Meet the Blogger: april05

april05 is a hard-worker, but always makes time for blogging. Whether it is about his commitments as an engineer or his blog entries, he consistently puts 110% into everything he does.

Tell me about yourself (major, college, work experience)

I'm forty-three, and studied Mechanical Engineering (BSME) at Clarkson University (Potsdam, New York), graduating in 1992. As of 2006, I completed (18) credit hours MSME work @ RPI, and have done a significant (understatement!) amount of additional continuing education work since leaving Clarkson. The focus (and my ongoing passion!) of my ME work at Clarkson and RPI was Thermal Science / Energy. I remember designing my first solar system – a prototype for the first Iraq War (Desert Storm) – way back in 1991, for a senior-year Thermal Design course at Clarkson. I've worked for many folks over the years, but my highlights include 4.5 years for a polymer fastener manufacturer in Hudson, New York (Craftech Industries – my boss "Skip" even came to my wedding!), the U.S. Federal Government (Army Civilian - Benet Laboratories' Fatigue Lab), and GE Energy's Gas Turbine Applications Engineering group in Schenectady. For the past two years, I've been working for GlobalSpec, where I produce ME-related engineering search forms, have done some VB programming, and get to blog for CR4!

Why did you choose to blog?

It was part of my responsibilities when I was hired by GlobalSpec, but have been "blogging" – contributing in both paid and un-paid capacities - to various engineering-related web sites – since the Internet was coming on strong in the mid-90's. I was even paid to blog for the Robotics Industries Association (RIA.org) a few years ago, when I got to write about "Bulk Palletizing Robots".

Favorite part about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is receiving real-time feedback from a global audience.

Blogging topics: How do you choose?

Public radio and television are big inspirations for me – BBC, NPR, and so on.

Favorite part about CR4?

Passing the (250) view-count threshold. J

One word that best describes you?

Globalist.

What would you say is the most interesting thing about you?

My travels across Europe by train in the 80's, including crossing the Berlin Wall in 1985.

What are your hobbies?

Maintaining ASME Hudson-Mohawk's section web site, http://sections.asme.org/hudson-mohawk and organizing section events in New York's Capital Region (like the recent Hydro Presentation at HVCC).

Favorite website & why?

PublicRadioFan.com (Kevin Kelly @ MIT needs sainthood for this project!). Why: Because this web site has been and continues to be the premier web site for streaming public-radio audio content from broadcasters around the globe. It's up there with Wikipedia in my eyes, in terms of performing a public good for the world.

Favorite Song/Album?

Paranoid Android / OK Computer (1997)

What are 5 things you can't live without?

Wife, daughter, coffee, exercise, family & friends.

Motto/Advice you live by?

Live and let live.

Favorite childhood memory?

Hanging out at my friend Chris Bernacki's home in Rensselaer, New York, back in 1974, and playing the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Scariest moment of your life?

CMV infection in 2005. Think I caught it at my daughter's day care.

Check april05 Out on YouTube!