NorthStarNerd.Org

LinkedIn Alumni Network Analysis Tool

I've had a bit of fun playing around with LinkedIn's new alumni network analysis tool (LinkedIn Announcement | Actual Tool). I attended Dartmouth College during the mid 1970's; apparently the number of software nerds who live in northern Minnesota and work for a Fortune 100 firm are quite rare!

Seriously, one could use this tool to leverage and find connections. Students who are considering a college to attend might be interested in learning how graduates five years out are succeeding with their chosen careers. The possibilities are interesting. Obviously one needs access to schools other than just one's own, but that process can be easily worked. Just use the "browse by other schools" functionality (see send screen shot for Harvard). 

College connections are very strong, and with a little creativity one should be able to find a "connection" to entice people from schools other than your own to respond to your queries. I believe your results will be much better than "cold calls & emails". People are individuals, and like to be treated as such!

Click to maximize this image: Dartmouth 1974 to 1978

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Search for Harvard College via LinkedIn Alumni

Ski Cam Man Upgrade

SkiCam Man needs an upgrade before Winter! (view race photos)

Three years ago I noticed a young company (GoPro) was selling cameras which could be worn during extreme sports, in my case Nordic ski marathons. During the Winter of 2010 as I competed, fellow cross-country ski competitors would take me aside after a race and ask me about the "device" on my head. Most people thought it was a fancy light for night time skiing. I would then show off my "skicam", and explain how I had found this small company out West ...

Fast forward three years, and GoPro is now sold at BestBuy, Amazon, and all over the web. However, I have "skicam envy". The newer GoPro models have sharper lenses, and greater mexapixels. Yet, given the cost to upgrade ($300), I held off.

The wait is over, with the release of GoPro3, I discovered that the new Silver 3 had the same specs as the Hero 2. Better yet, Amazon is offering a $100 discount. Thus, SkiCam Man has upgraded to the Hero2 Outdoor model. This Winter, I will have:

• 11 megapixel images
• 1/2 to 60 time lapse photography
• Rechargeable battery via USB
• One button operation 

If you've ever considered taking photos while participating in athletic events, and do not need super high end video, now is the time to buy the older Hero 2 model. The only advantage of the  Silver 3 model is it is a bit smaller, and can off load content via wifi, but in terms  of the camera ... it's the same! All my old mounts work fine (head, chest, and bike).

Wonder whether my own analysis is correct about the old versus new models? Here is an excerpt from Digital Photography's review of the GoPro lineup:

"The Hero 3 Silver edition, essentially a Hero 2 in the latest smaller body, also gains Protune mode for its HD output - a feature added via firmware to existing Hero 2 models. The latest models also gain Wi-Fi control to allow remote control via the recently-announced App, while the Black Edition includes a waterproof Wi-Fi controller."

Here a few photos from this afternoon's Nordic trail run using my head mount and new GoPro. The conditions weren't perfect for photography (heavy clouds, and all the foliage is down). Click upon any image to maximize and view at full resolution.

 

 

By the Power of Sir Isaac Newton

Engineering Super Heros! Have to love it ... move over Fantastic Four! 

Huge accolades go out to the School of Engineering and Applied Science at George Washington University which just created ... drum roll ... RobotronMan! By day, Professor Ben-Tzvi is a mild mannered mechanical engineering professor, but when calamity threatens the world, it's RobotronMan to the rescue.

I first learned about this comic strip which features engineers as super heros via the Scientific American Blog. In their blog they mention and link to a study from Intel which notes: "only 28 percent of teenagers had ever considered becoming engineers and that only 5 percent associated engineering with the word “cool.”"

One week from Saturday my youngest son will graduate from Rose-Hulman with his BSEE. His senior design project was a robotic manufacturing arm which was sponsored and will be used by a local Indiana company. When I'm down in Terre Haute next weekend for graduation, I'll look for budding new superheros! In our family's case ... the creation of a new engineering superhero ... it all began with Legos! As parents and adults we all need to set examples. I coached a Lego Robotics Team for five years. This Spring is very rewarding as many of these young men are graduating from college and starting their first professional engineering jobs. 

Please do your part to encourage our children to at least consider the sciences.  Here are the first three screens from the Adventures of RobotronMan. I hope you'll link and read the entire series!

Screen #1: RobotronMan (click to maximize)

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Screen #2: RobotronMan (click to maximize)

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Screen #3: RobotronMan (click to maximize)

Read the rest of the Adventures of RobotronMan!

Google 3D Graphing

Via my son. Erik, who is finishing up his BSEE this Spring, I learn that there are a few things I do not know about Google. Try this! (insert into Google):

• sqrt(x*x+y*y)+3*cos(sqrt(x*x+y*y))+5

Here is another example, with the image! (click to maximize)

• 3*cos(sqrt(x*x+y*y))+10

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I knew there was a reason I paid thousands and thousands of dollars to allow Erik to get his engineering degree ... to keep me informed about Google's latest tricks!

 

It All Began With Legos!

Back on Arpil 2nd, 2007, I asked my son, Erik, if I could blog about his search for the perfect undergraduate engineering college. Given an answer of "yes", it led to an interesting series of posts, which now finishes with Erik's senior year at Rose-Hulman. You could actually say, it all began with Legos! Thus, you really have to go back nine years when our Lego Robotics Team "Super Nerds In Pink (SNIP)" was formed (I was the coach); the end result will be Erik's graduation this Spring with his electrical engineering degree. Everyone else on that team has also pursued a technical degree!

Along the journey, there were such memorable posts as:

• Initial Post: Search for the Perfect Engineering School
• College Consultants for your Kids
• Our Children's Sloppy Dress
• Hello from Milepost 214 .. or .. Two Nerds in Iowa (a fav of mine!)

At times, Erik would be my guest blogger. For instance he wrote:

• And the winner is ... Rose-Hulman

As a parent I am still pleased with Erik's choice. His engineering internships (GE and Oshkosh) provided good technical learning opportunities, and what can you say about a school which has been ranked #1 for engineering undergraduate programs for over a decade?! (Rose-Hulman: US News and World Report rankings for schools where the top degree awarded is a master's degree). Thus, if you are looking for a sharp young man (I'm biased), download Erik's resume. However, I warn you ... there is plenty of competition!

• Erik Hoeg: Resume (job search completed! see below)

What a great Christmas present! New full-time job for both of my boys! This past holiday season (Christmas 2011) both of my sons entered the job market looking for their first full time job. Given the economy, like any parent, I was concerned, but believed in my boys. In the course of four weeks, both Carl (newly minted masters in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins) and Erik (will graduate this Spring with his BSEE) received great job offers. Particularily pleasing was they both had many different companies pursing them. Life is good!

In closing, lest you think our home always had a serious, academic focus ... enjoy this video of one or Erik's earlier robots: Cyrus the Cat vs. the Lego Synchro Drive Robot (121,676 views to date)