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DavidM/20100614: Difference between revisions
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== Current work == | == Current work == | ||
[[File:mushroom.jpg| | [[File:mushroom.jpg|200px|right]] | ||
On to my current work, where I try to balance ideals with realities. To pay the bills, refine technical skills and spread wiki, I work part-time at Concordia's Fungal Genomics lab. That's right, the programme in CED led to supporting scientists working on things like "directed evolution." The goal of the group is to find more efficient enzymes for biofuels. Today's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol#As_a_fuel ethanol] solutions hardly make sense from an environmental perspective, but growing cellulosic material — trees — is beneficial in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle carbon cycle]. Fungi are pervasive in nature as part of the cycle of breaking things down, necessary to create efficient biofuels. So our group analyzes tens of thousands of digital genomic samples, and when a likely candidate is found — they grow it. It's pretty cool stuff, and a breakthrough would be huge. Wiki is successfully used for internal communications and for the project's websites. | On to my current work, where I try to balance ideals with realities. To pay the bills, refine technical skills and spread wiki, I work part-time at Concordia's Fungal Genomics lab. That's right, the programme in CED led to supporting scientists working on things like "directed evolution." The goal of the group is to find more efficient enzymes for biofuels. Today's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol#As_a_fuel ethanol] solutions hardly make sense from an environmental perspective, but growing cellulosic material — trees — is beneficial in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle carbon cycle]. Fungi are pervasive in nature as part of the cycle of breaking things down, necessary to create efficient biofuels. So our group analyzes tens of thousands of digital genomic samples, and when a likely candidate is found — they grow it. It's pretty cool stuff, and a breakthrough would be huge. Wiki is successfully used for internal communications and for the project's websites. | ||
[[File:Sm_Final_iCell_Logos_March_2010.001.png| | [[File:Sm_Final_iCell_Logos_March_2010.001.png|300px|left|link=http://www.innovationcell.com]] | ||
I am called a Fellow at the [http://www.innovationcell.com Health Innovation Cell] in Toronto. The group analyzes technology and social innovation to make recommendations and implement interventions to make the health system more responsive and efficient. I'm quite happy with the web site, from it's [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia-inspired] front page (great inspiration, [http://www.twitter.com/carlosrizo Carlos]), to use of wiki to manage content, to its potential as a linked data participant. Good projects are under development, and Innovation Cell has also been a strong promoter, in the health field, of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference unconference], participant led conferences. | I am called a Fellow at the [http://www.innovationcell.com Health Innovation Cell] in Toronto. The group analyzes technology and social innovation to make recommendations and implement interventions to make the health system more responsive and efficient. I'm quite happy with the web site, from it's [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia-inspired] front page (great inspiration, [http://www.twitter.com/carlosrizo Carlos]), to use of wiki to manage content, to its potential as a linked data participant. Good projects are under development, and Innovation Cell has also been a strong promoter, in the health field, of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference unconference], participant led conferences. | ||
Speaking of Unconference, I'm participating in [http://wwww.rococo2010.org Rococo 2010], a wiki and Open Spaces (very similar to unconference, with simple rules to help things stay on track and have deliverables) event in Montréal June 25 - 27. Judging from a [http://www.wikimontreal.net/wiki/Ravir_la_ville_-_Montreal_from_below recent Open Spaces event], it should be great. | Speaking of Unconference, I'm participating in [http://wwww.rococo2010.org Rococo 2010], a wiki and Open Spaces (very similar to unconference, with simple rules to help things stay on track and have deliverables) event in Montréal June 25 - 27. Judging from a [http://www.wikimontreal.net/wiki/Ravir_la_ville_-_Montreal_from_below recent Open Spaces event], it should be great. | ||
[[File:equalit.ie_logo.png|right]] | [[File:equalit.ie_logo.png|right|link=http://www.equalit.ie]] | ||
I'm also an associate of [http://www.equalit.ie Equalit.ie], a technical human rights support group, supporting the technical platform and helping to develop a wiki based publishing system. | I'm also an associate of [http://www.equalit.ie Equalit.ie], a technical human rights support group, supporting the technical platform and helping to develop a wiki based publishing system. | ||