- Recruitment [Details and
pictures...]
In early 2009 I created a recruitment video aimed at potential Saudi
Arabian undergraduates. The video can be viewed here.
Current Saudi undergraduates generated the content whilst I directed,
edited, filmed and scored the video.
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- Supercomputers [Details and pictures...]
The Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences has three Beowulf clusters
at the time of writing. I was responsible for the specification and
purchase of both the most modern machines Doree (Seismology)
and Jaws (Physical Oceanography). Our oldest (and largest)
machine, NESSC,
is now out of maintenance and has lost some nodes due to hardware
problems. I have rebuilt part of NESSC by cannibalising memory from
dead nodes and installing the newest releases of the RedHat operating system. I used PXE
booting and DHCP node addressing to reduce the time required to boot
and configure the system. We intend to completely rebuild NESSC
when the master node ceases to function.
I have also purchased and configured other servers and RAID systems for
use by various groups in the department. I built a Beowulf cluster from
scratch several years ago. The budget was small and we used desktop PCs
purchased from a local supplier.
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- Open Day
Activities [Details and pictures...]
I have taken part in various UCAS Open Days and events when schools
have been invited into the department. I have developed some web
browser based activities in an attempt to put across some ideas in a
more simple and fun way. One of these looked at ideas behind convection
in natural systems and specifically within Earth's mantle (Spoon-Dial).
Another was developed from a mineral physics practical I created for
3rd Year geophysicists (Phase Diagram).
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- Volcano
Demonstration [Details and pictures...]
A while ago my
colleagues, Peter Kokelaar and Chris Hunt, decided to try out an
experiment that mimicked a volcanic explosion. I tagged along and
became involved, trying to record the events. The experiment has
matured into a demonstration given as part of Open Days, teachers
courses and has even taken us out to local schools. We are continually
improving the recording techniques, and hope to exploit HD video so
that people can become more involved by measuring velocities and
plotting the patterns created by the various debris added to the
explosion. Follow the link to see a video of a few events.
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- Teaching
[Details and pictures...]
I have no official
teaching duties but I contribute to both undergraduate and postgraduate
courses. For several weeks each year I demonstrate the Fortran 95
course given to 2nd Year Geophysicists. This is also useful as it keeps
my Fortran skills fresh. Most years I also teach a C++ 'short course'
to interested graduate students and staff. I help to supervise some 3rd
& 4th projects and also create resources for use in practical
sessions, etc.
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- Undergraduate
Linux System [Details
and pictures...]
The department has
a well resourced undergraduate computer laboratory. Each computer is
installed with the University's "Managed Window System" (MWS) - a
specialised version of Windows XP Professional. For several years
various lecturing staff have expressed interest in having a UNIX system
within the department. Over the summer of 2007 I designed and created a
RedHat Linux
department-based system around a central file server which allowed the
students access via their MWS usernames and passwords.
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- Foyer
information system
[Details and pictures...]
I designed and
coded the website that is used to display departmental information in
the Jane Herdman Building foyer. The key requirement for this system
was that it should be easy and routine for the Department's
administration staff to access and update the display. The networked
46" Samsung LCD contains a small computer that runs the Windows CE™ operating
system, which in turn runs a version of Internet Explorer. The
University's Facilities Management Department have shown interest in
the system for use in other departments because no computer is directly
attached to the screen - updates to the content are made remotely via
the network.
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