Good Talks

June 8, 2016

In my Static Analysis for Software Engineering graduate course, each student is expected to present 2 papers to the class; Software Engineering undergrads also give talks as part of their Capstone Design Project. Here are some recommendations on how to give a good paper presentation. Avoid bullets. When appropriate, diagrams are way better than bullet points for explaining concepts. Just because PowerPoint (or clone) makes it easy to write bullet points doesn’t mean that you should use bullet points.

Lexicon

June 8, 2016

Lexicon Here are some academic terms that I’ve invented. Pre-batical. A one-year postdoc taken straight out of one's PhD, after obtaining a tenure-track Assistant Professorship, but before starting said professorship. Usage. Her pre-batical at UW turbocharged the start of her independent research career and let her branch out into that up-and-coming field. Associate professor purgatory. The period a few years after returning from one's post-tenure sabbatical where one is no longer protected from service but still expected to constantly ramp up research productivity.

Letter to Minister Bardish Chagger

January 28, 2016

Letter to Minister Bardish Chagger My parents Dear Minister Chagger, I am writing to you as one of your constituents. I know that multiculturalism is important to you from your past involvement with the KW Multicultural Centre. Given yesterday’s deplorable news from the United States about a ban on Syrian refugees, we in Canada absolutely must take up the slack as best we can. I understand that we’re accepting a number of Syrian refugees already; way less than Germany, but more than the US, and that this number continues to increase and is slated to be higher in 2017 than in 2016.

Two Views of Columbia Crest Crater (Mount Rainier)

May 1, 2013

Shot above (July 8, 2009): at 14,400 ft (route to summit: Emmons-Winthrop Glacier) with David Wentzlaff and Aaron Yahr; shot below (May 1, 2013): at 36,000 ft, from AC 545 flying from LAS to YVR.

Engineering failures in real life

June 30, 2009

So here I am staying in a hotel in Burnaby BC. Outside my window I can see a “Save-on-Foods”. Hmm. Let’s see. Save-on-Foods. Burnaby. Wait! I remember something from the Professional Practice Exam book! [edit 2020: This was well before the Algo Centre Mall collapse in Elliot Lake.] OK, so is that the Save-on-Foods in question? Google Maps tells me that my hotel is 0.3km from the Save-on-Foods in Station Square, as described below.