November 2011
Name |
William P. Hall (PhD) |
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Address |
PO Box 94, Riddells Creek, Vic
3431 Phones: +61 3 5428 6246 |
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Current
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Self-Employed |
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Security Clearances |
Secret (Australian, lapsed), US AEC Q (1964-1965) |
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Citizenship |
Australian | |
Birth |
August 16, 1939; Los Angeles, Calif. | |
Marital |
Married, no children | |
EducationDocumentation and Knowledge Management RolesAcademic Employment and RolesOther Professional ExperienceMiscellaneous Background (computer science)
EDUCATION |
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Tertiary |
1967-73 | PhD, Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 1973. Thesis title: Chromosome Evolution and Speciation in the Iguanid Lizard Genus Sceloporus. |
| 1966-67 | Washington University, St Louis, Mo. (genetics courses) | |
| 1965-67 | Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Ill. | |
| 1961-65 | BS, Zoology, San Diego State College, San Diego, Calif., 1964 | |
| 1959-61 | University of California, Los Angeles | |
| 1957-59 | Occidental College, Los Angeles | |
| Subjects in addition to Zoology and Biology included: | ||
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Secondary |
Graduated Pt Loma High School,
San Diego. Practical courses included maths & sciences, Army
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC - 3 yrs), typing, printshop and
drafting. |
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Academic Awards and Grants |
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE |
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DOCUMENTATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ROLES
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Current |
Kororoit Institute Proponents and Supporters Association, Inc.- President (honorary): KIPSA was incorporated in April 2011 to establish an independent research, outreach and postgraduate training organization to study complex organized systems. It is named after one of the central drainages crossing the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, that this is the most rapidly growing suburban area in Australia. The name also reflects the organization's interests in landcare and community organization (amongst other interests) and the fact that several of its founding members reside in the western suburbs. EA Principals, Inc. - Principal: (6268 Lincolnia Rd, Alexandria, VA 22312) As a TOGAF 9 Certified Enterprise Architect, I am participating in the develpment of course ware for this company that provides training for enterprise architects around the world. |
1/1990-
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Tenix Defence Pty Ltd. (Formerly AMECON, Transfield Defence Systems, Tenix Defence Systems Pty Ltd. Tenix Defence Pty Ltd was acquired and merged into BAE Systems in January 2008). Until October 2001, essentially all of my work for this employer was associated with documentation production and management requirements associated with Tenix's ~$7 BN contract to design, produce and deliver 10 ANZAC Class frigates to the Australian and New Zealand Navies. In October 2001 I moved to the Tenix Defence's corporate level Strategy and Development Group to help apply lessons learned across the multi-divisional corporate structure. In 2003, with a reorganization of Tenix Defence and the disbandment of Strategy and Development I was moved into the Engineering Head Office organization where I filled content and knowledge management roles. In January 2007 with restructuring of Tenix Defence, I was moved into Tenix Group Head Office. |
2006-2007
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Documentation and Knowledge Management Systems Analyst |
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2005
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Tenix Defence Engineering Head Office - Documentation and Knowledge Management Systems Analyst |
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2004
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Tenix Defence Engineering Head Office - Documentation and Knowledge Management Systems Analyst |
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2003 |
Tenix Defence Engineering Head Office - Documentation Systems Analyst |
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2002 |
Strategy and Development Group - Documentation Systems Analyst |
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2001 |
Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Documentation Systems Specialist |
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2000 |
Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Documentation Systems Specialist |
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1999 |
Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Documentation Systems Specialist |
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1998 |
Manager, SGML R&D Project, plus previously existing ILS roles as Documentation Systems Specialist |
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1997 |
Documentation Systems Specialist within ILS; designated Subject Matter Expert in the Shipbuilding Systems Project (SSP) for ILS and Configuration Management units; plus all of my previously existing ILS roles. SSP roles involved: |
