R P U D O L P H

RUDOLPH PIENAAR
Technical Director
Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Development Science Center
Childrens Hospital Boston
300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA, 02115
Tel -w- (+1 617) 724-1098
-c- (+1 781) 640-1096
email: rudolph.pienaar@childrens.harvard.edu
web page: http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~rudolph
Mission Statement
I possess a body of knowledge and problem solving skills grounded within the convergence of biological/medical science and
traditional engineering. I have experience in the full life cycle of software design and development (especially opensource),
particularly within the context of biomedical engineering. My doctoral work was conducted within a research laboratory at the
Cleveland Clinic Foundation – a major medical center in the United States, and explored the application of computer engineering
and artificial intelligence techniques to biological/medical (or biologically inspired robotic) problems.
I am currently faculty Staff Scientist at the Children's Hospital Boston, where I am the Technical Director of the Fetal-Neonatal
Neuroimaging and Development Science Center. The Center plays both a research and clinical role in the Children's Hospital. I
am engaged in both Translational Research as well as Applied Research. The goal of the translational research component is to
rapidly prototype and deploy complex research-based software within a clinical setting, and the Applied Research component
deals with contributing to the basic processes underpinning human brain development.
I also designed the underlying high performance computing research infrastructure that serves not only our laboratory, but which
we hope to expand to the greater research community at Children's. This infrastructure provides both computational and storage
resources, as well as access for remote collaboration.
In my previous role at the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, I was a research faculty in the Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance Center. I focused on MRI pulse sequence software development, image reconstruction, and numerical
optimization for use in brain imaging. I have working experience on several Siemens MRI scanners, and have developed several
software tools for off-line image volume reconstruction.
University Qualifications
December, 2002
D.Eng (Applied Biomedical Engineering), GPA: 3.91
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH, USA
My core course work included tissue engineering, physiology/anatomy, biomechanics, biomaterials, medical device design, and
medical imaging. My research work specialized in applying a specific artificial intelligence technique to human balance control.
Simply stated, a software program taught itself lower-extremity muscle stimulation patterns to balance a human body. A possible
application of this research would be to allow paraplegic patients the ability to stand and maintain posture independently of direct
nervous system control. The Doctoral degree program is offered jointly between the Cleveland State University and the Cleveland
Clinic Foundation's Lerner Research Institute, with a strong focus on applying advanced engineering knowledge to clinically
relevant problems in biomedical research.
September, 1998
M.Eng (Electrical/Electronic Engineering) cum laude
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
For my Master's, I researched aspects of biological information processing - specifically within the context of arm reaching
control. My thesis detailed a theoretical method by which motor control can be modulated within the framework of biological
information processing systems. I completed course work in three main fields: Computer engineering (parallel processing, pattern
recognition, AI), Bioengineering (modeling human systems), and Control systems (optimal control, non-linear control).
April, 1992
B.Eng (Electrical/Electronic Engineering) cum laude
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
My 4th year design project implemented cellular automata as a means to study evolutionary programming and was selected as a
finalist entry in the Department's annual design project competition.
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Selected University Leadership Positions
2000 - 2002
1990 - 1993
1992 - 1993
1994 - 1996
President of ABE Student Organization, Cleveland State University
Student Representative, University of Pretoria
Editor, Opinions page, student newspaper, University of Pretoria
General Manager, student newspaper, University of Pretoria
Research Experience
Membership of Professional Societies
Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
Organization of Human Brain Mapping (OHBM)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
Awards and Recognition
•
2002 Annual Robinson Award for best poster at 17th Annual Neural Control Research Day, awarded by Cleveland Veterans
Association / Case Western Reserve University.
•
Invited to present a research poster as part of an exhibition showcasing the collaboration between the Cleveland Clinic and
Cleveland State University, Monday 9th December, 2002.
Theses
[1] Pienaar R.
[2] Pienaar R.
An implementation of a two dimensional robotic arm controller using Vector Integration To
Endpoint structures and the Equilibrium Point Hypothesis [Master's Dissertation]. Pretoria,
Gauteng (South Africa). University of Pretoria; 1998.
