Showing posts with label Dickinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dickinson. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2015

The Group Mind of Software Development, Software Support and Google/Bing @Innovye #SWMM5 #EPANET

I saw this article (from my email) from Business Insider about the "Group Mind"  Here is the very long link URL

Group mind

This idea that individuals prioritise where information is located has led some researchers topropose that digital devices and the internet have become a form of transactive memory. This idea, which dates back to the 1980s, refers to a group memory that is superior to that of any individual.
According to this account, individuals can collectively store and distribute information using a shared store of knowledge. This store of knowledge means that individuals can access details that they may not know themselves by knowing that another individual remembers it, thus enhancing what information is available to them by communicating with other people. In the same way, individuals develop a transactive memory with the internet and rely on it for information by focusing on where details are located rather than the details themselves.
More recent research has extended this line of work and found that saving information on a computer not only changes how our brains interact with it, but also makes it easier to learn new information. In a study published last year, the participants were presented with two files that each contained a list of words. They were asked to memorise both lists. Half of the participants were asked to save the first file before moving on to the next list, while the others had to close it without saving.
One of the many reasons to use software from Innovyze (www.innovyze.com) is that you get decades of programming experience, decades of product development, decades of product support across multiple platforms and multiple development histories.  We combine the best of  CDM Smith, EPA,  UF/OSU, XP-Solutions, Wallingford, MWH Soft, Innovyze, MicroDrainage and our own personal histories.  We also take pride in our social media presence.   I will admit that I also use Google a lot to find out what I said before on a particular subject!

http://www.swmm456.com/
http://swmm2000.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Innovyze/timeline

Topic πŸ“šDescription πŸ“Emoji Illustration 🌟
Transactive Memory πŸ’ΎA collective memory mechanism where individuals store and distribute information using a shared knowledge base. This concept extends to digital devices and the internet, allowing individuals to access details they may not know personally by knowing where to find them.πŸ’ΎπŸŒπŸ€
Enhanced Learning 🧠Research indicates that saving information on a computer alters how our brains interact with it and facilitates learning new information. This was demonstrated in a study where participants were better able to memorize a list of words when they saved it on a computer compared to when they didn't.πŸ§ πŸ’»πŸ“š
Autodesk Innovyze Software Benefits πŸ› ️Utilizing software from Autodesk Innovyze leverages decades of programming experience, product development, and support across various platforms. It embodies the expertise from notable entities like CDM Smith, EPA, UF/OSU, XP-Solutions, Wallingford, MWH Soft, Innovyze, MicroDrainage, and more.πŸ› ️⏳πŸ”„
Social Media Presence πŸ“±Autodesk Innovyze takes pride in its social media presence, providing additional platforms for information sharing and interaction.πŸ“±πŸ’¬πŸŒ

This updated table reflects the rebranding of Innovyze to Autodesk Innovyze, keeping the insights from the blog regarding the "Group Mind" concept and the benefits of utilizing Autodesk Innovyze software intact.


Thursday, May 14, 2015

World-Renowned Urban Drainage Modeling Authority Robert Dickinson Joined Innovyze in January, 2008

World-Renowned Urban Drainage Modeling Authority Robert Dickinson Joined Innovyze in January, 2008

Broomfield, Colorado USA, January 16, 2008/altered 2014

2008/2014 Robert E. Dickinson, one of the world’s leading experts in wastewater and urban drainage modeling, has joined Innovyze as Product Sector Leader. Dickinson, who comes to the company from CDM now CDMSmith, will be charged with maintaining, enhancing and supporting Innovyze's flagship SWMM5-based product line (InfoSWMM and H2OMAP SWMM as well as the GIS based InfoSewer and H2OMap Sewer), which are some of the industry’s leading wastewater and urban drainage systems design and modeling software. He will also be responsible for coordinating vital collaborative research and technology transfer with key universities and government organizations as well as developing business strategies that advance Innovye’s overall growth objectives in wastewater and stormwater systems management and heighten its initiatives in both U.S. and international markets.

Mr. Dickinson brings over thirty-five years of experience in software development and management of wastewater and stormwater planning and design projects to Innovyze. A principal developer of the industry-standard and FEMA-certified SWMM5 software, he has a distinguished background in computational hydraulics and high level simulation programming. He holds an M.E. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida, Gainsville.