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1995-1996 |
My major task was to design, develop and code a hierarchical relational database system in MS Access for authoring and managing planned maintenance data for the Landing Platform Amphibious project. Working for the Follow On Support cell of ILS I also developed several small tracking systems in MS Access (viewer for scanned correspondence, ILS warranty item tracking, general trial card overview/tracking, tracking of components cannibalised from shipsets). |
1993-1995 |
Working within ILS as documentation system developer, data administrator for planned maintenance data, and schedule administrator, my various functions involved: |
Conference attendance in this period included the 1993 and 1994 Australasian CALS conferences. Allette System's introductory and advanced SGML courses were also taken. |
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1992-1993 |
word processing systems expert variously shared between the Configuration Management, Training and Corporate Services Groups with the following main functions: |
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1990-1992 |
Commercial Documentation Controller for the ANZAC Ship subcontracts and purchase orders: |
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1988-
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Bank of
Melbourne. (formerly RESI-Statewide Building Soc.) Corporate Services, 541 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Documentation Manager, responsible for IS (excluding source) and end user documentation and banking forms. Documentation was all authored in WordPerfect on a Novell network. Forms were designed and maintained in a Macintosh environment. Non-administrative tasks included: |
Various skills were also gained with TSO/ISPF/SCRIPT in the 3090 MVS/XA environment, DMR's development methodology. Training included an in-house management course, and BIS Systems's course in Business Analysis. |
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| Technical Writer (initially on contract, then permanent): | |
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1983-
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Computerease
Software Pty Ltd (and predecessor companies) 278 Coventry Street, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 (In 1988 company assets were taken over by Information Unlimited (Aust) P/L, 2 Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell.) The maximum number of staff was about 10. Company products were all developed for a microcomputer (Vector Graphics) Concurrent CP/M environment, which would run up to three applications simultaneously on the one 386 K Z80 machine and/or support multiple users on dumb terminals. Products included a range of modules for small to medium import/export distributors (all financials, plus inventory control and import costing), clinical practices (medical, vet, dental & chiropractic), insurance brokers, capital asset managers, and a yacht club. The company developed brilliantly modular software on an excellent platform that could not be sold to an unsophisticated market that wanted IBM PC's. |
| My Computerease employment began with casual word processing assignments to my WP bureau and I resigned from the company as Documentation/Marketing Support Manager and shareholder. All documentation was developed in a stand-alone WordStar environment. Responsibilities included: | |
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1983-
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Computer Literacy
Trust (and predecessor organisations) c/o Pannell Kerr Forster, 255 William Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000 The Trust assembled and published four editions (2 for schools and 2 for businesses) of a computer literacy journal in an attempt to establish a self-supporting enterprise. Working variously as Consulting Editor / Chairman, Editorial Board on a part time basis I was involved in editorial and article writing; soliciting, selecting and editing copy; help in preparing promotional materials; and long-range planning. |
1981-
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W&R Hall Word
Processing Services 66 Atkinson Street, Templestowe, Vic. 3106 Home-based word processing, consulting and documentation services in conjunction with my wife. The major source of work was difficult academic theses and books (physics, mathematics and chemistry) with the occasional consultancy to set up word processing systems for small businesses. In 1980 we used an IBM selectric typewriter. Most work was done in a WordStar in a Z80 CP/M microcomputer environment, with a few jobs being completed in WordPerfect and MS Word (on Macintosh). Working freelance, I also contributed a number of evaluations of word processing systems to Australian computer magazines (see Publications and Abstracts items 26-30). |
ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT AND ROLES |
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Dec 2005 - |
National Fellow, Australian Centre for Science, Innovation and Society, University of Melbourne
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| Participation in
Postgraduate Education
I have served as a PhD thesis advisor in the area of knowledge management and organization theory.