Adaptive Control of Human Posture Using Reinforcement Learning [Doctoral Dissertation].
Cleveland (OH): Cleveland State University; 2002.
Patents
[1] Yu, P., Pienaar, R., Grant, P. E., Fischl, B., Multi-scale cortical surface representation and analysis with over-complete
wavelets based on MRI., 2009 – pending
Editorial Reviews
[1] Cerebral Cortex – Invited to review papers concerning brain folding and genetics.
[2] Journal of Neuroscience Methods – Invited to review papers related to cortical surface complexity.
Grant Funding as Primary Principle Investigator
[1] Pienaar, R. Grant, P. E., Surface Cortical Changes as a Sensitive Marker for Detecting Epilepsy in Children. Epilepsy
Foundation Research Grant – Seed Grant Funding, August 2009.
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Papers
[1] Pienaar R, Krüger JJ, An introduction to an egocentric concept of machine intelligence. International Journal on
Artificial Intelligence Tools, Vol. 8, No. 3, 313-336, 1999.
[2] Yu, P., Grant, P.E., Qi, Y., Han, X., Ségonne, F., Pienaar, R., Busa, E., Pacheco, J., Makris, N., Buckner, R. L.,
Golland, P., Fischl, B., Cortical surface shape analysis based on spherical wavelets. IEEE Trans
Med Imaging, 26(4):582–597, Apr 2007.
[3] R. Pienaar, B. Fischl, B. Caviness, N. Makris, P.E. Grant, A Methodology for Analyzing Curvature in the Developing
Brain from Preterm to Adult, International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology Special
Issue: Human Brain Imaging, 18(1): 42-68, 2008.
[4] Jeong S.J., Li T., Pienaar R., Bhide, P. G., Caviness, V. S., Oscillatory Expression Patterns and Regulatory Interactions
between Notch Intracellular Domain And p27Kip1, In submission.
[5] R. Pienaar, C. Hasselgrove, Im, Kiho, D. Kennedy, P. E. Grant, D. Boriel, L. Tang, N. Makris, “Sulcus Sink”: A SemiAutomated Inverse Dijkstra-based Leaning System for Tracing and Analyzing Human Sulcal
Trajectories, In Submission to IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.
[6] M. Vishwas, T. Chitnis, R. Pienaar, B. Healy, P. E.Grant, Tract Based Analysis of Callosal, Projection, and Association
Pathways in Pediatric Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Preliminary Study, American Journal of
Neuroradiology, 31(1):121-8, 2010.
[7] R. Pienaar, N. Madan, P. Ellen Grant, Decreased Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Elevated Arterial Spin Labeled
Cerebral Blood Flow in Newborns with Hypoxic Ischemic Insults, In Submission, Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine..
[8] M. Vishwas, T. Chitnis, R. Pienaar, B. Healy, P. E.Grant, Diffusion Tensor Tractography Analysis of White Matter
Pathways in Children with MS and CIS, In Submission, American Journal of Neuroradiology.
Invited Talks / Lectures
[1] Introduction to MRI physics for Radiologists, Neuroradiology Fellow Lecture Series, October 22 nd, 2007.
[2] Introduction to MRI physics I – MRI Spin Physics and Image Spatial Encoding, Radiology Fellow Lectures Series, July
23rd 2008, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
[3] Introduction to MRI physics II – MRI Imaging Sequences, Radiology Fellow Lectures Series, July 24 th 2008,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
[4] Analyzing the Developing Brain by Quantifying Curvature Measures, International Conference on Medical Image
Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, September 10, 2008, New York University, USA.
[5] MRI Image Analysis with FreeSurfer: An Introduction, Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques – Current and Future
Applications, October 20th , 2008, Fairmount Copley Plaza, Boston, USA.
[6] The Shape and Folding of the Developing Brain: An Introduction, Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques – Current and
Future Applications, October 20th , 2009, Fairmount Copley Plaza, Boston, USA.
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Conferences / Abstract Papers
≤ 2001
[1] Pienaar R., van Tonder G.J., Modeling of Monocular and Binocular Vision Processing. Proceedings of the Physiology
Society of South Africa, 1993.
