B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 1 Confessions of a Computer Engineer Peter Raeth Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 2 What We Will Talk About Type of occupation Education and training required Career path and current salaries Advantages and disadvantages Questions, answers, discussion

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 3 Lots of opportunity in the world (Occupational Outlook Handbook )

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 4 What is a computer engineer ? From a Personal Perspective Produces solutions to hard problems Uses computer as primary implementing tool Thinks about both hardware and software Relates technical subjects to people’s needs Employs knowledge that goes beyond the technical

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 5 Skills needed Ability to think Creativity and intuition Mathematics and physics “Soft” subjects –philosophy and psychology Interpersonal communication –reading and listening –writing and speaking Software programming How hardware is and can be arranged

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 6 For learning to use a computer The best course I ever took –formal logic –taught by philosophy department –the word “computer” never came up Second best course I ever took –Boolean algebra –taught by math department –the word “computer” never came up

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 7 But…… Knowing only technical things is not enough Career success requires the soft subjects mentioned earlier In the end, it is people and their needs that matter Technical subjects and the computer are secondary Being smart about computers is necessary but insufficient If peoples needs are not satisfied, the engineer has not succeeded Companies hire because they believe the engineer can contribute to the bottom line (profit) of the company If that contribution is not there, the employee will not have a career Profits come to a company when customers’ needs are satisfied, when difficult problems get solved Then the customer says, “We need more of that” This is what leads to career success, not just being smart

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 8 How this engineer got there As a late bloomer, my path was not direct Could not handle college prep in high school Could hardly pass an arithmetic test though high school junior year Lucky to meet a teacher from Greece who took me under his wing Too immature to start college right after high school Too poor anyway - Parents could no way afford to help Enlisted in Air Force instead Grew up a lot - saved money - earned scholarship Departed Air Force - started college Spent 13 years earning four technical degrees –ASElectronics Engineering Technology1975 –BSElectrical Engineering1979 –MSComputer Engineering1980 –Ph.D.Computer Science2003 Each degree completed with no debt and money in the bank

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 9 No accident of birth Grew up in the deep woods of the deep south (dirt roads and forest) Parents received GED late in life Enlisted in USAF Earned partial undergraduate scholarship Joined ROTC Worked half time (computer programming consultant) Attended full time classes –6 years, 12 months out of the year –spent a tremendous amount of extra time in the laboratory –published two peer-reviewed papers as undergraduate Earned full scholarship to another 1.5 years of graduate school –began graduate school while still working on undergraduate degree Company provided partial scholarship for terminal degree So, birth is not what matters –How hard are you willing to work? How persistent are you? –Do you do more than is assigned? Do you take initiative?

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 10 Jobs along the way Consultant in computer applications Mathematics programming Computer research scientist Scientific analyst Sensor data applications Image and signal processing Worked during AS, BS, and Ph.D. degree programs Spent 21 years total in Air Force Nine years so far with Ball

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 11 Typical salaries Varies –accomplishments –education –industry –location From a national perspective –starting salary$40,000 to $50,000 –10 years experience$80,000 to $95,000

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 12 Outlook is Very Good for our Field The following articles may be of interest to you since they contain information on the outlook for employment in our area of study. Information provided by Jack Davis, Campus College, IS&T, Central FL

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 13 Careers paths as varied as people 1.customer service 2.programming 3.training 4.marketing 5.supervisory 6.managerial 1.technician 2.engineering 3.research and development 1.told exactly what to do and how to do it 2.given a problem to solve 3.has to figure out what problem to solve 4.leads others in discovering and solving difficult technical issues

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 14 Working conditions

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 15 Something to think about Lots of jobs but more people than jobs Less jobs but balance between people and jobs Fewer jobs but even fewer people Skills/Jobs Triangle If you want to be in demand, acquire skills that few people have, to do essential jobs.

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 16 Disadvantages Have to really know your way around to find the jobs Must be good at selling yourself Need an independent streak to rise above the crowd Where the jobs are, you need to be Beware of becoming overly specialized

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 17 Advantages Solid job opportunities at high pay Tenure is excellent Companies can not find and keep enough good people –regardless of job market

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 18 What to look for Of course benefits and pay matter But, career success comes from working for good companies What do I look for? –vision from which measurable performance metrics can be derived –strong corporate desire to achieve the vision –focus applied to important activities so that vision can be achieved –funding to proceed

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 19 Ideas to Think About Here is a quote from long ago that bears well on our future vision and our path to that vision. The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. - Michelangelo (as quoted in Linux Journal, Jan 01, p 8) Another good quote bears on one's selection of career. If lots of things were easy, anyone and everyone would do them. The term for this, commoditization, really means nobody makes any money doing it. It's the hard that keeps average participants away from some things, and makes the effort of the few who tackle the problem and deliver results valuable. The way to financial success is to take something hard, so much so, few other people can do it, and make it look easy. - Don Dingee, Industrial Embedded Systems, Spring/Summer 2006, v 2, # 1, p 7

