Product Support Call Center
This weekend was cold and wet. Sunday the weather improved (but that's homework catch-up day). Saturday, I went to the Green Valley Book Fair for some bargain priced books.
Sunday was work filled. I had some homework, a report, and a presentation for CIS 320 (telecom) and writing on my thesis proposal for ISAT 491 (senior thesis seminar).
Yesterday I met with Jeremy, an ISAT Major, and the manager of Product Support at Fairfield Language Technologies. Jeremy has joined me on my thesis project. We are going to try to simulate the Product Support call center. This is the place that customer questions and problems are escalated to for support.
Today I had ISAT 351 (biotech). Dr. Bachmann discussed different cancers, skin cancer and it's causes. He showed us slides with pictures of melanoma skin cancer. He discussed heredity of cancer as well.
Next up for today, ISAT 344 (intelligent systems), lunch break, and then ISAT 341 (simulation and modeling). After 341, I have a meeting with Dr. Henriksen and Jeremy to discuss details of our thesis.
Posted by Matt on April 11, 2006 at 11:00 AM | Link | Email Matt
Troubleshooting Printer Problems
The past few days have been really busy. Yesterday, I went to CIS 320 (Telcom) and reviewed my grades for the semester, to make sure I know how I'm doing in the class. That way there won't be any surprises at the end of the semester.
In the afternoon, I went to work and investigated a problem we are having with PowerBooks and the photography team. Every time they print we get the same error on the color laserjet. It's become really frustrating because we can't pinpoint the cause of the problem, and it's a difficult problem to troubleshoot.
I left work early to come back to campus for a Research Advisory Committee meeting. We discussed the recommendations about the future structure of the committee, and research issues within the university community. It's always an interesting meeting, because it's an aspect of the university that not many students have the opportunity to see.
After the committee meeting, I went over to the Harrisonburg
Children's Museum to finish up my Community Service Learning Project. This weekend I need to write up the project to turn it in to CIS 320 next week.
Today, in ISAT 351 (Biotech) we discussed the causes of baldness and various treatments. We finished up a group project deliverable for ISAT 344 (Intelligent Systems). And I met with Dr. Henriksen to discuss more details with my senior thesis. I've decided to start writing my proposal and find a company to work with later.
This evening, I went to work and continued to troubleshoot the printer problem. I think it's a firmware issue with the printers or jetdirect devices that connect the printers to the network. Then, I spent the rest of my time moving my desk to a new place within the Technical Services area. I feel like I've spent more time in the past few weeks moving my desk, than I have actually being productive.
I've got to get some sleep so I can be ready to answer questions for ISAT 252 Lab with Dr. Cushman in the morning.
Posted by Matt on April 06, 2006 at 11:46 PM | Link | Email Matt
JMU Onedisc
I just remembered, I wanted to write about The Madison Channel. It's a media section of the JMU web presence. It has many videos from recent events, and upcoming events. It's where webcasts of live events are listed, and where the Biodiesel Conference webcast video is listed! If you get a chance check it out!
This morning Dr. Bachmann reviewed our exams and peer review responsibilities for our research papers (ISAT 351 – Biotech). Dr.Marchal is out of town, so ISAT 344 (Intelligent Systems) was cancelled and we had a group meeting to work on a deliverable for our Artificial Neural network.
This afternoon I met with Dr. Henriksen to discuss some problems I'm having with my senior thesis proposal. I haven't been able to get the details I need from the company I'm working with to begin to write the proposal and determine if the hopes and dreams of the company can be met with a simulation.
I finally got to take a peak at the 2006 Onedisc that JMU sends to all newly admitted students. To those students who may be reading, congratulations! Welcome to JMU, class of 2010! I have received many compliments for my contribution to the video section of the disc, and I was anxious to see how it turned out. Everyone in University Communications and Marketing did a great job with putting the entire disc together (as well as making The Madison Channel possible).