[2] Pienaar R., Krüger J.J., An Egocentric Approach to Machine Intelligence, IEEE International joint symposia on
intelligence and systems, May 21-23, 1998, Washington, DC.
[3] Pienaar R., van den Bogert A., Reinforcement Learning on a Double Linked Inverted Pendulum: Towards a Human
Posture Control System, International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems, May 30 June 2 2001, Boston, MA.
[4] Pienaar R., van den Bogert A., Human Posture Control Using Reinforcement Learning: Distributed and Monolithic
Control Concerns, IIIrd International Symposium: Progress in Motor Control: From Basic Science
to Applications, August 17 – 20, 2001, Montreal, Canada.
2002
[5] Pienaar R., van den Bogert A., A Reinforcement Learning Controller for Human Posture: Design and Implementation
Concerns”, 17th Annual Applied Neural Control, September 18, 2002, Cleveland, Ohio.
[6] Pienaar R, van den Bogert A., Controlling Human Balance with Adaptive Learning Software, Cleveland Clinic Annual
Research Seminar, 2002 13-15 October, Cleveland, Ohio.
2003
[7] Pienaar R., van den Bogert A., A distributed reinforcement learning based approach to human posture control”, 7 th
International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems, 2003 May 29 - 31, 2003, Boston, MA.
2004
[8] Kumar A., Wiggins C. J., Mainero C., Zhang W. T., Wiggins G. C., Fishl B., Kouwe A., Pienaar, R., et al., MR Imaging
of the Dura Mater Encephali, Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
Medicine 12th Scientific Meeting and Exhibition, 2004 June 15-21, Kyoto, Japan.
2005
[9] Pectasides M., Pienaar R., Matsuda K.M., Lopez C.J., Krishnamoorthy K.S., Grant P.E., Optimizing Diffusion Weighted
Imaging in Neonatal Vascular Territory Injuries. Proceedings of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 13th Scientific Meeting and Exhibition, May 10-13, 2005, Miami,
FL.
[10] Matsuda K.M., Lopez C. J., Pectasides M., Pienaar R., Krishnamoorthy K.S., Grant P.E., Apparent Diffusion
Coefficients (ADC) in Neonatal Brain Injury: Patterns of Injury and Outcome. American Society
of Neuroradiology 43rd Annual Meeting, May 21-27, 2005, Toronto, Canada.
[11] Pectasides M., Pienaar R., Matsuda K.M., Lopez C.J., Krishnamoorthy K.S., Grant P.E., Optimizing Diffusion Weighted
Imaging in Neonatal Vascular Territory Injuries. American Society of Neuroradiology 43 rd Annual
Meeting, May 21-27, 2005, Toronto, Canada.
[12] Pienaar R., Fischl B., Nishida M., Busa E., Caviness V., Makris N., Kennedy D., Grant P. E., Immature Brains: Volume
and Cortical Surface Analysis. American Society of Neuroradiology 43 rd Annual Meeting, May 2127, 2005, Toronto, Canada.
[13] Makris N, Schmahmann JD, Howard JD, Kaiser JR, Hodge SM, Papadimitriou GM, Boriel DL, Tang L, Tulloch SN,
Davis OC, Jackson JS, Haselgrove C, Pienaar R, Hui KKS, Seidman LS, Rauch S, Caviness VS Jr.,
Kennedy DN. Segmentation of the human cerebellar cortex using MRI-based atlasing. Annual
meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Washington DC. Nov. 12-16, 2005. Program No. 755.2.
[14] Kennedy DN, Kaiser JR, Albaugh MD, Normandin JJ, Papadimitriou GM, Jackson JS, Davis OC, Hodge SM, Tulloch
SN, Boriel DL, Haselgrove C, Pienaar R, Tang L, Howard JD, Caviness Jr. VS, Makris N, Yeterian
EH. Capturing connectional information: an MRI-based anatomical reference system. Annual
meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Washington DC. Nov. 12-16, 2005. Program No. 688.8.
[15] Pienaar R., Fischl B., Busa E., Makris N., Grant P. E., Quantitative Characterization of Early Brain Development with
Surface Measurements. Radiological Society of North America, November 27 – December 2,
Chicago, IL.
