work and training

Stanly Associates in Horsham, UK, from 2007 to 2016. This was a small independent company of very experienced and highly qualified technologists supporting small companies and private customers in the South of England. All aspects of information technology were covered.

BOC Edwards, Crawley, UK - 1990 to 2006. I relocated to the UK to work at BOC Edwards, a major manufacturer and supplier of vacuum equipment (not vacuum cleaners!). The company has been sold and bought, and today trades as Edwards Vacuum. I was a senior technologist and did a lot of work on vacuum science and semiconductor process applications. The company's founder was a master of the Scientific Instrument Makers.

Intevep, Venezuela - 1987 to 1990. This is (or was) the research and development branch of Petroleos de Venezuela. I ran the Rock Physics (nothing to do with rock music) laboratory team for a few years. It was a lot of fun and I met wonderful people who remain my friends to this day. Many visits to oil fields, some at mid-night in the middle of a lake, others inland where the ambient temperature was 45 degrees C in the shade, but there was no shade.

IVIC, Venezuela - 1970 to 1987. This still is the most important Venezuelan scientific research institution. I had done work experience at IVIC since my last years in high school. When I finished my university studies in California I was offered a job at IVIC, and my work association with the institute remained until 1987, when I went to work for the oil industry.

I am retired and live on a pension. However, I find myself doing much more work now than when I was "working". If you know what I mean.

I still remember the basics of computer and network technology, and try to keep up with the latest technological advances (there are several computers in my bedroom, plus a few smartphones). I also spend time designing websites (like this one).

I am a STEM ambassador. The task is to visit schools and explain to the students what a future career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics might look like. This is part of a national effort to promote technical careers as an alternative to Media Studies, Stage Management, etc. Nothing wrong with the humanities, but...

Part of what I will be doing in the next few years will have to do with designing physics experiments (of a safe nature) for school chldren to do at home, complete with online demonstrations.

I miss the free time... If you want a quiet and easy life, don't retire!

I went to California to study engineering, and ended up with a degree in physics. It was the time of space exploration, and we were excited about the many advances in science. My undergraduate universities were the University of the Pacific in Stockton, and CSU Stanislaus in Turlock. It was at CSU that I first met Prof. Art Schawlow, co-inventor of the laser, during one of his visits (I met him again some years later when I went to Stanford to do my post-doc under his supervision).

When I finished my undergraduate studies I went to work at IVIC, in Venezuela, under the supervision of Dr. Romer Nava. I was offered a scholarship to study for a Ph.D. at a university of my choice (not quite, but I finally went where I wanted). Cambridge University was my choice, and I spent five years at the Cavendish Laboratory working with Drs. W Y Liang and A D Yoffe on electron spectroscopy. I learned a lot of physics, but more importantly, I learned to row. I was boats captain for my college for a few years. Fresh air early in the morning helps when you have to spend the day in a dark laboratory. Very refreshing!

Back to IVIC when I couldn't justify staying in Cambridge any longer, and out to university again a few months later. This time it was Stanford University, where I did my postdoctoral research. It was at Stanford that I learned most of what I know about lasers and quantum optics. Then back to IVIC to put into practice some of the things I learned. I stayed at IVIC twelve years doing research in quantum optics and optical properties of solids.