[ Home | My Biography | My Resume | Web Projects | Special Projects | Programming Projects ] One of my projects occurred as I was employed at Computer Doctor. Our Point of Sale system was lacking in its ability to track workorders, so I was put to the task of designing and implementing a Microsoft Access database that would allow for better tracking of workorders as well as a way to invoice for work that wasn't to be paid for directly when the work was completed. There were many requirements that were put on the project that the database had to operate under. First, the customer id's stored in the database had to be identical to the id's that were in the point of sale system. Second, the data that the database held had to be able to have queries built so that management could find out specific information about our customer base. The data had to be stored in such a way as to anticipate what queries may be ran in the future. Many of the queries were not designed when the database was designed, therefore the data had to be stored so that future data needs would not require the extensive manipulation of the data already in the database. Finally, an extensive invoicing module had to be built into the database. The invoice itself had to be designed to get all required data on one page, as well as being designed so that, when properly folded, the customer's address would show through a windowed #10 envelope. Given all of these requirements, the database was built and has been used heavily ever since. Below is a collection of screen shots from that very database. In some areas, items have been blurred so that private information is not given out on the internet. Two of my other special projects occurred while I was a student at the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, SD. Every science and computer science major at the university was required to take a colloquium class for four semesters. The object of the class was that once every two semesters, the students were required to perform a major research project on a topic related to their particular field of study. Then, upon concluding their research, the students had to present a thirty to forty minute presentation, to the other students in the class, on that research. The speech also had to include visual aids (overheads, product samples, etc.). The students were then graded by a panel of five to seven science professors that attended the speech. My first year speech was titled "Optical Lithography and the Future of Microprocessors." View the Abstract View the Speech Transcript My second year speech was titled "Light as a Medium for Data Storage." View the Abstract View the Speech Transcript