Key Skills:
Particular strengths in the
following areas: |
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Business /
systems analysis
Organisation / leadership / management
High proficiency in a broad range of GIS
(including proprietary and commercial, particularly ESRI toolset / MapObjects)
5 years+ Visual Basic (v3, 5, 6) for Win 95 / 98 / NT
RDBMS: SQL, ADO/DAO, Access
Increasing ability in web design and programming:
VBScript, JavaScript, IIS, ASP, HTML, DHTML
Past experience of the use of Fortran, Pascal, C, COBOL, Unix, VMS, Oracle |
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| Summary: |
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1995 - present |
Freelance consultant |
In information
technology:
Specialist in GIS analysis / development |
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1993 - 1995 |
Institute of Hydrology |
Higher
Scientific Officer
Development manager and analyst / designer |
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1991 - 1993 |
Andersen Consulting |
Systems
Consultant
Staff analyst / programmer |
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1987 - 1991 |
British
Army |
Lieutenant
Troop-Leader, Royal Tank Regiment |
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1983 - 1986 |
University of Bristol |
Majoring in
Geology
BSc (Hons), class 2:1 |
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1982 - 1983 |
Royal
Air Force |
Acting Pilot
Officer
University Cadetship |
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Freelance Systems Analyst / Developer (1995-present): |
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Now
operating as a consultant in information technology, specialising primarily in the
analysis, design and development of processes and software in support of scientific
research, relating particularly to the use of GIS. This involves the detailed
comprehension of both the scientific process and product, and of the objectives sought to
be achieved by the completed application. The mission of this enterprise is to generate
high-quality analyses and software which exceed initial specifications, within set budgets
and timescales, in a flexible and client-responsive manner. |
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Small-Scale
Hydropower-Potential Estimation for Europe |
| This
project involved the design and development of an application to support the assessment of
the potential of ungauged sites on rivers to generate hydro-electric power. The software
draws on large volumes of data relating to geographic grids to estimate hydrological
catchment characteristics, calculate flow-regime data, select appropriate turbines, and
estimate their potential output. Because the development forms part of a project to
improve these techniques on a continental scale, on behalf of the European Small
Hydropower Association, and funded by Altener, the alternative energy programme of
the European Union, the application was required to allow for any number of national
versions, including the provision of message- and caption-text in 6 different languages.
The software was developed entirely using Visual Basic v3, with no third-party
components, and is about to begin a further phase of enhancement. |
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Global Water-Availability Visualisation Software |
| As
part of a project to develop a model for the quantification of water resources and usage
on a continental and global scale, on behalf of the Overseas Development Administration, this contract involved the
analysis and design of software to support the storage, retrieval and visualisation of
large volumes of diverse spatial data, and its development at minimal initial and
subsequent cost. A GIS-type application which imposed no ongoing costs on the client
organisation was produced using Visual Basic v3 and an entry-level mapping
component. |
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‘LowFlows2000’ Update: Project-Identification |
| The
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, part of the Natural Environment Research Council,
has developed an application which supports the monitoring and management of rivers by
environmental-protection agencies: this is the leading software of its type in Britain,
and has been highly-successful within its niche for some years. However, its technological
basis, interface, and overall capability are now obsolescent, and it requires major
re-implementation with contemporary development, processing, databasing and presentation
tools. This contract involved a thorough analysis of the objectives of The Institute and
its clients for the new software, in order to prepare a detailed specification of
requirements from which to initiate the project. |
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‘LowFlows 2000’: Implementation |
Having
subsequently bid for the contract for the full re-development project, and won it against
strong corporate competition, I am currently working on the main implementation stage,
using Microsoft Visual Basic v6, Microsoft Access and ESRI MapObjects.
The software comprises a multi-purpose geographic front-end, which supports the definition
and analysis of river-basins using both analogue (based on the river-network) and digital
(based on a flow-model derived from a DEM) climb-algorithms. It also handles the modelling
of stream-flow statistics for ungauged sites, and the analysis of hydrometric data stored
for gauging-stations, drawing on data describing the geography of the watershed, and the
operation of artificial influences within it.