“We are thrilled to bring Robert’s formidable talents and expertise to our company,” said Innovyze's President and COO Paul Boulos. “As one of the world’s leading experts in hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, he has made significant contributions to the field of water resources engineering. His unique combination of proven project engineering expertise, management skills and high-level technical capabilities is coveted in our industry.
“A number of factors make Robert the ideal leader to help Innovyze advance the state-of-the-art in dynamic sewer network modeling and spearhead the continued development of our SWMM5-based products family. They include his impressive record of leadership, impeccable reputation, key role in the USEPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM5) redevelopment program, strong expertise in both numerical methods and hydrology/hydraulics, and in-depth knowledge of the wastewater industry.

“While he will be based in Tampa, Florida, Robert will work closely with our product development team and our clients as we step up our efforts to help communities around the world manage urban runoff and wet weather water quality problems in combined, sanitary and storm sewers and protect the ecological health of our waterways.”

“I am truly excited to be joining Innovyze,” said Dickinson. “For the past five years, I have followed the company’s rapid growth and development of an impressive product portfolio. I have always admired Innovyze’s unparalleled technical expertise and its steadfast commitment to research, innovation, product quality and customer care. I believe a breakthrough approach to systems modeling is a critical key to helping communities better manage and operate their buried hydraulic infrastructures and protect the environment. I look forward to playing a pivotal role in advancing Innovyze’s comprehensive urban drainage design and modeling product line and maintaining its leadership in the global wastewater industry.”

2014 - That was fun - an update of an announcement from the past.  The original is on our website. I changed my name from Bob to Robert, the company name from MWHSoft to Innovyze and list my my actual job or jobs I have been doing at @Innovyze from 2008.  I left the title alone - sometimes it is best to have a goal in life and trying to achieve the title of the announcement is something I would like to approach in my remaining Innovyze years.  I probably will not reach it but I appreciate the mastery of the Paul Boulos announcements - he writes the most creative and wonderful press releases. You should subscribe to them from www.innovyze.com if you want to read about the future of water, sewer and stormwater.  A final mention of Alight Tsai who manages http://www.innovyze.com/ and is always helpful with great images for our software and help files.  I would be remiss if I did not mention our great R/D product development teams in Monrovia and Wallingford. I am proud to be a small part of the Monrovia team.  Other history mentions about SWMM3/4/5 in my past can be found here http://www.swmm5.net/2012/05/my-history-with-various-versions-of.html

Another update for May 2015 - we are making great strides in social media led by our Director of Marketing Rajan Ray who can be found at @InnovyzeRaj and in general at @Innovyze. You can see all of our tweets by searching for Innovyze on Twitter

My contact info - in case you need to call me, I prefer email however.

Robert Dickinson
Product Sector Leader (PSL) for Innovyze Inc.
Telephone:    813-712-0664 

Innovyze Links or Email Addresses that May Help You
My PSL Software and My Help for Other Software Or How I Can Help You
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Read about Innovyze InfoWater winning the ArcGIS for Desktop Based Application category for the 2015 Esri Partner Conference Awards

The Link to Future Innovyze Webcasts

Are you interested in connecting with fellow Innovyze users?  Register for the Innovyze Users Forum, a customer-focused learning and sharing environment, and join in the discussion! 
PSL: InfoSWMM , InfoSewer, H2OMAP SWMM, H2OMAP SEWER and InfoSWMM Suite, InfoSWMM Sustain, SWMMLive and InfoSWMM 2D
Other : ICM, ICM SE, IWCS, SWMMLive, SWMM5,  InfoSWMM SFEM,, Any Other Innovyze Product (less)

You can see all of our software on our catalog

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http://blog.innovyze.com/category/infosewer/
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A short history of my life with SWMM

The Current InfoSWMM Version is InfoSWMM v13 SP1 Update #5 which is based on EPA SWMM 5.1.007  You can read about SWMM5 on Wikipedia  and InfoSWMM vs SWMM 5 on this blog post. An advantage of updating to the newer version of Info/Map/SWMM/Sewer is a newly designed help file with many more FAQ’s and the User Guide as part of the help file.




