The Signal
Exploring the Intersection of Data, Education & Innovation
From teaching my first computer “Hello World” in 1983 to collaborating with AI systems today, I’ve witnessed an incredible evolution in how we learn, teach, and solve problems with technology.
Posts are marked by development stage—learn more about the status system behind this transparent approach to knowledge sharing.
What You'll Find Here
Deep dives into spatial data for community development, smart building technologies, passive optical networks, and the transformative power of knowledge graphs in education. Plus occasional reflections on the journey from BASIC programming to modern AI collaboration.
This is where I share discoveries, challenges, and insights from the frontier of educational technology, community development through data, and intelligent infrastructure systems. Whether you’re an educator exploring AI integration, a researcher investigating smart buildings, or a community leader interested in spatial data applications, there’s something here for you.
🔬 Learning in Public — This site is my digital laboratory—a space for curiosity, experimentation, and evolving ideas. The content here reflects my ongoing experimentation and learning process, and may be revised as my understanding deepens over time.
Latest Explorations
From policy analysis to technical deep-dives, here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately…
Optical LANs + Class‑4 Powering — What hospitality owners should know 📄 BRIEF
Passive Optical LANs and Class‑4 (fault‑managed) powering are converging to make hotel networks more flexible, energy-efficient, and safer — here’s a short guide for hotel operators, planners, and community partners....
Our Smarts Are in Our Buildings — Smart Building Workforce for Clean Energy
How smart building technologies and data science intersect with clean energy workforce development — policy recommendations and community actions.
Community Champion: Jason Kronemeyer — Interview
How the Eastern Upper Peninsula built community-first broadband: leadership, data, and an infrastructure-first philosophy.
Fault Management Software for BESS: Enhancing Reliability and Safety 🔍 RESEARCH
Introduction Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are transforming grid operations by providing flexibility, resilience, and backup power. However, as deployments scale—especially in critical infrastructure and rapidly relocatable formats—ensuring safety and...
OKR Example: Reducing AC-to-DC Conversions for a Smarter Campus 📝 DRAFT
Objective (Sample) Reduce AC-to-DC conversions across campus to improve energy efficiency, lower costs, and enable smart infrastructure.
Sacred Waters: Blue Tech and Anishinaabe Stewardship in Great Lakes Fisheries 🔍 RESEARCH
Sacred Waters: The First People Taking Care of the Fishery - Sault Tribe TV (January 17, 2025)
Are Public Safety Radios Moving to Radio over Fiber? 🔍 RESEARCH
Short answer: Yes, but not for the entire network. Radio over Fiber (RoF) is being adopted primarily for in-building coverage and distributed antenna systems (DAS) rather than replacing outdoor macro...
Building the Digital Opportunities Intelligence Network: A Blueprint for Project Compass 📝 DRAFT
Introduction to Project Compass
Photon Networks: Architectures, Applications, and Emerging Trends 📄 BRIEF
Photon networks leverage light (photons) as the primary information carrier, offering advantages such as high speed, low latency, energy efficiency, and massive parallelism. These networks span multiple architectures and application...
Connecting the Dots: How EUPConnect Combines Networks and Graphs for Community Growth
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, community growth relies on two kinds of networks: the human connections that fuel collaboration, and the structured knowledge that drives informed decision-making and policy....
From Digital Transformation to Blockchain: Building the Future Together 📄 BRIEF
“Digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new technologies. It’s about reimagining the way we deliver value.” —Harvard Business Review, Must Reads on Digital Transformation
Blockchain Beyond the Buzz: Trust, Transparency, and Transformation 📄 BRIEF
“Blockchain isn’t just about Bitcoin. It’s about trust.” —Harvard Business Review, Blockchain: The Insights You Need
DC Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS) in the NIST Cyber-Physical System (CPS) Framework 📄 BRIEF
🔌 DC Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS) in the CPS Framework
Modeling Semantics in Policy Evolution: A Case for the Digital Accessibility and Opportunity Act 📊 ANALYSIS
Introduction: Why Expand the Digital Equity Act?