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March 2002 - |
School of
Information Management & Systems, Monash University Honorary Research Fellow To facilitate work on my book project, Application Holy Wars (see below), I sought and was granted academic privileges as an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS). During in 2003, Tenix Defence funded one day per week release time to build on this opportunity. I used this position in an attempt to develop collaborative research opportunities between SIMS and Tenix Defence, and became Associate Advisor to three mature age PhD students, all with extensive management experience. |
1981- |
Queens College,
University of Melbourne E.H. Sugden Research Fellow The intent of my tenure of the Fellowship was to continue my research into the insights Thomas Kuhn's work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and Sir Karl Popper's writings offered on the history and philosophical foundations of evolutionary biology. To support my writing I purchased a locally developed microcomputer prototype to use as a word processor. However, a long delay in delivery of my research library and papers from the USA and my inability to generate any genuine interest amongst University students or faculty in my intended research project, made it easy for me to be drawn into the ferment surrounding the revolutionary development of personal computing. In conjunction with a group of people associated with the developers of my microcomputer, I attempted to establish a computer club at Queen's College. This, in conjunction with what was intended to be a chain of commercial 'Hands-On' computer clubs, was intended to help students and the general public prepare for the revolutionary changes that would be brought about by the new personal computing technology. The activities of this group, which also led to the establishment of the Computer Literacy Trust, never became sufficiently self-supporting to be commercial. |
1979- |
University of
Maryland, College Park Department of Zoology As Visiting Lecturer (fixed term), at the undergraduate level I taught 2/3 of the Evolution subject, Vertebrate Zoology and the cytogenetics part of the Experimental Genetics subject. I also gave a postgraduate subject in Evolution and Systematics. |
1977- |
University of
Melbourne, Parkville Department of Genetics As University of Melbourne Research Fellow, I participated in the Genetics Department's honours program as a student advisor and twice gave 25% of the genetical Evolution of Plants and Animals subject. I also participated in symposia and gave seminars at universities in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide. My major research project during this period was a study of the epistemology of the comparative approach in evolutionary biology , as well as continuing work to publish aspects of my PhD thesis. |
1976- |
University of
Colorado, Boulder Department of Evolutionary, Population and Organismic Biology As Visiting Assistant Professor (fixed term), my primary responsibility was the supervision, coordination and evaluation of a complete reorganisation of EPO Biology's first year general biology course program for approximately 1000 students. I also conducted the 2nd year Genetics subject for two summers and a postgraduate lecture subject on genetic systems, evolution and speciation. As Coordinator of the general Biology program, I supervised an average of 7 lecturers, 15 graduate demonstrators and 25 undergraduate assistant demonstrators per term. To aid me, I had a full time secretary-admin. assistant and a lab preparator-supervisor, plus miscellaneous work-study students. All first term labs were planned from scratch, and I was heavily involved in designing new lab facilities for the course. No time or facilities were available for research. |
1973- |
University of Puerto
Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Department of Biology (The University of Puerto Rico is a US Federal 'land grant' institution, equivalent to other State Universities in the continental US) As Assistant Professor I was fully responsible for the following subjects: Biogeography (3 terms), Cytogenetics (2 terms), genetics, invertebrate biology, marine invertebrates, comparative vertebrate anatomy, vertebrate ecology, and postgraduate seminars in cytogenetics and systematics. I supervised graduate work in mouse and plant cytogenetics, lizard cytosystematics and ecology, and primate behaviour. Academic committee assignments included Post Graduate Admissions (2½ years as co-chair), Core Curriculum Planning (2 yrs), Library (1 yr). Limited time and facilities were available for personal research. Such research as was attempted was severely disrupted by university strikes and lockouts. |
1968- |
Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass. Department of Biology As Teaching Fellow in Biology and General Studies, I demonstrated for two terms in the general education biology course given by the Nobel laureate George Wald, two terms in the Anthropology Department's general education course in primate genetics, behaviour and evolution, two terms in vertebrate biology, and taught evening extension courses in vertebrate and invertebrate biology (one term each). |
1965- |
Southern Illinois
University, Edwardsville Division of Life Sciences As "Assistant Instructor", I was fully responsible for general education biology lecture sections and labs (2+ terms) and invertebrate biology lectures and lab (1 term). I demonstrated in comparative vertebrate anatomy and vertebrate biology courses. |
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE |
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1980 |
US National Science Foundation Policy Research and Analysis - STIA Washington, DC Short term subcontract to assist in a statistical study of the effects of changing levels of funding (measured by research grants made) on the production of basic research in genetics in the US (measured by numbers of papers published by US Authors). The study involved extensive work with computerised databases from granting agencies and indexes to the literature such as Science Citation Index. |
| Volunteers in
Technical Assistance 3706 Rhode Island Ave., Mt. Ranier, MD 20822 Short term as Admin Assistant (librarian) in the Documentation Center Library. Tasks involved purchasing, accessioning, cataloguing and indexing of documents and publications on simple and energy conserving technologies appropriate for poor and developing countries. |
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1964- |