Thursday, April 16, 2015

Via @Boonsri I Don't Make New Year's Resolutions, I Create Processes (And So Should You)

image
I spent 6 and a half years studying chemical engineering at the University of Florida and the University of Colorado at Boulder, writing out flow charts for industrial processes. Much of my time was spent thinking about oil rigs and pharmaceutical companies.
Earlier…



Here’s a photo of my dad holding me when I was super little outside my childhood home at The University of Florida. Yes, I actually grew up on campus! And the other photo is of me at the pool we always went to. 

My Dad is Obsessed with Water
He always has been now that I think about it. When I was a little girl living in Gainesville, FL, he would take me down a path less traveled to get to the pool.
We’d walk in the creek and through a tunnel, instead of walking on the sidewalk and on the crosswalk. He showed me that you can make your own rules. Through the daily treks in the creek, I learned that what is important is the adventure that you make for yourself, not the destination. 
Watch the Elemental original story here: From Bacteria to Sperm, the Fascinating World of Low Reynolds Number Flows - it is not here, however.
So when my dad wrote this story about his 40 year career as an engineer, it got me thinking about why I decided to work in Jason Butler’s lab at the University of Florida while I was an undergraduate.
Why was I fascinated by water too? Growing up in Florida, with a culture that centers around sunshine and time in the water, I think water just becomes a need like anything else, one that you can definitely take for granted.
As I recall, it was the summer of 2005 and I was working in Butler’s lab, preparing a microfluidic device that would pump DNA through it. I had to get the experiment ready in the chemical engineering department, but would then have to venture out into the 90 degree weather to look at the flow under a microscope. Even though the experiments never quite worked the way I wanted it to, I always thought it was beautiful to watch the green, fluorescent DNA molecules flow through the microfluidic channel that was made specifically for me by a collaborating graduate student. I had access to the powerful confocal microscope, so I could see what was going on in this micro world and what I was seeing at that moment was a molecule that was breaking all rules that I have ever known about the flow of water as seen by my naked eyes. It was as if I was unlocking a world of possibilities in a world that was invisible to the real world and only I could see the phenomena unfold in the dark microscope room.
The fact that molecules flowing under low Reynolds number do not follow the same rules as the rules that govern the world we live in fascinated me. Molecules that move in low Reynolds number required their own set of rules to get around. Thinking about that is what kept me showing up that summer, even though the series of experiments I ran just failed again and again. I had nothing to show for all my hard work, except for experience. I didn’t know this at the time, but that is the whole point in doing anything. I only had to endure the failed experiments for one summer. Many scientists spend 20 or more years investigating a field of science before they begin to find promising results.
Besides my college lab project, there was always something else about the engineering department at UF that I felt a connection to. I practically grew up in the engineering building at UF because my dad was working in the environmental engineering department and would take me there when he needed to use the computers. I never really understood at my young age exactly what he was doing. All I knew was that he was interested in water and computers.
Watch a film I made, after my dad emailed me: “We love you and I hope you find your meaning and your love but you seem to have found your creativity and wisdom.”
After reading my dad’s most recent description of his work, I’m still not entirely sure what he does (just teasing Dad).
But one thing that he said to me always stuck with me: Do what you love to do and you’ll be happy. It wasn’t so much him telling me that as me witnessing him obsessively code the computer and wait for the simulations to take their course throughout the night, often times ignoring his surroundings. While he was in the same room, he seemed to inhabit a different world all together. Except when we went to the pool. His attention seemed to be completely present on walking in the creek to get there and also swimming laps in the pool. Going to the pool was a daily activity. I remember staying in the water so long, my skin got prune-like. In fact, we probably spent more time in the water, then we spent on land together. I’m happy to see that he’s been working on modeling water for 40 years and his interest in it keeps on growing. And that the code keeps getting more and more complex!

So when I published the Elemental original story about Howard Stone, a renown chemical engineering professor at Princeton University, I had this nostalgic feeling because I remembered my time in Butler’s lab. Remember the time I spent preparing experiments so I could study what would happen to DNA when I pumped them through microfluidic devices. 
I sent the video story about low Reynolds number to my dad, and he wanted to write about Reynolds number because he is interested in it. He clarified that he wouldn’t scoop me and that he is interested in high Reynolds number, not low Reynolds number which seemed to capture my imagination.
And to think my dad’s interested in water began in high school, when he was just 17 years old. He learned about SWMM in a brochure from the University of Florida and he thought that working on water resources would be a good way to spend his professional career. So in many ways, that brochure influenced my childhood years, as I roamed around the engineering department at UF. But it also influenced my adventures: the creeks I explored, the pools I swam in, and the beaches I visited.

