I work as an independent software developer through my company McQuillen Interactive. In the meantime I’m involved various things: hiking with my wife and kids, programming, learning about sustainable development and agroecology, and of course the beautiful game.

My core interest, however, is in the cross-section of sustainable design and information technology … especially as it relates to things like green building and agroecology. Back in the day, I was part of the original three-person team behind John Sailer's Environmental Design and Construction magazine.

These days, I’m focused on how technology can be used to spread ideas and knowledge about sustainable design. I’m working to keep focused on a few ideas:

  • Alternative energy and energy efficiency are the keys to a positive future.
  • The oceans remember what we put in and take out.
  • We become what we watch, eat, drink and breathe.
  • Things people figured out a long time ago are still relevant.
  • There’s much to do to make the world more equitable, compassionate, safe and well fed.

One of our most important gifts is the ability to create new ways of adapting to change...and then learn from that process, correct past mistakes, and grow in the process. Part of that adaptation is uniting ancient knowledge and modern technology.

Our ancestors learned how to do so many things in very clever and sustainable ways (Ayurveda, Tibet’s science of mind and compassion, sustainable farming techniques, living in small groups, myth and community). I want to play a small part in uniting our work with theirs. Our planet's in bad shape and I think they can help.

My goal is to help transmit techniques and bring sustainable technologies to a wider audience. Working as a consultant, I’ve helped create interactive e-Learning modules to train HVAC engineers on energy efficiency for large buildings. I worked with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories on a number of project, including COMFEN, a desktop application that helps architects and engineers make buildings more efficient. I’m also working with the iBiology.org team to create a series of courses for emerging scientists, all on an e-Learning platform I wrote from scratch to meet their particular goals.

Recently, I've become interested in learning more about how technology helps (or hinders) the work of farmers, planners and others involved in agroecology. As the UN reports, agroecology could be one of the most important solutions to our climate and hunger problems.