

Ø B.Sc. in Mathematics and Computer Science,

Ø M.Sc. in Computing Science and some graduate work in Philosophy.

Ø Have worked as a programmer and researcher, and have taught at the high school and IT Technical College levels.

Ø Professional interests include object-oriented, dataflow and visual programming, logic and recursion theory, AI and cybernetics, the foundations of mathematics and quantum mechanics, control theory, computational neurophysiology and computationalist philosophies.

Summary of Skills

Ø Technical Writing: Experienced technical writer, both for scientific research (e.g., A.I., neural networks) and for documentation of software and technical products. Member of Society for Technical Communication. (See “Selected Writings” below for a selection of technical and academic writings.)

Ø Programming: Extensive experience with C, UNIX, Visual Basic, Perl, Java, JavaScript, MS Access, SQL, VBA, WinBatch, Lisp, Prograph and LabVIEW. Also experience with, ASP, tcl and C++.  (Taught Java, C++, Visual Basic at high school level, MS Access, SQL and VB/VBA at Technical College level.)

Ø Web Development: Extensive experience developing Perl scripts and JavaScript for the web, including e-commerce solutions and multimedia delivery systems, an automated information delivery system, numerous web-based automated information-gathering utilities (e.g., appointment maker, automated registration system), a pop-up tax calculator, and numerous administrative tools for web-site maintenance.

Ø Teaching: Extensive teaching experience: High School (Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics), Elementary (Math and Science), University-level teaching assistant in Computing Science, IT Technical College. Extensive private tutoring experience.

Ø Research: Advanced knowledge of AI, especially neural networks, perceptual control theory and computer vision (see Research Projects below). Mathematically skilled, especially in the areas of theoretical computer science, information theory, mathematical logic, nonlinear dynamics, thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. Especially skilled at logic, applied both to AI and philosophy.

Education

9/97 -    M.A., Ph.D. (part-time), Philosophy, York University, Toronto

5/95 – 4/97 B.A.-equivalent, Philosophy, University of Toronto, Toronto

9/86 – 10/90 M.Sc. (full-time), Computing, University of Alberta, Edmonton

Nominated Best T.A.

9/82 – 4/86 B.Sc. (Hons.) (full-time), Math & Computing, St F.X. University, Antigonish

      Scholarship, Dean’s list

Computer Experience

Development Tools & Languages:

C (UNIX), Perl, Java (Visual Café, JBuilder, Xcode), JavaScript, SQL (Access, SQL Server), DreamWeaver, Visual Basic (VB6,VB.NET, Access VBA, Excel VBA, Visual Studio), LabVIEW, RoboLab, Prograph (Classic, CPX, Marten), Lisp, WinBatch, FORTRAN, Pascal & Modula-2, BASIC, Rochester Connectionist Simulator, Access (VBA, SQL), HTML, SmallTalk. Also some experience with: ASP, Maple, XML, Prolog, OPS-5, COBOL, Motorola 6809 Assembly Language, tcl, C++ (Visual C++), iNet Developer (Prograph).

Operating Systems & Platforms:

UNIX, Windows, Mac OS 7-9, Mac OS-X (UNIX), X11, Suntools (OpenWindows), Tandy Color (DOS, OS-9), MicroSlate (Windows for Pen), VAX 11/780 (UNIX, VMS), Amdhal (MTS), HP-3000, Data General.

Applications:

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), MS Works, AppleWorks, FileMaker, vi, FrameMaker, Premiere, PhotoShop, HTML Help Workshop, EndNote, Maple, many others.

Graduate Courses

• Logic & Language: Philosophy of Language (Linguistics), Gödel's Proof (Mathematical Logic and Computability), Quine's Philosophy of Language, Argumentation Theory
• Cognitive Science: Artificial Intelligence I, Artificial Intelligence II (Computational Linguistics), Consciousness (Phenomenology), Knowledge-based (“Expert”) Systems
• Computer Science: Software Testing, Nonimperative Programming Languages, Parallel Architectures
• Ontology & Epistemology: Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, Heidegger's Being and Time, Popper’s Philosophy of Science, Body Phenomenology and Continental Philosophy

Work Experience (Computer-related)

NTT Systems, Inc. (various contracts) Sept.. 1990 – Apr. 2005

For DRDC–Toronto, Dept. of National Defence, Government of Canada:

Technical Writing: Mar. 2005 – Apr. 2005
Aha!: New section of User Manual, on interfacing with MATLAB, for Aha! (a scientific visualization tool for multi-channel time series data), and on correlating data with video files.