Presented paper at Vancouver Island ESRI User-Group conference, October 1999. |
Higher Scientific Officer, Institute of Hydrology
(1993-1995): |
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The Institute of
Hydrology, an establishment of the Natural Environment Research Council, produces a range
of scientific software in support of hydrological research, monitoring and management for
internal, national and global use. Principally employed as development manager for a
project to produce an advanced GIS-type environmental database and information system in
collaboration with ICL, based on UNIX and the Oracle RDBMS: also active in the analysis
and design of a range of related software and business-processes. |
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- Business analysis and process-design for internal and external
clients
- Development of a quality plan for Institute-wide software development
- Participation in setting software-development strategies
- Liaison with collaborating companies
- Functional / technical analysis and design of system components
- Project management of day-to-day system development
- Involvement in business-development, bid-preparation and customer support
- Software and hardware resarch and purchasing for the project
- Project budget-administration and planning
Presented papers to the Association for Geographic Information,
and at international conference on Geographic Information Systems in Vancouver, February
1994. |
Systems Consultant, Andersen Consulting (1991-1993): |
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Assistance with
projects principally geared to the development of technical solutions to business
problems, through the integration of strategic, human resources, information technology,
and operational consultancy. Initially trained in the fundamentals of management
information systems, business planning and project-management methodologies, and
programming in COBOL, in London and the USA, then involved with the following projects: |
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For National Power plc: |
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Member of the
team developing a new corporate IT infrastructure, based on a multi-level client-server
architecture of distributed PCs and DEC VAX clusters, and an Amdahl mainframe. Initially
responsible for the development of utilities to transfer information between platforms.
Subsequently involved in implementing a system for the maintenance of user information,
including the design, coding, testing and documentation of a number of component modules.
This assignment provided extensive experience of the VMS Operating System, of coding in
DCL and C, and of using the FOUNDATION suite of CASE software. |
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For the Fleet Air Arm: |
| Involved in
technical design study for an engineering and logistics support system, principally in
support of service-scheduling and asset maintenance for operational equipment. Broad
exposure to overall aims, architecture, and interface requirements. |
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For the Royal Air Force: |
| Business and
functional requirements-analysis for the Logistics Support System, the first to cover all
aspects of the Integrated Logistics Support Process, in emulation of the US CALS
initiative. Software research into a range of commercially available applications for
integration into the solution. Involved in analysis of operational requirements,
business-process definition, and outline design of system architecture. |
 
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Six months of
training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, covering a variety of aspects of
leadership, management, technical, and general military training, including use of the
Army tactical analysis and planning methodology.
Five months on the Troop Leadership (Armoured) course at the Royal Armoured Corps Centre,
Bovington, covering special-to-arm training.
Three year Short-Service Commission as Troop Leader of three Challenger / Chieftan MBTs in
the Royal Tank Regiment, part of the British Army of the Rhine. |
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Principal aspects of regimental duty: |
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- Tactical troop
leadership: analysis / resolution of complex problems,
often under substantial pressure
- Leadership, training and welfare of twelve NCOs and Ors
- Planning and supervision of Troop- / Squadron-level training and operations
- Supervision of the maintenance and administration of three Main Battle Tanks + other
equipment
- Training in military organisation, tactics and logistics through exercises, self-study
and courses |
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Other responsibilities: |
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- Maintenance of
squadron accounts for non-service finances
- Member of mess-committee, assisting with administration of Officers’ Mess
- Organisation of sporting activities, particularly sailing
- Service as winter alpine-training instructor |
Schooling |
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1975 - 1982 |
Kent
College, Canterbury, Kent |
Boarding
Scholarship |
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1979, 1980
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General
certificate of education
Ordinary Level
(age 16+ examinations) |
7
Grade A
3 Grade B
2 Grade C |
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1982
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General
certificate of education
Advanced Level
(age 18+ examinations) |
Geography
Mathematics
Physics |
Grade A
Grade B
Grade C |
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| 1981/82 |
Head Boy |
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| 1981 |
Royal Air Force 6th-Form
Scholarship |
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| 1982 - 1983 |
Royal
Air Force cadetship |
One
year as junior officer: wide variety of experience of aircraft operations-engineering |
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|
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1983 - 1986 |
University of Bristol |
BSc (Honours) in Geology, class 2:1 |
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Programming
training: |
Pascal,
ForTran77, DOS |
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Specialisations: |
Sedimentology, Palaeontology, Stratigraphy |
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Field Expeditions: |
Britain, Ireland, Belgium, France, Spain |
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Projects:
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Geological mapping of the Southern Ardennes, Belgium
Investigation into the Basin Evolution of the North Sea |