UCLA Laboratory of
Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology Nevada Test Site (US nuclear proving ground) Mercury, Nevada As a Research Technician in ecology (full time), I worked on Atomic Energy Commission sponsored studies of the effects of chronic low-level gamma radiation on desert ecosystems. While working on this project, I held AEC 'Q' (Top Secret) security clearance, and began my first successful studies of chromosome variation in the sceloporine lizards of North America. |
1963- |
San Diego State
University Department of Psychology Assistant (part time) to D.M. Rumbaugh on comparative studies of learning set performance of monkeys. |
1962 |
San Diego Society of
Natural History Museum and San Diego State Univ. Department of Herpetology As a curatorial assistant in herpetology (part time) I was involved in all aspects of collecting, accessioning and maintaining museum collections of reptiles and amphibians for both institutions. |
1960- |
Children's Hospital,
Los Angeles Sensory and Developmental Physiology Research Lab Working variously as a part or full-time research technician, and as a National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Trainee I was involved in a number of research projects in the following areas:
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MISCELLANEOUS BACKGROUND (Computer Science) |
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I grew up in Southern California sea ports, in a shipbuiling, engineering and military environment. My father variously built and operated fishing boats and was an industrial engineer in the aeronautical industry (both in manufacturing and for North Island Naval Air Station). My family were also 'yachties', and we lived aboard from the time I was 5 years old. Most of the marinas where we lived were adjacent to shipyards or yacht builders, and we were always surrounded by Navy activities. I selected high school courses intending to become an aeronautical/astronautical engineer, so I took all the university preparatory courses along with mechanical (=engineering) drafting and typing. Other high school practical courses included a year of print shop due to a family connection - a grandfather founded one of Los Angeles' major specialty printing firms. I took Army Reserve Officers Training Corps as an alternative to physical education. I entered Occidental College's joint engineering program with Caltech (a 5 year arts/engineering degree), although I soon changed to the more theoretical major of physics. During my two years at Occidental College, Air Force ROTC was compulsory for all first and second year male students. Although the technology for producing documents has undergone revolutionary changes since these early courses, the high school and ROTC activities gave me a solid foundation for engineering and military documentation standards and typography, page design and layout. My first contact with computers was in 1958-59 through an extracurricular project at Occidental College using an already obsolete computer at Caltech to analyse, design and code a machine language program to differentiate algebraic expressions. Analytical and flowcharting concepts were developed in this project. From 1960 to 1963, I worked part time and summers for the Sensory and Developmental Physiology Research Lab, where I was involved with real-time processing of neural responses using a signal averaging 'microcomputer' and a variety of other (then) state of the art electrophysiological apparatus. As a postgraduate student and academic I made frequent and sophisticated use of computerised library facilities to retrieve information from the world biological literature (e.g., even in the late 1970's Biological Abstracts was searchable for more than 5,000,000 publications, and was abstracting and indexing more than 250,000 new items each year - and this was only one of several on-line databases of comparable size I used.) I also gained substantial expertise in writing, illustrating and publishing through my own authoring activities and assisting students in the preparation of their work. As a research fellow at Queen's College (University of Melbourne) in 1981 I purchased an early microcomputer to word process my scientific papers, and became more fascinated by the rapidly evolving computer and its social implications than what I was writing. To pay for the computer, I started a home-based word processing service specialised in typing technical theses, and quickly became skilled with word processing and the CP/M operating system. During the period 1981-1983 I helped found the Australian Foundation for Computer Literacy (not-for-profit), and Public Access Computing Pty Ltd ('Hands-on Computer Clubs'), both intended to offer the general public training and hands-on access to the new personal computing technology. Although neither venture succeeded financially, I did gain some experience with the Apple II, Lisa and Macintosh environments, plus Cromemco's UNIX. Beginning in late 1983, I also became involved (as a contributing editor) with the attempt to start up a series of computer literacy journals. Four pilots were published, but the venture failed to gain backing for a sustained marketing effort. Some income was derived from offering word processing training and consultancy services. In the commercial computer press, I also published several reviews of word processing systems for both CP/M and early MS DOS environments. All of this led into my professional employment with Computerease Software as a technical documentation manager, where I became responsible for all of the company's user documentation and word processing activities. Through 1987 most of my writing and documentation work was done with WordStar in one of the Digital Research environments (CP/M, MP/M, Concurrent CP/M, Concurrent DOS). From 1987 to ~1995+ most work has been with WordPerfect MS DOS/Windows environment using the associated script processing tools. From 1993 I have become skilled with the MS Office range and their associated script processing tools and Visual Basic languages. I should also note that my research in evolutionary biology involved the analysis of fuzzy systems to understand how they work. The mental processes used to understand how a group of species evolves and changes in response to external circumstances are essentially identical to those used to understand how a business system works and can be changed to improve an organisation's bottom line.
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