He actually made this to describe his career progression. You can follow my dad @RDickinson or @InnovyzeRobert on Twitter if you want to stay up-to-date on water related issues.
In case you missed it, also check out the Elemental original story about lego microfluidics: This is not here @Boonsri
I’m curious to know how your childhood and college experiences influenced your career and life decisions. Let me know in the comments!

Boonsri Dickinson's Fascinating Journey to the World of Science: A Splash of Adventure and a Spark of Curiosity πŸŒŠπŸ’‘

By Boonsri Dickinson

Growing up amidst the vibrant campus of the University of Florida, Boonsri Dickinson's life was intertwined with the world of science and engineering from an early age. Her father, a passionate and dedicated engineer, instilled in her a deep fascination for water and its intricate complexities. πŸ’§

Boonsri's childhood was filled with unconventional adventures, venturing through creeks and tunnels instead of sidewalks, guided by her father's belief in creating one's own path. πŸŒ³πŸ‘£ These escapades instilled in her the importance of pursuing one's passions and embracing the journey, rather than just focusing on the destination. πŸ—Ί️

During her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, Boonsri's fascination with water led her to Jason Butler's lab, where she delved into the mesmerizing world of microfluidics. πŸ§ͺπŸ’‰ There, she encountered the captivating behavior of molecules under low Reynolds numbers, defying the conventional rules of fluid flow. πŸ”¬

Despite the challenges and setbacks she faced in her experiments, Boonsri's fascination with low Reynolds number flows remained unwavering. πŸ§ͺπŸ§ͺ She found beauty in the movement of fluorescent DNA molecules through microfluidic channels, a spectacle visible only under the powerful confocal microscope. 🧬✨

Her father's unwavering dedication to his work, often spending nights coding and simulating water models, further ignited Boonsri's passion for science and engineering. πŸ’»πŸ‘¨‍πŸ’» She witnessed firsthand his love for his work, which transcended the boundaries of time and space. πŸš€

The influence of her father's career extended beyond the lab, shaping Boonsri's childhood adventures, exploring creeks, swimming countless laps, and spending cherished moments by the water. 🌊🏊‍♀️ These experiences fostered a deep connection to nature and a lifelong appreciation for the wonders of water. πŸ’§

Boonsri's journey to becoming a scientist is a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and the unwavering support of loved ones. 🧠πŸ’ͺπŸ’• Her story reminds us that the path to scientific discovery is often filled with unexpected twists and turns, but it is the unwavering pursuit of knowledge and the passion for unraveling nature's mysteries that drive us forward. πŸ”✨

What would be the perfect format for a Water Related Engineering Blog?

What would be the perfect format for a Water Related Engineering Blog?

A note for my readers.  I am having an internal public discussion with myself.  If you have other ideas or suggestions please email me.  I get a lot of emails and very little non spam comments on my blogs. It is probably a characteristic of engineers who work for a living. 

What would be the best or perfect format for a  Water Blog?

  1. A general introduction to why the blog matters to the reader and what will either be explained or demonstrated in the blog.
  2. An introduction to the feature discussed in the blog.
  3. An equation or psuedo code to illustrate the fundamentals of the item discussed in the blog,
  4. A few images showing how the feature discussed is used in the Water related Software.
  5. Sensitivity Analysis for the feature or a least a mention of how sensitive the parameter of feature is in the model
  6. Drawbacks of the feature, or known workarounds.
  7. Related Blogs and URL's
  8. Summary of what was discussed.

