In my latest references I mention people who recently wrote me letters. --------------------- Here are two of them: --------------------- From: dtcheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu Subject: Letter in support of Michael Bobak Date: January 5, 2004 3:57:02 PM EST To: career@ncsa.uiuc.edu Cc: bobak@mac.com, dtcheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu To whom it may concern: This letter in support of hiring Michael Bobak for the position #9045-NCSA. I have known Michael Bobak for over 10 years. During this course of time, I have had many technical discussions with Michael and have found him to be quite competent and creative in a variety of fields especially in artificial intelligence and machine learning (data mining). Michael would make an excellent addition to NCSA and, if he chooses to come, I hope to do some productive research with him. Sincerely -David Tcheng Research Programmer Automated Learning Group NCSA --------------------- --------------------- From: arickman@uiuc.edu Subject: Fwd: Search #9045-NCSA Date: January 9, 2004 12:45:03 PM EST To: bobak@mac.com Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 11:44:48 -0600 To: career@ncsa.uiuc.edu From: Aimee N Rickman Visiting Information Analysis Specialist >Overview: I am very familiar with NCSA having worked in or around it for several years. >You will facilitate the communications, information exchange and development of joint research and education projects that bring together the education community and the information analysis community. Even before graduate study at UIUC, I was employed by NCSA Software Tools to suggest a path for new tools for scientist. Since then I have not only learned quite a bit more about NCSA, but information-analysis and related educational software. I have a wide ranging science and CS background, with includes Machine-Learning/Data-Mining, and a long standing interest in assisted Problem-Solving-Environments, which can be used as teaching /research tools. I have worked in many of the areas that go into this pursuit. >We will rely on you to work with educators and researchers to identify appropriate applications and resources that utilize information analysis. I have a long-standing record of being able to bring together groups to help guide the creation of a set of technologies that can accomplish similar tasks. >This may include curriculum materials, training materials, computing resources, simulations and Internet based materials that support the integration of information analysis into the curriculum. I try to follow this area. I have several friends who are educators, from which I could try to draw from. I can easily couple these resources with my stated interest in simulation and the related information analysis, which is done in Problem-Solving-Environments. >Additionally, you will assist in the design of user interfaces that are appropriate for the education communities utilizing these tools, I have a good background in interface design, and have recently taken a related graduate HCI course at UIC. >and conduct research on new methods and approaches of assessment from individual classroom performance of students, to school district performance, to statewide student achievement. I have friends who I could probably collaborate with on this. I might have the widest ranging science/engineering/computing background of any of your applicants. Along with this I have a strong background and interest in similar education tools that bring together many of your stated goals. Finally, I am very familiar with NCSA and the entire community that I would be interacting with. My resume should be on file, but for ease a text version is at: http://mike.bobak.googlepages.com/m_bobak.txt I have just asked for reference letters recently, and hopefully they all come in soon. I appreciate your taking the time to go over this, and hope to be able to show you further how I could help your cause. Sincerely, Michael Bobak --------------------- _Michael bobak@computer.org __ http://mike.bobak.googlepages.com/