2006
[16] Pienaar R., Fischl B., Busa E., Makris N., Grant P. E., Characterizing Neonatal Brain Development: Measures of Gyral
Complexity. Organization for Human Brain Mapping, June 11-15, Florence, Italy.
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[17] Pienaar R., Fischl B., Busa E., Makris N., Grant P. E., Neonatal Brain: Quantitative Volumetric and ReconstructedSurface Analysis from MRI, 24th International Congress of Radiology, September 12-16, Cape
Town, South Africa.
[18] Pienaar R., Bolar, D.S., Kiruluta, A., Alsop, D.C., Grant P. E., Pilot Assessment of Diagnostic Utility of Endogenous
Whole Brain Blood Flow (Arterial Spin Labelling) MRI in Pediatric Brains, 24th International
Congress of Radiology, September 12-16, Cape Town, South Africa.
[19] Kennedy DN, Kaiser JR, Haselgrove C, Papadimitriou GM, Zai DT, Sorg S, Bruyere J, Schiller MR, Jackson JS, Hodge
SM, Boriel DL, Pienaar R, Tang L, Caviness Jr. VS, Yeterian EH, Makris N. Web-based interface
for the integrated human and monkey cortical connection matrices. Annual meeting of the Society
for Neuroscience. Atlanta, GA. October 14-18, 2006. Program No. 490.3.
[20] Makris N, Schmahmann JD, Kaiser JR, Hodge SM, Papadimitriou GM, Boriel DL, Tang L, Jackson JS, Haselgrove C,
Pienaar R, Sorg SF, Bruyere Jr. JR, Schiller MR, Zai DT, Hui KKS, Seidman LS, Rauch S,
Caviness Jr. VS, Kennedy DN. Reliability of MRI-based atlasing of the human cerebellar cortex.
Annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Atlanta, GA. October 14-18, 2006. Program No.
653.18
2007
[21] Pienaar, R., Fischl, B., Busa, E., Makris, N., Kennedy, D., Grant, P.E., Quantitative Analysis of Human White Matter
Brain Curvature: Perspectives on Folding from Neonate to Adult. Joint Annual Meeting
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and European Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine and Biology, May 19th – 25th, Berlin, Germany.
[22] Makris N, Schmahmann JD, Kaiser JR, Hodge SM, Papadimitriou GM, Boriel DL, Tang L, Jackson JS, Haselgrove C,
Pienaar R, Sorg SF, Bruyere Jr. JR, Schiller MR, Zai DT, Hui KKS, Seidman LS, Rauch S,
Caviness Jr. VS, Kennedy DN. Reliability of MRI-based atlasing of the human cerebellar cortex.
Annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Atlanta, GA. October 14-18, 2007. Program No.
653.18.
2008
[23] Pienaar, R., Fischl, B., Al Dossary, N., Makris, N., Grant, P. E., Classifying Cortical Surface Folding: An Adaptive
Filter based on Spatial and Frequency Curvature Properties, Organization for Human Brain
Mapping, June 15-19, 2008, Melbourne, Australia.
[24] Pienaar, R., Fischl, B., Makris, N., Grant, P. E., Analyzing the Developing Brain by Quantifying Curvature Measures,
International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention,
September 6-10, 2008, New York University, USA
2009
[25] Pienaar, R., Wang R., Fischl, B., Wadeen, V., Grant, P. E., Leveraging Opensource/Freeware Tools and Design
Methodologies in Translational Research: A Siemens-based Case Study – from Raw Diffusion and
Structural Data to PACS and the Web, 17th Annual Meeting of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, April 18th – 24th, Honolulu, HI.
[26] Juan E. Small, Neel Madan, Patric Hagmann, Rudolph Pienaar, Ellen Grant, Potential Clinical Impact of Diffusion
Reconstruction and Tracking Algorithms on Tractography Results, 47th Annual American Society
for Neuroradiology, May 16th – 21st , Vancouver, Canada.
[27] Pienaar, R., Madeen, M., Grant, P. E., Investigating the Relationship Between Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and
Arterial Spin Labeling in Pediatric Cases, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, June 18 - 23,
2009, San Francisco, USA.
