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I am working in the area of intelligent power management, where our aim is to combine the use of sensors, computational fluid dynamics models, and machine learning to devise optimal control strategies for minimizing power consumption while maintaining performance and service levels in data centers.

I am working with IBM Tivoli on the newly released product, Maximo Asset Manager for Energy Optimization, which incorporates IBM Research-developed functionality specifically geared to monitoring energy consumption in data centers. I have previously worked with Tivoli on their Maximo Spatial Asset Management product - a product which combines the capabilities of an asset/configuration management system with a geographic information system (GIS).

I am principal investigator on a joint program with IBM Ireland, the University of Limerick, Dublin Institute of Technology, and three of our Research labs in a project where we will use a recently built, state of the art, R&D data center to run experiments to understand the tradeoff between IT and facilities variables in controlling power consumption, as well as use it to validate fluid dynamics models and services, and work on protocols for optimal data transport in sensor networks.

I am building robots designed to monitor temperature and air flow in data centers and for detecting heat and air conditioning losses in buildings or homes.

I am working on the strategy portion of IBM's Jeopardy-playing program, which will compete against humann opponents in late 2010/early 2011.

Prior to focusing my attention on intelligent power management, I managed a group of Researchers whose flagship product was an application to help Server System Administrators ("SAs") do there job more efficiently. The application, known as the Sys Admin Portal, is in relatively widespread use within Server System Operations, one of the largest parts of IBM's services business. We also worked extensively on knowledge management solutions for help centers. Generally we tried to apply machine learning, data mining techniques and a knowledge of systems management to solve services problems. Members of my old group are now working with Tivoli to incorporate some of our ideas into Tivoli products.

Besides working on algorithmic methods for improving knowledge management and problem determination, my colleagues and I are also interested in bringing the right people together at just the right time to solve problems. The right person to solve your product problem may not be the product manufacturer! We have an ambitious thesis that optimal product support is generally a matter of the manufacturer/distributor connecting the customer in need with the right person to solve the problem, rather than the manufacturer/distributer having the answer to all potential problems. Our thesis is articulated in a paper delivered at Persuasive 2007 in Stanford.

Some of my more interesting patent filings relate to the following areas:
- robotic and geometrically-inspired methods for energy optimization
- search
- non-hierarchical file systems
- policy-based printing
- systems for making email, instant messaging, and other forms of collaboration less taxing
- systems for just-in-time connection of people with problems to people with solutions
Off and on, I have worked on a chess program that can think and learn about chess in the ways strong human players do, and also can discuss positions in the way human players do.

I have a very wonderful Research mentor in John Vergo. John is a senior manager and active researcher in human-computer interaction. In the last few years John has also become one of the key strategists and arthictects in the area of component business process modeling.
I am mentoring a very talented old colleague, Kevin Cox, who is part of Global Business Services and works in IBM's SAP practice. Kevin and I worked together over ten years ago when IBM was making its inital foray into e-commerce. Kevin led the development of the first PC configurator.
I am mentoring a very talented high school student, Maroun Najjar. Maroun's project has to do with infrared and robotics-based temperature monitoring in data centers and homes.

I participated in the McGill-INRIA Workshops on Computational Geometry and Computer Graphics in Barbados in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009.
National Engineer's Week - I'm involved in the IBM Research program to visit local middle schools and educate students about engineers. I have used this opportunity to show off my chess program. We break the kids into groups, and each group has a chance to make small changes to the basic program. We then play the different versions of the program against each other.
I have been a referee for the FIRST Lego League, and enjoy working with Lego Mindstorms robotics projects with my own kids.

I am an active masters swimmer - mostly focusing on long distance open water events. In July 2008 I finished 33rd at the US National 25K (15.5 mile) Open Water Championships in Noblesville, Indiana and in 2007 I finished 41st at the US National 10K Open Water Championships in Huntington Bay, New York. This past summer I swam across the Strait of Gibraltar, from the south of Spain to the northern tip of Morocco with my good friend and former colleague Philipp Tiedt. I am in the process of planning the next adventure for some time in 2010 or 2011. I am always looking for another swimmer or two to share in my goals, and am similarly always on the lookout for kayak support. If you are of a like-minded adventurous spirit, please contact me!
I enjoy running at the Rockefeller Estate at Pocantico Hills.
Although I have not played for many years, I was once an active chess master. I achieved a U.S. Chess Federation rating of 2282 and a FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs) rating of 2235. Here is an old game I played against computer chess authority and international master Michael Valvo. Here is a chess problem I composed a couple of years back. I sometimes teach chess to kids at my local North Salem library, using the chess program I have developed at IBM Research.