Gabriel Grant

Overview & Value Proposition

Broad understanding of the open technology ecosystem, with particular focus on Python and related platforms. Able to craft readable, succinct, efficient code while contributing to a broader product vision. Have contributed to Django, JQuery and other open-source projects, as well as having released several of my own. Deeply embedded in the global Python and Django communities through my involvement with PyCon.

Recent Professional Experience

Sole Developer, AltonMill.ca: 2010 - Present

Lead development from requirements gathering, through site architecture, wireframing and design to development and deployment. Crafted customized CMS applications allowing each of 30-odd tenants to access and update their own sections of the site, in addition to the standard, centralized access to create and update news, events and pages

Site is live, but content population is ongoing - see the Staging site for a preview.

Python, Django, JQuery, MySQL, Apache, Passenger, GIT

Co-creator, PopFolios (final name is TBD)

An artist portfolio hosting platform. Being developed in partnership with the Alton Development Inc. Due to launch in the coming weeks.

Python, Django, JQuery, MySQL, Apache, Passenger, GIT

Technical Founder, Schedify: 2010 - Present

Staff scheduling software for restaurants. Automatic schedule generation. In development.

Python, Django, JQuery, GIT

Technical Consultant, Caves Branch Jungle Lodge (Belize): 2010

Collected requirements to produce a suggested site architecture; delivered wireframes and a detailed report of suggested functionality.

Senior Developer, Optimal Computational Algorithms (OCA): 2008 - Jan 2010

Designed, prototyped and implemented multi-threaded, high-performance numerical reconstruction and optimization algorithms for medical imaging (MRI) in collaboration with researchers at McMaster University and AllTech Medical Corp. Technology was sold to AllTech in Jan. 2010.

Python, C, Assembly, Haskel, Trac, SVN, BZR

Research Assistant, McMaster Department of Computer Science: 2007 - 2009

Developed formally verifiable optimizing parallel compiler technology, primarily targeting IBM's POWER and Cell BE (found in the Sony PS3) architectures. Our special-function implentation was approx. 5x faster than the reference implementation originally shipped by IBM, so they bought ours to distribute (SPU-MASS). Details in our Google Tech Talk

Designed and developed the multi-core execution framework, including a bytecode interpreter interfacing a Python frontend with a hand-optimized-assembly backend.

  • Presented at SHARCNET Symposium on GPU and CELL Computing (2008)
  • Taught an IBM-sponsored tutorial on Cell BE at Carleton University (May 2008 & May 2009)
Python, C, Assembly, Haskel, Trac, SVN, BZR

Research Assistant, Hamilton Health Sciences, Department of Vascular Surgery: 2007 — 2008

Designed and constructed both the hardware and software of a test fixture for performing physical measurements on medical implants. Lead the collection and analysis of data, using approx. $110,000 of test specimens, following a test protocol I wrote based on ISO-standards for vascular implant testing.

Co-authored an article published in the peer-reviewed European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery (2009)

Submissions for this work were also accepted for publication and/or presentation to:

  • International Journal of Angiology, the official journal of the International College of Angiology
  • 50th Annual World Congress of the International College of Angiology (Hong Kong, 2008)
  • 26th Annual meeting of the Association of International Vascular Surgeons (Chamonix, France, 2008)
  • Canadian Society of Vascular Surgeons' annual meeting (2008)
Data collection & analysis software: Python, Numpy, GTK Hardware: AVR, custom electronics

Database and Web Developer, TakingItGlobal, 2006

Lead development of several new/reimplemented community features (forums, podcasting, etc) from initial wireframing through final rollout to the flagship site's 130,000 members.

Produced sites for several clients: UNAIDS AIDS 2006 Conference website; Telecentre.org (funded by CIDA, among others); United Nations Association in Canada Anti-Racism site

Developed and published a 42-page "Guide to Action" workbook distributed to thousands of Canadian students and international delegates at the United Nations AIDS conference.

PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Flash, ASP, CVS

Database and Web Developer, Children's Mental Health Ontario, 2005

Lead development of kidsmentalhealth.ca on a strict deadline (due to TV ad schedule), while managing two off-site contractors and one on-site temp worker.

Created the first geo-located electronic database of all Childrens' mental health centres across Ontario, including substatial jurisdictional complexity. A simple front-end allows the public to determine in which centres' catchment areas they fall.

PHP, MySQL