Programming, Technical Writing: Sept. 2004 – Mar. 2005
Symbology Workbench 2.0:

Updated existing 1.0 software suite (for conducting Symbology experiments) to version 2.0 (in: Visual Basic.NET); Wrote version 2.0 User Manual; Converted existing Visual Basic 6 code to Visual Basic.NET; Significantly extended functionality, including support for a new type of experiment; Provided an improved object-oriented foundation for the software; Included restructuring of existing relational database, and extensive use of SQL.

Technical Writing:   July 2004 – Aug. 2004
PI Assist: Updated and expanded manual & online Help for NTT’s PI Assist, a software tool for doing science, developed in co-operation with DRDC (in: HTML Help Workshop).

Technical Writing: Mar. 2004 – Apr. 2004
PI Assist: Updated manual and wrote online Help for NTT’s PI Assist (a software tool for doing science, developed by NTT in co-operation with scientists at DRDC (in: HTML Help Workshop).
QuestDB: Updates and additions to the manual for QuestDB (previously Question Edit), a questionnaire database program used in various military research programs.

Technical Writing: June 2003 – Aug. 2003
PI Assist: Wrote manual for NTT’s PI Assist (a software tool for doing science, developed by NTT in co-operation with scientists at DRDC–Toronto.

Technical Writing: Mar. 2003 – Apr. 2003
Question Edit: Wrote manual for Question Edit, a software tool for creating questionnaires.

Technical Writing, Consulting: Dec. 2002 – Mar. 2003
Co-authored report to DRDC–Toronto on the feasibility of moving many of their automated tasks (such as those used to test sleep-deprived subjects) from Desktop to Personal Digital Assistants

Research, Consulting, Teaching, Programming: Sept. 2001 – Mar. 2002
Perceptual Control Networks:

• Provided consulting and assistance with Control Systems research for defence scientist Dr. Martin Taylor of D.C.I.E.M. (now DRDC–Toronto)
• Training for Dr. Taylor on the use of LabVIEW, mainly for Control Systems research.
• LabVIEW programming in support of Dr. Taylor’s Control Systems research. With Dr. Taylor, ported previous Control Systems software in C to LabVIEW, and added many new features, including parameter adjustment with simulated annealing (in: LabVIEW).

Technical Writing: Nov. 1999 – Mar. 2000
Wrote technical and user manuals for networked SUSOPS (Sustained Operations) software, a systems for automating dispatching, scheduling and tracking of tasks given to sleep-deprived subjects at D.C.I.E.M. (now DRDC–Toronto).

Programming: June 1999 – Sept. 2000
Sustained Operations: Macintosh to PC code port for real-time laboratory data gathering and analysis software, used in military sleep-deprivation experiments, or SUSOPS (Sustained Operations), at the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine (now DRDC–Toronto). Ported existing code, updated functionality of the code, and wrote some new pieces (LabView).

Programming: June, 1996 – Aug. 1997

• High-G Collision Studies programming (in LabVIEW).
• Networked Tasks for Sustained Operations, SUSOPS computerized cognitive tasks (Visual Basic).
• (also worked for Husky Injection Molding under same contract—see below)

Research, Programming, Technical Writing: Sept., 1990 – Aug. 1995

Neural Network Specialist:

• Reorganizing Control Networks: AI research in perceptual control theory with Dr. Martin Taylor, to explore learning in perceptual control systems. Performed research, wrote paper and all related simulation software (in: Prograph).
• Analyzing Linguistic Structure for Hypertext Systems: AI research with Dr. Martin Taylor, including written report, attempting to find categories in USENET postings (in: Perl, C under UNIX).
• Chaotic Neural Networks for Speech Recognition: AI research with Dr. Martin Taylor, including written report and programming of neural models, as part of a larger speech recognition project. Attempted to find methods of memory storage and retrieval using chaotic dynamics (in: C and Rochester Connectionist Simulator under UNIX).

• Prograph MVC: Developed Model-View-Controller (MVC) environ. for Prograph CPX.
• Prograph Network Simulator: Wrote a general-purpose network simulation program for use in military research in network theory (in: Prograph CPX).
• Cognitive Tasks for Sustained Operations (SUSOPS): Wrote pen-based version of tasks for testing sleep-deprived subjects (Visual Basic on MicroSlate under Windows for Pen).

For Husky Injection Molding Systems:

Technical Writing: July 2004 – Aug. 2004
Converted injection molding machine manuals to online Help (in: HTML Help Workshop).

Programming: June, 1996 – Aug. 1997

Wrote automation software for EPlan CAD pkge., under Windows 95 (WinBatch). (Also worked for D.C.I.E.M. (now DRDC-Toronto) under same contract—see above.)

