I left Lucent and returned to academia. I started a Ph. D in a transport layer for mobile networks, and soon started to do research with SCTP. I made significant contributions in the area of path management for multi-homed hosts in datagram (such as IP) networks. I also worked on using utility-functions for network decisions. Olga Ormond is now doing some very interesting research in this area, and I hope to make some contributions in my Post-Doc career.

After a break in Australia, I returned and joined Lucent Technologies. Lucent were Telecommunication equipment manufacturers. When I joined, my group's focus was on wireless Point-to-multi-point voice services. Most of the work was in Saudi Arabia and other developing places like Poland. However, the emphasis shifted to Broadband Wireless Communication, based on a product by Netro-Corp. This involved building wireless networks in many European countries. In particular, at one point I toured Germany to commission a network of 50-sites.

I worked for a few weeks assisting the management of Sydney's Rail Network. The guy I worked for dealt with the Unions and I think work conditions. It was interesting, as I attended a number of meetings where the unions voiced concerns, etc. I also gave advice about their radio network and automated the analysis of driver's rotas.

I travelled to Australia and found work walking around selling phone deals. An interesting if not popular job. But we saved people money, on their phone bills. Yes, really :-).

After completing my Degree, I took a role in the CDVP lap in DCU, working in Prof. Alan Smeaton's group. This group has done significant research in analysing and cataloguing video.

A familiar rite of passage for many Irish students in the J1, where the USA gives us a 6-month work visa. I travelled to Chicago and worked selling Holograms on North Pier (near the famous Navy Pier). It was fantastic; I got to be a magician for a while. There were some spectucular holograms and other optical illusions. I also worked for 2-days in a car-wash when I first arrived.

I completed my undergraduate studies at Dublin City University in Telecommunications Engineering. I was a member of the first class of this particular degree course.

I assisted in the family business of carpentry. This mostly involved putting up handrails for stairs. Unfortunately, my dad won't give me a reference :-).