[28] M. Schaer, M. C. Ottet, N. Schmansky, R. Pienaar, D. Greve, B. Fischl, S. Eliez, Influences on local Gyrification Index
from 6 to 96 years old, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, June 18 - 23, 2009, San
Francisco, USA.
[29] Grant, P. E. , Chitnis, T., Vishwas, M., Pienaar, R., Healy, B., DT-MRI and Tract Based Analysis of White Matter Fiber
Pathways in Pediatric RRMS, 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, April
30th 2009, Seattle, USA.
2010
[30] Pienaar, R., Madan, N., Grant, P. E., Correlations Between Increased ASL Perfusion and Decreased ADC in Newborns
with Hypoxic Ischemia, 18th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance
in Medicine, May 1st – 7th, Stockholm, Sweden.
[31] Mouridsen, K., Pienaar, R., Cortical Shape Analysis Using Spherical Wavelet Decomposition of Curvature, 18th Annual
Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, May 1st – 7th,
Stockholm, Sweden.
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[32] Hagmann, P., Sporns, O., Gerhard, S., Pienaar, R., Thiran, J.P., Cammoun, L., Madan, N., Grant, P.E., Mapping the
Development of the Human Connectome, 18th Annual Meeting of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, May 1st – 7th, Stockholm, Sweden.
[33] Takahashi E., Folkerth, R.D., Pienaar, R., Galaburda, A.M., Grant, P.E., Developing Connectivity in Human Fetal
Brains: Emerging Regional Variations, 18th Annual Meeting of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, May 1st – 7th, Stockholm, Sweden.
[34] Pienaar, R., Mouridsen, K., Paldino, M., Madan, N., Grant, P.E., Global and Regional Curvature Analysis of Normal vs
Polymicrogyria Pediatric Brains, 16th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain
Mapping, June 6-10th, Barcelona, Spain.
Miscellaneous
[1] Pienaar R.
A genetic algorithm approach to machine intelligence, 4th year engineering design project finalist,
University of Pretoria, 1992.
Work Experience
March 2009 –
Instructor in Radiology / Associate Scientific Staff
Harvard Medical School / Children's Hospital Boston
Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Development Science Center
Boston, MA
I am currently the Technical Director of the Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Development Science Center at Children's Hospital
Boston. I am responsible for the underlying technical infrastructure – High Performance Computing – as well as managing and
directing the technical aspects of our research mandate. This includes prototyping Translational Research Technology and
deploying within the larger clinical hospital setting, as well as engaging in more basic research centered around MRI analysis,
particularly as it pertains to pediatric brain development and pathology.
November 2005 – February 2009
Instructor in Radiology / Assistant in Medical Imaging
Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Boston, MA
On the 1st of November, 2005 I was appointed to a faculty position at the Massachusetts General Hospital with the title of
Assistant in Medical Imaging – Radiology Service with a co-appointment as an Instructor in Radiology at the Harvard Medical
School. My primary research interests are analysis of neonatal / paediatric brain development, as well as development of semiautomated software tools for cerebral parcelation.
I am also involved in developing tools and methodologies to deploy specialized research software to non-technical end users,
particularly in the clinical setting.
2003-2005
Research Fellow / Postdoctoral Researcher
Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Boston, MA
My work at the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center at the MGH involved the development of control software that is used to
generate magnetic pulse sequences on Siemens MR scanning devices (1.5T Sonata, 3T Trio/Allegra, as well as an experimental
7T). These sequences are used to enhance brain imaging and afford a higher degree of visual information that is used for medical
diagnostic and research purposes. I have also been heavily involved in image reconstruction – both on-line within the Siemens
ICE programming framework, as well as the development of custom-designed software for off-line processing. Additional work
entails the development of fast numerical computational software, used to simplify the processing of large volumes of medical
image data. I have also setup and maintain a data-collection infrastructure that is used to process raw scanner image data files
external to the Siemens framework.