Strengthening Connections Between LSSU, BMCC, and Blue Tech: A Framework for Regional Innovation 📝 DRAFT
Michigan, surrounded by the Great Lakes, is uniquely positioned to lead the way in blue tech—a burgeoning industry focused on the sustainable use of water resources for innovation, economic growth,...
Understanding the Relationship Between Bits, Watts, and Electrons
In our increasingly digital world, understanding the interplay between bits, watts, and electrons is central to grasping the essence of modern computing—and more broadly, technology itself. Whether it’s transmitting data,...
HTML has come a long way since 1997.
A personal reflection on the evolution of HTML from my first website in 1997 to the modern web development landscape powered by HTML5 and CSS3.
HTML has come a long way since 1997
A reflection on how HTML and web development have evolved since 1997, from building a fantasy football website in a Hawaii Air Force dorm to the modern web.
What in the World is WiFi Anyway?
WiFi. It’s one of those terms that’s embedded itself into the fabric of modern life. But what exactly is WiFi, and how does it work? Whether you’re streaming your favorite...
Training Compass: Digital Opportunities Intelligence Network 🔍 RESEARCH
Introducing the Digital Opportunities Intelligence Network - Powered by Project Compass. This framework is designed to enhance decision-making capabilities by leveraging data-driven insights. We’ll explore the objectives, methodologies, and outcomes...
Navigating SMART Building Certifications: From SPIRE to LEED to WELL
A strategic guide to navigating SMART building certifications—from SPIRE's holistic technology framework to LEED's sustainability standards and WELL's focus on occupant health—with actionable insights on OT/IT convergence, NEC 2026 updates,...
Teaching Computers how to Communicate: spaCy, NLTK, and Stanford’s NLP Textbook
In my earlier post, I expained the first five things to teach a computer: communication, music, art, mathematics, and gaming. These foundational lessons taught machines to produce output—to generate sound,...
Integrating Digital Transformation into Master Planning
This post explores how digital transformation is reshaping master planning, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to infrastructure, engagement, and redevelopment.
The First Mile, the Last Mile
I live at a 911 service address that broadband subsidies prior to the Broadband DATA Act never reached. Not because the terrain was too rugged or the technology too new—but...
Beyond the Last Mile: Why Digital Literacy Determines Broadband Success
Infrastructure builds the road, but digital literacy and skills support determine whether communities—and ISPs—succeed. Kentaro Toyama's research reveals why capacity building must come first.
Digital Power & Passive Optical LAN: The Future of Smart K-12 School Buildings
Introduction
The Architect and the Construction Crew: How Data Science Powers AI
Understanding the symbiotic relationship between data science and AI through the lens of practical applications in educational technology and smart infrastructure.
The Last Entry-Level Human? Rethinking Work in the Age of AI
As a new generation steps into the workforce, they’re met not by open doors—but by algorithms. Entry-level jobs, once a rite of passage, are increasingly automated. The result? A job...
Technology as Amplifier: Lessons from Kentaro Toyama's Research
Technology magnifies existing forces rather than creating new ones from nothing. Kentaro Toyama's research validates what many of us in digital equity have learned through experience.
AI & Workforce Development: Regional Communities vs State-Level Approaches
Policy debates about AI and workforce development default too often to state-level plans. This analysis explores how regions hold unique advantages for designing AI workforce programs and proposes concrete mechanisms...
Finding the Digital Divide with Bayesian Networks
Understanding how Bayesian networks can help analyze and address the digital divide by modeling complex relationships between infrastructure, aspiration, and opportunity.
American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: On-Chain Tools for an Off-Chain World
House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development “American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: On-Chain Tools for an Off-Chain World”
Harnessing the Power of Knowledge Graphs and Generative AI: A Vision for the Future of Education
Harnessing the Power of Knowledge Graphs and Generative AI: A Vision for the Future of Education In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, data science has become a cornerstone for...
The First 5 Things to Teach a Computer
A personal reflection on the foundational concepts that shape both computer programming and computational thinking, from my first 'Hello World' to teaching AI to write blog posts.
Personal Statement
I learned the importance of data collection and analysis from my father, a lifelong dairy farmer. My passion for coding resulted from my desire to escape the physical work of...
Explore by Topic
Find posts organized by the themes that drive my work and research: