Gordon Tisher - Resume

31 - 9088 Jones Rd
Richmond, BC  V6Y 4G8
604-816-0769
gordon@balafon.net

Senior Software Developer

Senior software developer with over 11 years of experience in statistical and symbolic computational linguistics, natural language processing, information retrieval, web application development and game development on multiple platforms in fast-paced cutting-edge environments.

Career objective is a “Distinguished Engineer”-type position.

Professional Experience

2009-Present: SydneyPLUS

C# ASP.NET application and database framework for library information systems.

Software Engineer:

• Maintain and improve core web application.
• Design and implement new Cost Recovery module for the library information manager.

Technology:

C#, ASP.NET, ADO.NET.

2006-2009: Threewave Software

Multiplayer gameplay and content creation for AAA titles on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Gameplay Programmer:

•  AI programmer on multiplayer mode for multiplayer mode of Ghostbusters from Terminal Reality.
•  Lead programmer on “SSC Challenge” downloadable content for Electronic Arts’ Army of Two.
•  Physics and AI programmer for multiplayer “versus mode” for Electronic Arts’ Army of Two.
•  Physics and gameplay programmer on unpublished title using the Valve Source Engine.

Technology:

DirectX, OpenGL, XBox, PS3, TRI Infernal Engine, UnrealEngine 3, Id Tech 4, Valve Source.

2006: Interealty / First American MLS Solutions:

MLS web application for Real Estate boards.

Senior Software Developer:

•  Developed new technology for web-based real estate Multiple Listing Service, including shared memory caching for transition from a C++-based middle tier to .NET, using RSA Security SecurID for two-factor authentication.

Technology:

 MS SQL Server, Visual Studio 2003/2005, MFC, ATL, ASP, ASP.NET, ADO.NET.

2005-2006: BioPassword Software:

Enterprise-wide keystroke-based biometric authentication.

Senior Software Developer:

•  Refactored and maintained critical modules of the flagship product.

Projects:

•  Re-architected the data abstraction layer for the system.
•  Specified new procedures and tools for the build system as part of the Software Development Lifecycle committee.
•  Specified coding standards and tools as part of the Coding Tools & Standards team.

Technology:

Windows XP, 2003 Server, Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft Team System, ATL, MFC, .NET, VSS.

2000-2005: Axonwave Software (formerly Gavagai Technology):

Natural Language Processing for Information Retrieval in Aerospace and Medical Insurance.

Senior Developer and Systems Administrator:

•  As a founder and senior member of the core technology team, led the design, development and maintenance of critical technology, (including the hybrid symbolic and statistical information retrieval system, optimized finite state technology for use in parsing and information retrieval) in the cross-platform Axonwave Concept Intelligence System API, as well as designing and maintaining an automatically-generated reference manual
•  Designed, implemented, and maintained a heterogeneous office, research and testing network using OpenBSD, Linux and Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP and 2003 Server on commodity hardware.  This included evaluation, purchasing, setup, maintenance and user training and support.

Projects:

•  Designed, developed and maintained the reporting module of the Axonwave Claims Management System for medical insurance, using SQL Server Reporting Services and ASP/ADO.NET.
•  Applied the CIS technology for use in a Boeing research project for automatic categorization of incident reports in the ASRS database.
•  Designed and developed a compiler and pattern matching engine for the core CIS library.
•  Designed and implemented the user interface and networking components of an enterprise document management system using the Qt multiplatform framework.

Technology:

Windows 95 – 2003 Server, OpenBSD, Linux, Visual Studio 6 – 2003, Emacs/GCC/GDB, CVS, GNATS, SWI Prolog, C/C++, MFC, Qt, ADO/ASP.NET, SQL Server 2000.

1998-2000: Simon Fraser University Natural Language Laboratory
Research Associate:

•  Designed, implemented and supported the lab’s projects.