2001-2002
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Cleveland, OH
As part of my Curriculum Practical Training, I was involved in a part-time research and development project in the Whitaker
Biomedical Imaging Laboratory. Most of my time was dedicated to a pilot project developing techniques to remotely visualize 4D
echocardiography data. The project comprised a strong research component involving both an academic and technical study into
currently available methods of streaming data, as well as designing a software infrastructure which would allow for not only
streaming visual data, but interacting with it as well.
1996-1998
Rudolph Pienaar
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Pretoria, South Africa
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At the CSIR I worked at the Information Technology, Communications and Space Technology Unit. I was involved in the
Network Engineering / Information Security Program, which specialized in software security and related research and
development. My areas of responsibility included:
•
•
•
Development of corporate methodologies to respond to computer hacking attacks on commercial networks.
Analysis and development of secure communications software:
• Developed cryptographic modules to existing software infrastructures.
• Analyzed Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.
• Oversaw small research team tasked with implementing "off-the-shelf" software in secure applications.
• Extended aspects of Microsoft CryptoAPI to OpenSSL; reverse Engineered some aspects of secure software.
• Conducted general research in current level of Internet security.
General UNIX administration on the Division servers: Linux / FreeBSD: Software updates, networking, user accounts, security
patches.
1998
NetSec '98 - the largest commercial conference dedicated to network and Internet security. The conference focused
on computer network development, telecommunications, and information security practices.
1997
Internet Solutions (http://www.is.co.za): Conference on network and information security with emphasis on:
cryptography, low-level information security, TCP/IP functioning, security policies, UNIX and Internet security,
network attacks.
1995 - 1996
ISIS Information Systems
Pretoria, South Africa
ISIS is a leading South African Systems Integrator and Software House. I was involved in database design and analysis using
Cognos Impromptu/Powerplay software, as well as UNIX support on contractual work with the fixed-line telecommunications
operator Telkom Business Billing Division data warehouse.
Computer Related Skills / Expertise
Skill set
Years
Proficiency
Experience
Level (1-10)
C/C++ Application Programming 15
MatLAB
Python
5
4
7-8
6
6-7
Description / Typical projects
*
•
Numerical matrix library (C-BLAS aware, Intel MathKernel library based)
•
Socket communication library
•
System / event logging
•
Image reconstruction
•
Image analysis
•
Machine learning systems / pattern recognition
•
Path / goal search on surface topologies
•
Path search / optimization
•
Cortical image analysis / slicing
•
Multi-threaded communication layer / shell interface
•
Web CGI backend processing
•
Numerical analysis / plotting for web CGI
Tcl/Tk
2
4
•
Interface on application level to existing software
systems
UNIX shell (bash)
10
7-8
•
General “glue” for combining various sub-components
into single application
•
Typical user front-end to run/manage large multi-stage
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application projects
HTML/XML/CSS processing
2
5
•
Processing web CGI from a python-based context
*
Proficiency meaning: 1-3: Familiar, need manual; 4-6: Competent, use every day; 7-8: Very proficient; 9-10: “Wrote the
book”
Specific Technologies:
System administration:
•
User accounting
•
Security patches / kernel recompilations (Linux / FreeBSD)
•
Data backup systems
•
Linux, FreeBSD, IRIX, Windows NT, BeOS
Other software packages / Applications Programming Interfaces:
•
Office tools – Microsoft Office / OpenOffice.org
•
GNOME / KDE desktop environments on Linux / UNIX
•
kdevelop / eclipse / monodevelop / MS Visual Studio .NET
•
Siemens IDEA / Syngo MRI environments
•
PTC SD/FAST dynamics simulation engine
•
Microsoft CryptoAPI
•
LaTeX / LyX document preparation
•
HTML web page development – familiar with CSS
Other Skills
Fully Bilingual: English / Afrikaans (Dutch-derived language spoken in South Africa)
Rudimentary French
Other Experience
In South Africa's first multiracial democratic elections in 1994, I was an International Election Observer affiliated with the IEC
(Independent Electoral Commission). It was my responsibility to oversee a small team of four people charged with impartially
observing the election process in the greater Pretoria region. Our election observers were part of IDASA (Institute for a
Democratic Alternative to South Africa). IDASA was one of the non-governmental bodies that United Nations and European
Community observers consulted in assuring that elections were free and fair.
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