"A complex system that works is
invariably found to have evolved from
a simple system that worked."
~ John Gall

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"Make things as simple
as possible, but not simpler."
~ Albert Einstein

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• Academic Education
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• Master of Computer Science (MS). GPA: 3.8 / 4.0
• University of Texas, Arlington, TX (Dallas-Fort Worth area)
• The UTA master's program provided me with an in-depth understanding of the field of computer science. I was then invited by my graduate advisor to pursue a Ph.D, however I decided against it. Much of academic work in computer science is theoretical, and it seemed to me that a Ph.D. prepares one for a career in academia. My goal instead was to develop my skills as a software engineer and build systems that work well in the real world.
• Master's Project: 3D Parallel and Perspective Graphics Display System

• Bachelor of Science, Computer Science (BS). GPA: 3.2 / 4.0
• Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH (near Toledo)
• The BGSU degree program provided me with a solid foundation in software development. However, I didn't feel that I really understood "computer science." I resolved to pursue a masters degree at a later date to deepen my understanding.

edX Courses (UT 6.10x, UT 6.20x, UT 12.01x, all 3 from Univ of Texas at Austin):   


Dr. Jonathan W. Valvano (related webpages), Dr. Ramesh Yerraballi
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

This class is a lab-based, remote class (MOOC) with all lectures presented using recorded video. The focus of this class is on microcontroller input/output in this hands-on, lab-based course. You'll be watching high quality video of two professors, at the top of their game, sitting down, talking to you, then giving their lecture to you while drawing on a virtual white board. MOOC means: Massively Open On-Line Course.

Click here for info on the Lab Kit for both this class, UT 6.10x, and also UT 6.20x. An optional lab for this class requires the TI CC3100 WiFi Plug-in Module (CC3100 info) (which works with the EK-TM4C123GXL LaunchPad.)

• The two professors take a bottom-up approach to problem solving, building gradually from simple interfacing of switches and LEDs to complex concepts like a microcontroller-based pacemaker, digital lock, and a traffic light controller, etc.
• They present both general principles and practical tips for building circuits and programming the microcontroller in C. Students will develop debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and software instrumentation. Laboratory assignments are first performed in simulation, and then you build and debug your system on the real microcontroller.
• This class uses the Texas Instruments TM4C123 microcontroller kit which is based on the ARM Cortex-M4 processor (M4 CPU info) along with several other electronic components that all must be purchased to complete the labs.

This course content comes from classes these professors teach at the University of Texas at Austin, and also from 4 books on Embedded Systems by Dr. Valvano:

The four excellent texts by Dr. Jonathan Valvano are:

• Introduction to ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers, ( edX Class )
  by Jonathan W. Valvano, Volume 1. Fifth Edition, June 2014
• Real-Time Interfacing to ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers, ( edX Class )
  by Jonathan W. Valvano, Volume 2. Fourth Edition, July 2014
• Real-Time Operating Systems for ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers,
  by Jonathan W. Valvano, Volume 3. Third Edition, September 2014 ( edX Class )
• Real-Time Bluetooth Networks - Shape the World, ( edX Class )
  by Jonathan W. Valvano, First Edition, November 2016
• Example source code files for Volumes 1-3 above.
  

I've also taken their follow-on edX class, UT 6.20x (MOOC), with more complex labs that manage significant concurrency without an RTOS. Click here for info on the Lab Kit for both this class, UT 6.20x, and also the previous class, UT 6.10x.


Dr. Jonathan W. Valvano (related webpages), Dr. Ramesh Yerraballi
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

But what I'm really looking forward to is their third class where they walk you through writing your own RTOS (Real-Time Operating System), starting with the scheduler, then you incrementally add features such as prevention of deadlock due to priority inversion. I've used several really well architected RTOS'es over the years, but I've always wanted to write my own RTOS from the scheduler on up. That class is:


Learn the design fundamentals of a real-time operating system (RTOS) and how to build a Bluetooth network in this hands-on project-based course.
Click here for info on the Lab Kit for this class, UT 12.01x.