I taught numerous microprocessor and microcontroller courses at Purdue University over my 25-year tenure, including courses in assembly language for the 8080 and 8051, as well as PL/M, and C. I briefly taught courses using RMX-86 and Bitbus (DCX) where the concepts of multitasking and real-time operating systems surfaced. More recent courses covered an overview of the PC as an instrumentation tool using Visual Basic, and a course on Networking Fundamentals using microcontrollers. I am now classed as an ‘Emeritus Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Technology’  at Purdue University.

Back in the days when electronics was moving slowly from tubes to transistors I obtained a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and a MS in EE from the University of Illinois. My formal education predates the development of microprocessors and almost predate the beginning of integrated circuits, so most of what I ‘know’ is self-taught.

I worked in electronic design and development at Bell Telephone Labs (Holmdel, NJ) where I designed a ‘sequential computer’ using (then quite new) RTL ICs. After two years I went to GTE Sylvania (Seneca Falls, NY)  doing development work in instrumentation for the CRT manufacturing and design operations there. During my 9 years there I got to develop equipment based on the new 8008 microprocessor.

From there I went into teaching at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) in 1979. As I slid into teaching microcomputer courses I chose to use the new 8051-family of devices in a medical-instrumentation product and in programming the 8044 in Intel’s Bitbus boards. In later years the advanced course moved to using the enhanced 8051-family devices that eventually became Silicon Lab’s devices; they are the target processors in the C & the 8051 book examples.

Having been drawn to Prince Edward Island, Canada a few years ago, I retired and my wife and I moved to Wood Islands. In addition to finishing up my 4th edition about microcontroller design and programming, I got involved in photography and publishing. I now supply photo products to gift shops in the area, have published a book about our early experiences of Prince Edward Island, and helped friends publish about 10 books on local Island topics. If you follow the link to my publishing page you can see all this. If you follow either of the next two links you can see how I have also also developed interests in sailing and Bible study.