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FlashQuarter Productions (various contracts) Apr. 1999 – Dec. 2004

For RecipesPlus.ca: Dec. 2004
Web Development: Extended current online contest form, including error-checking (ASP).

For Elia and Associates Barristers and Solicitors: June 2004 – Sept. 2004
Web Development: Mortgage Calculator (JavaScript); Land Transfer Tax Calculator (Perl).

For Phases & Stages Maternity Wear: Apr. 1999 – June 1999
Web Development: E-commerce credit card processing via email forms (JavaScript and Perl).

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Laurel Academy (various contracts) July 1999 – July 2004
Web Development:
Developed and maintained scripts for school website: Home-Room pages with teacher interface, School Announcements System, After-School Automated Registration System, Parent-Teacher Interview Scheduler (Perl).

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E-Commerce Web Site (various contracts) Apr. 1997 – June 2002

client confidential

Wrote all necessary CGI scripts and other programming for E-commerce website (in tcl, C and Perl under UNIX), including security system, online electronic transactions through VISA, telephone and online cheque payment (first through First Virtual, then iBill), multimedia delivery through a CGI script, online control panel for easy website admin., automated advertising system with SPAM-avoidance features.

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York University Sept. 1997 – Apr. 1998
Web Development:
Guest book and automated reprint request form for professors’ web pages (Perl)

Programming:
Spreadsheet programming for Philosophy Graduate Office, for managing and tracking information on graduate students (in: Microsoft Excel and VBA).

Other:
Liaison between graduate students and York Computer Services; LISTSERV maintenance; Computer lab administration; Library research for Department professors.

Work Experience (Teaching)

The Abelard School Sept. 1998 – June 2004
Teaching: Teacher at private Toronto high school for gifted students. Taught average of 5 courses/year: Grades 11 & 12 Physics (including advanced enrichment in quantum mechanics & thermodynamics), 11 & 12 Chemistry, Computer Science, Finite Math, and 8-10 Science.

Canadian Information Technology College Apr. 1998 – Sept. 1998

Professor of Information Technology
Teaching: Taught courses in software development, including prep courses for MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) examinations in: Visual Basic, SQL Server, Access and Windows Architecture.

Pre-1990 Job History Available On Request

Selected Writings (Copies available on request.)

Ø Sybology Workbench 2.0 User Guide, with M. Grushcow, NTT Systems Inc., 2005.

Ø PIAssist User Manual (& Help Facility), a software tool for doing science, with M. Grushcow, NTT Systems Inc., 2003, 2004.

Ø Quest DB User Manual (A Questionnaire Database Manager), NTT Systems, Inc., 2003.

Ø Distributed SUSOPS User Manual,NTT Systems Inc., 2000.

Ø A Model-View Controller Development System for Prograph CPX, with M. Grushcow. NTT Systems Inc., 1994.

Ø Reorganizing Control Networks in the Recognition of Syntax (with M.M. Taylor), Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, 1995.

Ø Perceptual Control Builder: Manual and Tutorial. NTT Systems Inc., 1993.

Ø Neural Control Networks: A Literature Survey, NTT Systems Inc. 1993.

Ø Studies of Self-Organised Dynamic Behaviour in Neural Networks (with M.M. Taylor), Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, 1992.

Ø Relaxation and Matching in Object Recognition, M.Sc. Thesis, U. of Alberta, 1990.

Ø “Stochastic Relaxation and Correspondence Problems in Object Recognition” (with T. Caelli), INNS First Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, 1988.

Ø A Recursive Constructivist Interpretation of Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem, Dept. of Philosophy, York U., 2004. (thesis near completion)

Ø “Perceptual Control Theory and Coalescent Argumentation Therapy”, Proc. Ontario Society For the Study of Argumentation, St. Catherines, 1998.

Ø “Parmenides of Elea”, In: Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece, Ashgate (London), 2005.

Ø “Quantum Miracles and Immortality”, Transvision 2004 Conf., U. of Toronto, Toronto, 2005.

Major Research Projects

Computational Ontology (Ph.D. thesis in development)

A Computational Interpretation of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem (M.A. thesis near completion)

Reorganizing Control Nets - NTT Systems Inc. under contract to National Defence

Chaos and Neural Nets - NTT Systems Inc. under contract to National Defence

Analyzing Linguistic Structure for Hypertext Systems - NTT Systems Inc. under contract to National Defence
Relaxation and Matching (M.Sc. Thesis) - Alberta Centre for Machine Intelligence & Robotics, University of Alberta