Intent and Resume
OBJECTIVE: to find a job at the intersection of design and technology, in information, entertainment or communications.
I enjoy new situations, persevere relentlessly and enjoy working with people. I consider myself a problem solver, capable of considering multiple points of views. My work and travels have played an influential role in my life. I can adapt well to different places and cultures. I work well alone or with a team.
SUMMARY
My work career began during the Summer of 1990, when I took a job at Disney Imagineering in Los Angeles, helping to design and build models for their various theme parks, including the Alien Encounter.
While at UCLA, work and travel began with a summer job in Japan at ASCII where I worked with a Game Development team for San Rio’s Tabu Game.
On receiving my undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from UCLA, I moved to Milan, Italy for a Masters Degree at Domus Academy. At this point design played an important role in my life and I felt that Italy offered the most interesting study and work experience available. I learned to speak and read Italian, as well.
Remaining in Italy after graduation, I first worked for Video On Line, Europe’s first large-scale Internet service provider, started by a Sardinian newspaper and media owner, for whom I served as personal assistant and technical advisor. The company was later bought by Telcom Italia. (Please see more about Italian work experiences under heading: Work.)
In 1997, I participated in the creation of a foundation and coined the name: 2B1. Its purpose was to accelerate a more connected planet by opening the digital world to children who would otherwise not have access to it. The goal was to provide, software, computers, Internet access and education to the world’s poorest and most remote children. This work took me to Africa and included helping to organize the Jr. Summit at MIT in 1998.
Shortly after the Summit, I started a computer animation company in Milan with three people. Its two-year history ran into the bursting tech bubble and was unable to attain late-stage funding. The disappointment was nonetheless a learning experience, after which I returned to the mission of 2B1.
This took me to Mumbai, India (Media Lab Asia) and subsequently Cambodia where I established two Internet-connected schools in villages without electricity; to areas so primitive, one of them did not have a road. Nonetheless, the kids now take home laptops that among other things are the brightest light source in their houses.
I realized at this time that in the computer world one’s skills can quickly become obsolete and decided to return to the US to pursue a second Master’s degree in Professor Red Burns Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU. I will complete this course by the end of May.
Work
Disney Imagineering, USA
1990 Design and model building of rides for the various theme parks around the world. Projects ranged from Splash Mountain, Florida’s external design to splash mountain Tokyo’s internal model. As well as the Alien Encounter’s audio seat
ASCII Corp, Japan
1991 Game development team for San Rio’s Tabu game. Research of the future of virtual reality games. and development of multimedia magazine
Mozart, Italy
1994-1995 Graphic design and User Interface development for CD-ROMs
Matrix, Italy
1995-2001 Consultant for web development. User needs and interface for Virgilio, Italy’s first and primary search engine. Conducted preliminary brainstorm sessions for website development for various clients.
Video on line, Italy
1995-1996 Helped develop the first public ISP in Italy. Working directly with the owner, bringing him up to speed on various technologies. In the middle of 1996 the company was bought by Telecom Italia Net, and my contract was carried over.
Telecom Italia Net, Italy
1996-1997 I was a concept designer for online projects. My job was to come up with new ideas for the company each week and propose them each week. Projects were evaluated and some were developed. Most notable at the time were: HOW, an online help system, and C6 the Italian version of ICQ.
2B1, USA
1996-1998 The 2B1 Foundation was created by a group of professors at MIT Media Lab and myself, with $1M of funding from two Japanese benefactors. The mission is to bring computers and the Internet to children in the poorest and most remote parts of the world. In the early stages I looked at feasibility in African countries including Mali, Kenya and Senegal.
Jr. Summit, USA
1998 As a joint project 2B1 sent an MIT undergraduate student along with myself to install computers in 12 countries in Africa, for a Childrens’ Summit to be held later that year.
First Thought, Italy
1998-2001 I founded a start-up in video game development. Our primary goal was to design and build a game development platform, that would allow game development across platforms, easily and rapidly without loosing valuable assets built over time. We also worked on game titles. The company folded under the pressure of financing.
12net, Greece
2000-To the Present I helped set up a Greek ISP, the first wireless ISP in Europe, and today the largest per capita wireless usage (bandwidth), from a remote place, in the world. I work on wireless hardware deployment. Recently we developed and are using a floating wireless AP and created a 15 miles wireless connection from one island to another. This connection allows a small school to have Internet access as well as a marine biology lab. The lab will now do real-time underwater dives to show video to high schools around the country.
12Net is also supported in part by 2B1
2B1(revisited)
Media Lab Asia, 2001-2002 I went as an employee of 2B1 through the MIT Media Lab to help work on rural development in India. In the end I spent a great deal of time evaluating projects and visiting sites. I spent a large portion of my time in the main office as the acting as a CIO of sorts.
Cambodia, 2001-2003 Cambodia is an on-going project which sums up the true focus of the 2B1 mission statement. It is based around a primary school in rural Cambodia. The school has a satellite connection that gives connectivity to 20 laptops on a wireless LAN. The computers are used for learning English, Computing, and gaining information via the Web. Recently we added a 2-mile wireless link through jungle, to a second school that is the area’s only available secondary education and set up another local wireless LAN connecting another 20 laptops. The villagers have no electricity and the schools provide the power by generators to charge the computers. At night the children may take the computers home with them for homework and projects. Most have a chance to connect via the few hotspots that are set up.
Talks and Teaching
Domus Academy
1994 I was invited to work as a TA for a class on user interface in product design.
Domus Academy / Interval Comp.
1995 I Coordinated students on projects and ideas for the Interval Research Project Competition
Milano Lawyers Consortium
1996 I was invited by a group of lawyers to speak about creating presence on the web, and how to network using the Internet.
DA/Media Lab Wearables Competition
1997 As the MIT Media Lab liaison for an international competition on wearable computers, I ran workshops and helped students prepare projects.
D-Link Keynote
2000 Invited as the keynote speaker, the focus was on Products of the Future and How Wireless is Their Goal.
IIT Kanpur
2001 I guest lectured on Wireless Layout, Trick and Realities on Design and Deployment of 802.11b.
Microsoft Design Expo
2004 With a team of three other students, from NYU’s ITP, we designed a concept product, AWAIRE, which won best project at our school and continued on to Microsoft where it was recognized as the top project of all participating schools.
EDUCATION
UCLA
1989-1993 B.A. from Design Department with an emphasis on Industrial Design.
Domus Academy (DA)
1993-1994 M.A. in Industrial Design thesis project: Interactive Play Park for Children with Multiple Perception Based Concepts
ITP at NYU
2003-2005 M.P.S. Information Technology for Future Development Projects. Thesis proposal: Physical Blogging Interface for Infants.
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