Hello! Thanks for stopping by. I'm thrilled that you found your way here.

I am currently the Lead Developer at The Science Project, a small web and interactive agency in Manhattan, NY. I specialize in Python development using the Django framework, but I am knowledgeable with PHP, C++, and Java.

I graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a double degree: BA in Studio Arts and BS in Computer Science. I also hold a diploma in 3D Animation and Visual Effects from the Vancouver Film School.

I have both an artistic background and formal technical training. This unique combination of skills has allowed me to approach web development with an aesthetic sensibility. These talents allow me to streamline the process of merging front-end designs into the back-end functionality.

I love working with the web. I like that I am constantly challenged and required to continually learn new techniques and technology. I enjoy having to adapt to new situations. I like being confronted with problems and working out elegant solutions. I feel that the web is the most dynamic and exciting place to be right now: the new frontier of the 21st century.

technical

I am responsible for building out both the front-end presentation as well as the back-end functionality. On any given day you can find me administering a server, writing out JavaScript animations, and figuring out site logic.

I prefer to develop in Python using the Django framework for it's elegant syntax the the speed of developing in an MVC framework. I hand code XHTML strict tableless CSS driven layouts; and I like to use JQuery to drive the dynamic elements and AJAX calls.

My typical server setup has Nginx handling the static media while it proxies Apache's mod_wsgi process to handle Python. The sites run on top of a MySQL relational database, although I have been considering using PostgreSQL. I run memcached to speed up performance.

I use Github for version control. I set up virtualenv for each project to isolate the python environments, and use PIP install to automate the server setup.

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artistic

In a past life I was a graphic designer for SKI Magazine. I love photography as I've been taking pictures for as far back as I can remember. I even went to film school for animation.

For a while I was developing what seemed to be two completely divergent skill sets. However, I have been lucky enough to find an profession that requires both; as the web is one of the few areas where art and technology collide. This is a medium where the technical and the creative go hand-in-hand as I'm seeing my two worlds merge before my eyes. Sometimes it's good to listen to your instincts.

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