Projects:

•  Collaborated with the laboratory team in inventing and developing a hybrid symbolic and statistical information retrieval system for Boeing which became the core of Axonwave Software’s NLP technology.
•  Developed web-based interface for computer-aided language learning tools using Prolog, Perl CGI, JavaScript and Java.

Technology:

Solaris, Windows 2000, Emacs/GCC/GDB, Sicstus Prolog, Java 1.0, Apache.

1997-1998: TCC Communications Corporation

Automated machine translation for television closed captions.

Programmer:

•  Designed, implemented various software modules in support of the TeleTranslator machine translation system.

Projects:

•  Implemented and optimized morphological and generation modules for an English-to-Spanish machine translation system in C.
•  Developed a Windows front-end to the machine translation system, with integrated IBM speech-to-text software.
•  Developed a Latin American Spanish text-to-speech engine and recorded and constructed a Spanish phonetic database for speech synthesis.

Technology:

Solaris, Windows 98, Emacs/GCC/GDB, Sicstus Prolog, ALE.

1996-1997: English as a Second Language International
Network Administrator:

•  Set up and maintained a Windows NT 4 network.  Trained faculty and students in the use of the network and productivity software.

1994-1996: Trinity Western University Computing Department

Head Teaching Assistant:

•  Scheduled and managed up to 10 teaching assistants, taught classes and labs.
•  Designed & maintained a terminal emulation framework for introductory Modula-2 programming on Macintosh System 7.

Education

2000: Trinity Western University
Master of Applied Linguistics and Exegesis

Thesis: Metaphor in I Peter from the Perspective of Cognitive Science.

1996: Trinity Western University
Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Computing Studies, with distinction.

Senior Thesis: Machine Translation by Means of Stratificational Linguistics

Publications

D. Turcato, D. Fass, F. Popowich, G. Tisher.  “Acquiring Spanish resources for symbolic Natural Language Processing.”  In Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Spanish Language Processing and Language Technologies.  Spain, September 14-15, 2001.

D. Turcato, F. Popowich, J. Toole, D. Fass, D. Nicholson, G. Tisher.  “Adapting a Synonym Database to Specific Domains.”  In Proceedings of ACL 2000 Workshop on Information Retrieval and Natural Language Processing.  Hong Kong, October 2000.

P. Kubon, F. Popowich, G. Tisher.  “An Extendable Natural Language Interface to a Consumer Service Database.”  In H. Hamilton and Q. Yang (eds), Advances in Artificial Intelligence - Proceedings of the 13th Biennial Conference of the Canadian Society for Computational Studies of Intelligence, AI 2000.  Montreal, May 2000.

Patents

Ryan Yeske, Daniel Fass, Janine Toole, James Nicholson, Gordon Tisher, Davide Turcato, Frederick Popowich, Milan Mosny, Andrej Dobos, Magnus Byne.  A Method and System for Concept Generation and Management.  Assignee: Axonwave Software, Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada.  WO2004097664: 2004-11-11  

Davide Turcato, Frederick Popowich, Janine Toole, Daniel Fass, James Nicholson, Gordon Tisher.   Method and system for adapting synonym resources to specific domains.  Assignee: Axonwave Software, Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada.  US2004133418: 2004-07-08  

Fass, Daniel C., Davide Turcato, Gordon W. Tisher, James Devlan Nicholson, Milan Mosny, Frederick P. Popowich, Janine T. Toole, Paul G. McFetridge, and Frederick W. Kroon.  Method and System for Describing and Identifying Concepts in Natural Language Text for Information Retrieval and Processing.  
Assignee: Axonwave Software, Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada.  US Patent 7,346,490: 2008-03-18

Turcato, Davide, Frederick P. Popowich, Janine T. Toole, Daniel C. Fass, James Devlan Nicholson, and Gordon W. Tisher.  Method and System for Adapting Synonym Resources to Specific Domains.  
Assignee: Axonwave Software, Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada.  US Patent 7,330,811: 2008-02-12