Ronald Lehmer
3314 Mentone Avenue #2
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Home: (310) 838-4734
rdlehmer@ix.netcom.com
Objective: Engineering
management or senior project engineer position focusing on distributed
computing environments for state-of-the-art scientific and engineering
simulation applications.
Profile: A
creative and highly adaptive systems engineer with a versatile
background in engineering, computer hardware and software, and
experimental physics. An enterprising and thorough engineer and
project manager capable of providing highly effective and innovative
solutions to meet customer requirements.
Northrop Grumman Information Technology,
Technical Services, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View,
CA (6/1998 to date)
Virtual Airspace Simulation Technology
- Real-Time (VAST-RT) Project Manager (1/2002
to date)
Successfully led a group of 20 software
and hardware engineers to extend the state-of-the-art in NASA's
real-time Air Traffic Management (ATM) simulation capability.
Integrated three high-fidelity flight deck simulators with multiple
Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulation facilities to create a real-time
simulation of a region of the National Airspace. This simulation
environment supports both system concept evaluation and human-factors
related research.
- Developed system concepts and detailed
requirements from high-level NASA program goals with a minimum
of technical requirements from customer. Provided direct guidance
to software developers for the integration of real-time, human-in-the-loop
simulators, as well as other simulation models. Direct liaison
to NASA managers for all technical aspects of the project, including
discussions of requirements, schedules, status, and deliverables.
Worked with technical leads to prioritize tasks and deliverables
and to develop staffing and resource plans.
- Implemented the VAST-RT distributed simulation
environment with a standards-based architecture utilizing DoD's
High Level Architecture (HLA). Creatively extended the VAST-RT
architecture through the use of software gateways to tie together
legacy simulators and other existing distributed simulation architectures
in a highly cost-effective manner.
- Oversaw software team responsible for
delivery of a core VAST-RT simulation model capability, the Airspace
Traffic Generator (ATG), which provided most of the air traffic
in the simulation environment.
Crew Vehicle Systems Research Facility
(CVSRF) Sub-Task Manager (6/2000
to 12/2001)
Provided on-site coordination and prime
contractor oversight of engineering and maintenance support of
the Crew Vehicle Systems Research Facility (CVSRF).
- Oversaw day-to-day maintenance and engineering
support for a NASA facility with two man-rated flight simulators
and an ATC Laboratory. Managed an engineering and technician
force of 6.
- Led various hardware engineering and software
system upgrades, including re-hosting of the CVSRF ATC Laboratory
to a low-cost PC solution with increased simulation capabilities.
- Provided ongoing software support, including
system administration, for a heterogeneous software development
and operations environment that included SGI, Linux PC's, AIX,
and Macintosh computers. Managed unattended backup systems.
- Organized and conducted transition of
facility from sub-contractor operation to prime contractor workforce.
Senior Systems Engineer - Vertical Motion
Simulator (VMS) (6/1998 to 6/2000)
Led system integration and design projects
to support the VMS flight simulation facility at NASA/Ames.
- Responsible for hardware engineering of
simulator systems and the management of projects, including management
reviews, schedules, and documentation.
- Projects included a major upgrade to the
facility's video distribution system, a new interface for Space
Shuttle flight hardware that is used with the VMS simulation,
and designed a new digital interface for a laboratory chart recorder
upgrade.
- Provided operational support to troubleshoot
hardware problems in the VMS simulator systems.
- Conducted other technology and feasibility
studies as directed by management.
Associate Development Engineer, University
of California, San Diego (4/1996
to 5/1998)
Designed and implemented analog electronic
instrumentation and data reduction software for the reciprocated
Langmuir probe system at the DIII-D fusion energy research facility
at General Atomics.
Participated in fusion energy experiments
and presented results at research meetings and conferences.
Staff Research Associate, UCLA and UC-San
Diego (8/1986 to 3/1996)
System developer for the PISCES plasma-surface
interaction laboratory; developed scientific software applications
for various plasma physics experiments. Managed growth of distributed
computing environment and facilitated integration of new experimental
initiatives into existing data acquisition and analysis environment.
- Lead the design and fabrication of a customized
CAMAC based data acquisition system for plasma turbulence measurements.
Experience with high-speed analog to digital converters, analog
and digital design, automated test procedures, and CAMAC device
drivers for VAX/VMS.
- Conducted and participated in experimental
studies of turbulent plasmas, plasma-material interactions, and
plasma source development. Analyzed turbulent dynamics in plasmas
using both Fourier and Wavelet transforms, cross correlation
analysis, and scientific visualization techniques.
- Integrated IR pyrometers for surface temperature
measurements of material samples.
Professional Skills
- Extensive programming experience in FORTRAN,
C, IDL, HTML, and CGI.
- Linux system management and configuration.
Experience with the RTLinux real-time kernel.
- System management experience in a heterogeneous
VMS and Unix environment. Configuration and management of backup
systems using Retrospect and Legato Networker.
- Webmaster experience, including web server
configuration, page design, and content development.
- Experience with relational databases and
SQL in both scientific and non-scientific applications.
- Development experience with Xilinx FPGA's
and CPLD's; Cadence circuit design and layout experience.
- Experience with UHV vacuum design, physics
diagnostic development, and high voltage and current power supplies.
Extensive experience with CAMAC based data acquisition products,
including device driver and database integration. Experience
with PLC based control systems.
Education and Training
Nuclear Engineering (Applied Plasma Physics),
UCLA Ph. D. (1996) and M. S. (1989)
Physics with Highest Honors, University
of California, Berkeley B. S. (1986)
Object Oriented Analysis, Object Oriented
Design, Management of Object Oriented Projects, UCSC Extension,
3/2002 to 6/2002
C++ Programming Language, UCSC Extension,
3/2002
HLA Training, Distributed Simulation (DISTI),
3/2002
Project Management Tools and Techniques,
NASA Academy of Program and Project Leadership, 4/2001
Systems Engineering: Principles and Practices,
UCLA Extension Short Course, 7/1999
Publications
6 First Author Papers and 34 Co-Authored
Papers (List Available Upon Request)
Awards
TRW Fellowship in Material Science (Diagnostic
Probes for Plasmas),1988 and 1990
References Available Upon Request