ALAN STUMMER

astummerphysics.utoronto.ca, alanstummergmail.com

SUMMARY

Analog and hybrid electronics component level designer with experience in fibre optic telecommunication, heavy industries and university research. Including experience with digital design including FPGA (hardware, HDL, functional descriptions), high speed (ECL, PECL, GaAs), microprocessors and loose logic. 

EXPERIENCE

University of Toronto                                                               2003-Present

Research Lab Technologist

In the Physics Department, quantum optics research labs, design and construction of custom electronic equipment for use in quantum optics research.  Full and up to date listing and details of most projects (confidential collaborations are not shown) is available at http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~astummer.

Self-employed and Student                                                           2002-2003

Electronics Design, Networking

Electronics consulting,  electrical and technology applications and installations, CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) networking course

Canadian Air & Space Museum                                                     2001-Present

Team Leader, Replica Avro Arrow wing construction, 2001-2008

Board of Directors, volunteer 2003-2004

CIENA CORP., Thornhill, ON and Baltimore, MD                                  1995-2002

Principal Engineer

§  Team leader (ONTG) on overall module design for several DWDM optical amplifiers and pump laser modules.

§   Principal designer of high power lasers drivers and optical amplifier controls including EDFA, Raman amplifiers and transient control, greatly increasing reliability while reducing costs.

§   Principal designer of heater controls for Bragg gratings, EDFAs and FBG section of FBG stabilized lasers, providing greater system stability.

§   Principal designer of wide dynamic range power monitoring photodiode TIAs, allowing common circuits for many modules and reduced factory troubleshooting.

§   Design of high speed data paths at 10Gbs and 600Mbs (mux/demux at 16:1), mostly as FEC-encoded SONET using complimentary ECL/PECL in ASIC GaAs/CMOS devices.

§   Oversaw integration of electronics, FPGA firmware, embedded software, photonics, mechanical and system level software, ensuring that the disciplines mesh cleanly.

§   RF designer on FEC based 10Gbs optical transceiver, supported group with my experience.

§   Analog and hybrid design on voice/data orderwire on service channels.

§   Analog consultant for Component Qualification group.

§   Patents on optoelectronics.

SELF-EMPLOYED, Toronto and Baltimore                                         1986-1997

Electronics Contractor

§   Ciena Corp., design in telecommunications as listed above.

§   Durmitor Inc., design of equipment for offshore oil rig anchoring system controls, AECL fuel handling controls, Transport Canada mobile control tower and more.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto                                               1984-1985

Eng Tech 3

§   U of T, Physics department, Electronics workshop.

§   Design and construction of custom electronic equipment for professors and graduate students.

DURMITOR, INC., Toronto                                                           1979-1985

Electronics Designer

§   Principal designer of offshore oil rig anchoring systems controls, steel mill grinder controls, apartment building HVAC remote monitors and controls and more.

§   Small company with the owner and myself as designers, owner has since retired.

EDUCATION

2002-3 CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), incomplete

1995 Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto.  LAN Concepts

1974–1977  Ryerson University, Toronto.  Electronics Engineering.

Certification:  CET, OACETT.

INTERESTS

Kayaking, bicycling, skiing, carpentry, on OFVIC charity fund raising committee, volunteer at the Canadian Air & Space Museum.

REFERENCES

Contact information is available on request

PATENTS GRANTED

U.S. #6,678,088 “Optical amplifier transient control apparatus” Method of fast constant gain control of fibre amplifiers, in single or cascaded configuration, with multiple pumping configurations.

U.S. #6,547,453 “Systems and methods for detecting fault conditions and detecting and preventing potentially dangerous conditions in an optical system” Methods for detecting faults (e.g. fibre breaks) and shutting off high power pumps in fibre amplifiers before they can hurt anyone.

U.S. #6,305,851 “Systems and methods for detecting imperfect connections in optical systems” Method of detecting potential faults in optical systems before damage can occur to the system (e.g. inadvertent Fabry-Perrot cavity caused by dirty or improperly connected fibres).

PUBLICATIONS