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 20 More Ideas to Think About Sometimes well-managed risk is necessary. The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore. – Dale Carnegie Work ethic has a lot to do with success. The number one rule is simple. You've got to go above and beyond your job description. If you just do your job, you don't get a raise and you don't get a bonus; you get a paycheck. - SmartMoney magazine from Wall Street Journal. millionaire&pgnum=6

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 21 You graduate and find a job What do you do with that first pay check? Likely more money than you have ever seen in one place at one time Represents opportunity, not invitation to spending –need to live below your income –not necessary to chase fads or follow the crowd –newspaper shows where the crowd has ended up regarding debt Most people graduate and promptly go into such debt that they will be years paying for things that depreciate much faster than the debt can be repaid Big difference between needs and wants –not at all the same things –don’t kid yourself into turning wants into “needs” Be excessive in satisfying your wants and you will always be poor

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 22 Be Master of Debt – Not Mastered by Debt Don’t be suckered into the slavery of debt Debt does not just go away, you can’t easily wash your hands of it –very hard to get out of debt caused by excessive “want” satisfaction Instead of spending, save and invest Establish your financial foundation – Thereby your financial freedom You are in fact NOT free to choose if you are enslaved to debt –your first focus has to be earning money now to pay past debts You can’t make the choice, for instance, to start new career Slaves to debt are not free, they have to focus on near-term income It becomes a vicious cycle

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 23 Some thoughts on financial foundations I’m not a financial advisor, just a common layman Always seek good advice from a fee-based certified financial advisor Just want to share some thoughts with you from personal experience Want to alert you to something most don’t consider until too late Run your life like a business –plan for future –due diligence –provide to market –maintain what you provide –improve what you provide –manage income –manage expenditures –make profit –invest that profit wisely Watch cash flow – if you want to leave a job, be sure you have a way to replace that income first

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 24 Basic financial foundation Insurance Health –extremely expensive to cover on your own –for instance: one car accident can wipe you out financially life –to protect your family and your estate disability –it happens –I myself have been on medium-term disability due to eye surgery auto –covers your health and the other partys’ –also covers damage to material things possessions –no need to lose everything because of an accident

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 25 Basic financial foundation (more) Savings (liquid) –4 to 6 months operating capital without working –don’t let layoff put you into foreclosure or bankruptcy Investments (less liquid) –balanced for your point in life –a good financial advisor can guide you in this –don’t just “play the lottery” –don’t’ respond to pump-and-dump s –if nothing else, read Value Line aid to “due diligence” available at most libraries highly regarded investment newsletter

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 26 Future planning What outcome you want to achieve in life? Educate yourself so you can make good choices Where are you now financially? Where do you want to be, when, doing what, having what? Work with a good financial advisor to develop a solid plan Review that plan annually – Keep that plan up to date Be sure to address negative possibilities Plan too for life’s big events Implement the plan – Don’t let “gotta have” get in the way Adjust your plan over time according to results, conditions, events

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 27 Let time work for you

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 28 Plan necessary debt vs. income Want all major debt paid by age 55 Want minor debts paid at end of each month Develop self-sustaining income, independent of work hours –lots of ways to do this –wise investments necessary –consult good fee-based financial advisor pick this person carefully due diligence absolutely necessary you can’t just work on “trust” Self-sustaining income gives you freedom to choose

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 29 What specifically does my job entail? Turning data into information Collect Analyze Decide

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 30 Fundamental approach to work Study Learn Demonstrate Document Publish Strike a Balance –technology push: Original ideas vs. –technology pull:What funders say they want Think independently but solve funders problems Know their goals, their critical missions, and arena of activity –gives basis for original ideas, suggestions, and recommendations –establishes trust if done with a focus on the funder –focus on what THEY want and need

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 31 Example: Aircraft with no pilot Sent to fly around specific area Sends back data Data has to be analyzed Result has to be given to people People use the information Decisions get acted upon

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 32 Real equipment that generates real data for real applications L3 / Cincinnati Electronics NightConqueror is the primary sensor on several platforms –Avenger Short Range Air Defense System (Army) –Stryker Mobile Gun System (Army) –F-18 SHARP Recon Pod (Air Force) –MK46 Optical Sight System Navy Arleigh Burke class destroyers –Optronic Masts Navy Virginia, Ohio, and Astute class submarines

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 33 One particular type of solution a person like me creates Original Data Stream Predicted Data Stream Target NominationPrediction Error Lots of data (numbers) that arrive very fast Too fast and too much for people to look at it all Want to just show them what is important This is a good reason to learn math

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 34 Other types of data analysis problems Infrared Data Audio Data Stream Video Stream With Active Background Filter dynamic background Computer Network Access Determine possible hacking via polling Find variations in audio background Detect and track moving targets

B (LA) SPIE_Seminar_Talk 35 Computer engineering is a good career field Many personal and financial advantages Lots of opportunity to be creative Offers real chance for achievement Can lead to great success Plenty to do – The work is there Boredom has not been a problem Overall