Here are other blog making ideas

http://www.successfulblogging.com/16-rules-of-blog-writing-which-ones-are-you-breaking/
Here is a long snippet from the above mentioned post


16 Rules of Blog Writing and Layout

1. Format every blog post Careful formatting will make your blog posts easier for people to scan. Write your posts with the page layout in mind or edit them to make sure they’re well formatted for scan reading.
2. Constrain column width Keep the blog post column width about 80 characters or less (including spaces) and your readers will thank you for it. Check out these before and after screen shots of Under the Mango Tree. I advised Stacyann to update her blog to make it easier to read and changing the column width for the main body of text was one of the first things we sorted out. Wide columns of text are an instant turn off and very hard to read. The difference is incredible and it’s such a simple change.
Rules of Blog Writing and Blog Post Formatting
3. Use Headers and Sub-headers Headers and sub-headers will break up long blog posts, help people scan read your blog and convince them to read the post. Read How to Write Hypnotic Headlines to read more about the importance of headlines and headers for blog writing.
4. Use lists Numbered lists or bullet pointed lists help people scan blog posts fast and find the information they’re looking for quickly.
5. Use punctuation Use full stops, commas, dashes and colons to break up each paragraph into smaller pieces of information that make sense quickly. No one wants to read the same sentence several times to try to make sense of it. If you’re not confident about punctuation keep sentences short. As you practice writing and start to improve you can experiment and lengthen your sentences, chucking in a long one here and there to keep things interesting for readers, and make sure they’re really paying attention. Long sentences are fine but check that every sentence makes sense and the meaning is clear.
6. Short paragraphs Because reading is harder online it’s best to break text into manageable chunks. Paragraphs should be much shorter online than on paper with two to six sentences per paragraph a good guideline for blog posts.
7. Font type Sans-serif fonts (without the squiggly bits) are generally supposed to be easier to read on-screen, in particular Verdana. Successful Blogging uses the sans-serif font Roboto (without the squiggly bits) which is also designed for easy reading on-screen.
8. Font size Big is better. Teeny tiny writing is hard to read online, even for people with 20/20 vision like me. Make it bigger. Check out some of your favorite blogs, compare the font size they use and decide what works best for your readers. If they’re older they might prefer even bigger text than the average blog reader.
9. Be bold Don’t overuse bold text or it loses its effectiveness but do use bold text to make a splash and highlight important sentences that will catch people’s attention and draw them into, or on with, the blog post. 
10. Drop the italics Italics are hard to read in print. Couple that with on-screen reading already being challenging and banish italics from your blog writing. I hate them. If you can avoid italics please do.
11. Capital letters Use capitals for proper nouns and at the beginning of sentences but avoid writing all in capitals because it’s harder to read. PLUS USING CAPITAL LETTERS CONSTANT IS THE ONLINE EQUIVALENT OF BEING SHOUTED AT. Sorry, just wanted to get the point across.
12. White space
Readers need somewhere to rest the eye and a good blog layout leaves plenty of blank space.
CLICK TO TWEET
Make sure your blog isn’t too busy or distracting and gives readers somewhere to rest their eye from time to time.
13. Background color Most blogs and websites get the contrast between text color and background color right, but make sure your blog background doesn’t make the text hard to read. It makes me sad that a white background with black text has become the default for most blogs. Bright yellow text on a black background is easiest to read but that’s a confrontational look. Dark text on a light background has a wider appeal but consider using another light color for the background as white gives off a harsh glare. There are plenty of choices which look good and are still easy to read but without the glare of white: try light grey, minty green or pale yellow.
14. Use images
Good use of images will draw readers in to your blog posts. Sometimes I read a post purely because I like the image. Ideally your images will add to your blog or emphasize your message. Even if they can’t do that use them to break up text, draw your reader’s eye down the page and reward them for reading and spending time on your blog. Some blogs likeViperchill turn their headers and sub-headers into images which makes the text look more attractive and helps people scan read.
15. Be consistent  You don’t know how readers found your blog. You can’t be sure if they arrived straight at your latest post, on your about page or via an archived post. You can’t know which order people will read your blog in so every post you write needs to tell the same story about you, your message, your blog and your values.
16. Tell a story Speaking of stories, every blog post needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Think of it as an introduction, the main information and conclusion if you prefer. Even if you don’t give use those sub-headings because, hopefully, you’ve come up with hotter ones, do follow the convention to avoid confusing your readers.

GitHub code and Markdown (MD) files Leveraging

 To better achieve your goal of leveraging your GitHub code and Markdown (MD) files for your WordPress blog or LinkedIn articles, consider t...