Rick C. Petty
rick@kiwi-computer.com
CAREER OBJECTIVE A full-time senior embedded systems development position that utilizes my experience in project management and engineering as well as my hardware development and software integration skills.
SKILLS Languages: C/C++, SQL, Scheme, Java, Perl, PHP, regular expressions & unix shells, LaTeX/TeX, HTML/XML/CSS, Javascript, Tcl/Tk, VHDL, assembly, Pascal
Operating Systems and APIs: GTK/GNOME, FreeBSD, Linux, OpenGL, X11/Xlib, MacOS, Windows 2000, MFC/win32, DOS
Software: source-code version control software (e.g. CVS); relational database systems (MySQL, Postgres, Oracle); MATLAB & SIMULINK, SPICE; office & publishing suites (MS Office, OpenOffice, GNOME, PageMaker, FrameMaker); graphics and modeling applications (gimp/Photoshop, POV-Ray / 3D Studio MAX, various CAD and ER/RDBMS design softwares)
Additional Skills: software engineering, user interfaces and graphics, microcontrollers and embedded systems (FPGAs, PLCs, etc.), electronics, telephony, robotics and control theory, relational databases and data modeling, computer engineering, signal and image processing, file systems and multi-threaded operating systems, socket programming and network protocols, artificial intelligence (neural networks, speech and natural language recognition), UNIX and client/server applications, networking and system administration and configuration, hardware and software maintenance and troubleshooting;
expedient productivity and learning, leadership and effective communication, hands-on project management and group work, analytical and problem-solving abilities, capable of handling a fast-paced environment
WORK EXPERIENCE KIWI Computer, Alexandria, MN
Founder and Senior Engineer
Apr 1993 - present
Designed and manufactured customized microcontroller-based embedded systems and other hardware products for both analog and digital applications, including firmware development and PCB layout & fabrication. Developed and maintained network and web-based software using C, C++, Java, Scheme, HTML, Javascript, PHP, FLASH, and socket programming (TCP/IP and UDP). Performed data-modeling and implemented relational databases. Created user-interfaces in GTK/GNOME 1 & 2, X11, Tcl/Tk, and OpenGL. Wrote technical and user-level documentation (e.g. whitepapers). Organized projects and source code using CVS.

Planned and managed projects, interfaced with customers, and prepared Statements of Work. Consulted for various businesses and individuals. Managed business and administrative obligations. Pursued external financial support. Assembled and troubleshot computer systems. Administered networks and user accounts. Provided phone, email, and web support.