Posted by Matt on April 04, 2006 at 09:26 PM | Link | Email Matt
Another Early Morning for Biodiesel
This morning I got up at 6 to help Dr. Chris Bachmann and Dr. CJ Broderick with the Virginia Biodiesel Conference. The schedule includes a speech from Matt Lohr, our local Delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates, a panel of local farmers who use biodiesel, and many more great speakers. There were many great conversations about how to safely make, store, analyze/test, implement and commercially distribute biodiesel. It's exciting to see a viable source of economic revenue for local farmers being talked about on such a detailed level. If processes can be implemented and ideas put into practice, the valley could really make a difference in the future of alternate fuels.
Here's a picture of the farmer's panel, with Dr. Bachman moderating. See more pictures of the conference.
After helping all day with the conference I am exausted, but I went to ISAT 491 (Senior Thesis I) to review my annotated bibliography for my thesis proposal, then went to work for a few hours. On my way out of ISAT the heavens opened and a downpour of rain began. It was the first real spring thundershower.
Now, I'm going to collapse into my bed.
Posted by Matt on April 03, 2006 at 10:20 PM | Link | Email Matt
VA Biodiesel Conference
Today was a busy day. This morning I worked with the security officer for the company I am working on to finish some paperwork for my internship this summer. Dr. Bachmann had asked me to stop to find out about how he wants me to help with the Virginia
Biodiesel Conference on Monday. He asked me to help load the presenters presentations on to the university computer. It should be an exciting day, especially considering for me it starts early Monday morning (pre-8 AM)!
Dr. Marchal, in ISAT 344 (Intelligent Systems) reviewed material, as next week he is going to be out of town and has canceled class. I have some work to do on some assignment point recovery this weekend for his class.
This afternoon my group met for ISAT 341 (Simulation & Modeling) to work on our group project for Dr. Henriksen (it is due tomorrow). We took a break and reconvened at 5 pm to finish up some work.
I've got to do some work on my senior thesis introduction and annotated bibliography. I'll let you know how it goes!
Posted by Matt on March 30, 2006 at 07:41 PM | Link | Email Matt
Harrisonburg Children's Museum
I didn’t get a post written last night because I was working on research for my Senior Thesis Literature Review. The CISAT library has subscriptions to research databases that allow searching of scholarly (works that have been reviewed and published) abstracts (brief synopsis of a paper’s contents) to find papers quickly that apply to your research area. Unfortunately, the papers I am looking for are not accessible from the university in digital or paper formats. For this JMU has a service that is free, called the Interlibrary Loan. I enter the information about the article or paper I need and JMU searches other libraries and tries to get the book or a digital copy for my research. I can also have the library deliver my books from Carrier (on the quad) to the CISAT Library so I can pick them up when I’m going to class!
Yesterday afternoon, I spent time at the Harrisonburg Children’s Museum, in downtown Harrisonburg working on a Community Service Learning Project for CIS 320 (Telecom). I am updating their reception computer, and ensuring security on their network. I installed some software for them, and tested their connectivity throughout the museum.
This afternoon, I am going to meet with the Director of Operations of the museum to donate several iMac computers from Fairfield Language Technologies. It’s a great opportunity for the two entities to connect and share resources.
Right now I’m ready for CIS 320 Exam review, I’ll post more later.
Posted by Matt on March 29, 2006 at 11:00 AM | Link | Email Matt
Midplane Swap
I didn't have lab to TA this morning, so I got to sleep in, which was nice because I am recovering from a cold. I wish the weather would just even out and decide to be spring. I'm tired of this flux in temperature.
In CIS 320 (Telecom) we reviewed our exam study guide in preparation for exam on Friday. It is going to cover a large amount of material, but it shouldn't be too difficult because we've had quizzes on all the material along the way.
This evening at work I had to replace the broken midplane of an iMac G5 with the working midplane of another machine with a broken screen and power supply. That way at least one of the two iMacs are functional. It was exciting when I screwed the midplane in, connected the power and the machine booted successfully!
Tomorrow morning I have my ISAT 351 (Biotech) exam, so I've got to finish up studying.
Posted by Matt on March 27, 2006 at 10:33 PM | Link | Email Matt
