Why should you take me seriously on issues of technology? It's a good question. The short answer is that I'm a patent lawyer with experience as a patent examiner, an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering, and experience with a wide variety of technologies. Working as a patent examiner and as a patent lawyer requires and hones one's abilitiy to learn and understand new technologies. It also helps one pick things apart to see how they work - or don't. I'm also a computer geek, having ripped apart and rebuilt my computers (and those of others, mostly Macs) for maintenance, repair, and upgrade for over fifteen years - hardware and software.
The long answer - well, let's start with my education. My interest and education in technology started early, with the help of my parents encouraging me to read, read, read, and their interests in science fiction and horror. Having taken all of the standard science courses in high school, I explored laser technology a bit by constructing a helium-neon laser and performing experiments with it. While the laser was built from a kit, I conducted research into different methods of construction and was ready to make the attempt to do it from scratch, but was worried about the amount of time it would take, particularly to align the mirrors. Plus, the instructions for the kit were wrong, and it took a bit to get the thing working.
My undergraduate degree is in Aerospace Engineering, with instruction in fluid mechanics (incompressible and compressible), statics and dynamics, physics, aircraft design and dynamics, propulsion of air- and spacecraft, and other related topics. This degree was the offshoot of my dreams of involvement with the push into space, inspired by my reading as well as the NASA missions to the moon and to Mars.
After graduation, I examined patent applications in automatic transmission control systems, planetary gear systems, differential gear systems, countershaft transmissions, clutches, and brakes - mostly the first three. Transmission control systems include mechanical elements, hydraulic elements, electronic elements, and software elements, so there was a fair degree of additional learning required and no small quantity of analysis of new technologies.
After a few years at the Patent Office, I went to law school, becoming a Registered Patent Agent during the pursuit of my degree. While in school, I worked at the SUNY Research Foundation's Office of Technology Transfer at SUNY Buffalo, evaluating, protecting, and, to some degree, commercializing new technologies developed by the SUNY Buffalo faculty and students.
After law school, I entered practice as a patent lawyer, in private practice and as in-house counsel. I've worked on a wide variety of technologies, including laser weapons, knowledge management systems, chemical vapor deposition systems, sol-gel manufacturing/curing systems, optical metrology systems, internal combustion engines, spacecraft thruster systems, electrophotographic systems (photocopier/laser printer), digital imaging, distributed supplies management systems, computer software, laser sights, optical scopes, semiconductor packaging, MEMS, and photolithography.
So, there you go. I've learned about a lot of things over the years, for fun and for work. If I'm not sure about something, I'll say so. Again, if you have something you want to ask, use