Most notable project: development of official event software for FIRST Robotics Competition. This software was used at 29 official competitions internationally and many other unofficial and off-season events. Used innovative designs and artificial intelligence techniques. Project involved development of GUI, database storage of scoring and match information, automated upgrades and database/website synchronization, software to interface with field electronics (PLCs), printed reports, real-time scoring, and animated graphical displays. Managed development as project lead and as sole customer representative. Prepared presentations on progress and design reviews. Used FreeBSD, MySQL, Apache, Macromedia FLASH / ActionScript, GTK/GNOME & GUI design, unix shell scripting, and Perl.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
School of Industrial Management
Instructor
Dec 2002 - Aug 2003
Developed material for and taught new courses in the areas of machine logic, controls, and robotics to employees at a corporation in Keene, NH. Assisted in the design and instruction of a project that concluded the training sequence. This project included sessions of robot-building design, teamwork, and problem solving and a session targeting real-world company-defined problems. Instruction involved the topics of control theory, sensors & actuators, electronic circuitry, state machines, timing, Boolean logic, programmable controllers, ladder logic, PBASIC and programming, and top-down design strategies. Gave students real-world problems to solve, examples and related documentation, and note-taking handouts. Compiled these materials, along with teaching guides, software, and external reference materials, into a CD that was given to the students and to the SIM for future instructors.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Summer Frontiers Program
Robotics Faculty
Jul 2002, Jul 2003
Planned and presented new material to 57 select high school students during seminars and machining, electronics, and software laboratories. Included instruction in control theory, programming PBASIC, electronics, logic, sensors & motors, brainstorming, pneumatics, and manufacturing. Developed scoring and display software for final project, a public robotics competition.
Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science, Worcester, MA
Advanced Computer Science Instructor
Oct 2001 - May 2002
Prepared and presented new course material during lectures for 16-49 advanced students. Instruction included laboratory assistance and exercises. Assigned and graded homework problems and solutions. Led final project pertaining to learned material: a computer game designed and developed by the entire class.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Biomedical Engineering Department
Teaching Assistant
Aug 2000 - May 2001
Presented course material during lectures, up to 70 students per course. Established and led weekly homework help sessions. Generated examination problems and solutions. Planned course material. Assigned and graded weekly laboratories and homework. Utilized and taught MATLAB, SIMULINK. Assisted students in multiple laboratories. Provided tutoring beyond official hours. Received high commendations from students and the supervising professors.
Database Dynamic Systems, Inc., Minnetonka, MN
Software Engineer
Feb 1996 - Aug 1997
Designed and developed custom client-server database applications targeted at large organizations using Apache, Oracle, Postgres, TeX, and Postscript. Modeled and implemented relational databases for business applications such as on-line product catalogs, telephone directory management and publishing, internal business databases, and electronic forms. Assisted in the development of programming libraries for CGI development in C, C++, Perl, and SQL. Managed projects. Assisted with network administration. Rehired for contract work.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Teaching Assistant
Sep 1996 - Jun 1997
Graded homework and laboratories. Monitored and assisted students during laboratories. Held office hours.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Computer Science Department
Research Assistant
Sep 1996 - Dec 1996
Wrote CGI software for the Institute of Technology's Dean's Office.
Internet-5, Inc., Elk River, MN
Software Developer
Feb 1996 - Aug 1996
Developed CGI applications in Perl and C on Solaris, NT, and Unixware platforms. Created statistics gathering software for websites.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Aerospace Engineering and Manufacturing Department
Research Assistant
Sep 1995 - Dec 1995
Wrote 3-D graphics modeling software with a graphical user interface for military helicopter simulations.
LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS E-Plane , Worcester, MA
(manned electric plane project)
Project Lead, Data Acquisition/Display System Group
Sep 2003 - present
Developed complete instrumentation for engine gauges (RPMs, temperatures), in-flight timer, and power panel (remaining battery time, bus voltage, battery pack usage and currents, etc.). Designed circuitry and PCB layout for instrument panel. Used ISP microcontroller (Atmel) for acquisition and display control. Interfaced digital and analog electronics, including power management circuitry. Presented project progress for design reviews.
FIRST Team #190, Worcester, MA
(international robotics/engineering competition)
Director of Operations (2003)
Chief of Controls Engineering (1998-2002)
3D Animation Advisor (2002)
Nov 1998 - Jun 2003
Mentored over 500 high school and college student team members. Volunteered over 3000 hours. Managed projects and prepared presentations on progress and design reviews. Spearheaded design and implementation groups for robotic control systems, including microcontroller-based development and innovative control algorithms. Designed and fabricated PCBs and wrote embedded software for projects including an Inertial Navigation System (INS) in 2003 and the acquisition and control for a Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT) in 2002. Efforts directly resulted many internationally-recognized awards, including the following:
  • the Delphi Driving Tomorrow's Technology Award (2003)
  • the Honeywell Leadership in Control Award (2000, 2003, 2003 championship)
  • judges awards for engineering (2002, 2002 championship)
  • the Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, & Byers Entrepreneurship Award (2003)
  • the Motorola Quality Award (2001)
  • the Xerox Creativity Award (1999)
Technology developed was influential in students' senior project receiving Provost awards (2002). Mentorship for another student's science fair project, which won regional, state, and national competitions, and ranked fourth place at internationals (2002). Received team award for Most Inspirational Mentor (2002).
Private Pilot, fixed-wing single-engine land Oct 2002 - present
United States Department of Education GAANN
(Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need)
Ph.D. Student Fellowship Recipient
Aug 1997 - May 2000
Graduate Student Organization, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Vice President of Activities
Aug 1997 - Mar 1999
Organized Events. Managed a budget of over $10,000.
U.S. Peace Corps
Nominee for Secondary Mathematics & Science Education
Jul 1997
Institute of Technology Honors Group, University of Minnesota
Honors Student
Jun 1995
Completed the Lower Division Honors Program
Presidential Scholarship Recipient, University of Minnesota Sep 1993 - Jun 1995
- Charter member of two university social clubs Sep 1993 - Jun 1997
- Participated in numerous athletic and academic organizations, such as karate, intramural volleyball, and University Scholars Sep 1993 - Jun 1997
RELATED COURSES Digital Image Processing
Digital Signal Processing, Real-Time Digital Signal Processing
Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems, Neural Networks
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Electric & Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetic Waves, Field Concepts in Engineering
Biomedical Instrumentation, Microcomputer-Based Biomedical Instrumentation
Microprocessor Interfaces, Microprocessor System Design
Automata Theory
Numerical Computation
VLSI Design
Instrumentation and Control Electronics
Computer Systems Performance Analysis
System Programming, Operating Systems
Technical Writing for Engineers
Linear Circuits, Analog & Digital Electronics, Analog Electronics
Computer Architecture
Signal Analysis, System Design, Biological Systems
Semiconductor Devices
Computer Graphics
Algorithms and Data Structures, Structures of High-Level Languages
Structured Computer Programming
Microprocessors
Database Systems
Discrete Structures of Computer Science
EDUCATION Ph.D. Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
, Worcester, MA
- Dissertation: Development of a Device for Non-Contact Impedance Spectroscopy of Tissue
- Published twice in IEEE/BMES annual conference proceedings
2003
Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
, Worcester, MA
- Directed research project: Design of a Versatile Device for Spectroscopic Measurements
- Concentrations: Imaging, Artificial Intelligence
2000
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science,
Bachelor of Electrical Engineering

Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

- Senior Honors Project: Architectural Support for Process Scheduling
- Concentrations: Computer Engineering, Signal Processing
1997
REFERENCESAvailable upon request.


Last Modified: Fri Mar 04, 2005