An interdisciplinary approach.
With a passion for ending extreme poverty and a deep understanding of technology, I strive to create useful, effective solutions with the end-user in mind. From aesthetically pleasing designs to intuitive interactions, technology is built to serve people, not the other way around.
Education
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Masters of Science in Information and Communication Technology and Development (acquired May 2012)
At UC at Boulder, I have been privileged to study both global development and technology separately, and then the relationship between the two. Coursework centered around global development topics, how to understand user requirements (particularly requirements of those in developing communities), user-centered design, monitoring and evaluation techniques, and current issues facing the use of technology for human development. I also have had the privilege of learning about learning about the role of technology within industries such as Microfinance and within the arena of law and energy justice.
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Bachelors of Science in Computer Science (acquired May 2009)
My experiences at WVU built foundational principles of software engineering that are critical to many aspects of projects that I work on. Along with the coursework I took within the anthropology department, Computer Science helped me understand the importance and benefits of both knowing both how to develop functional software and how people interact with technology.
Experience
Inveneo
Project Engineer; Education / Sustainable Computing Lead Engineer
San Francisco, California
February 2012 to Present
As a Project Engineer at Inveneo, I work alongside technology partners from around the world to help provide solutions that ultimately lead to greater communication opportunities for people that need it the most, particularly those in disadvantaged communities. Here I have the opportunity and privilege to work in a variety of roles: from software engineer to network engineer, from project designer to teacher/trainer. I also utilize GIS tools to both analyze data and also to clearly communicate project statuses both internally and to external facing clients and partners.
Major Projects
- Designed an education and ICT framework that is being adopted across the organization.
- Facilitated a training on Open Data Kit and ODK Collect in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and coordinated a baseline survey that spanned across the entire country related to local colleges and primary schools' ICT capacity.
- Trained and worked alongside 20 local Tanzanian technologists to image and deploy over 5000 laptops, 100 servers, and cloud-based wifi networks. Participated in the design and execution of the engineering designs.
- Conducted a training in Maun, Botswana of 8 local technology partners to create images for small to medium scale deployments, networking basics with Mikrotik routers, and long distance point to point wireless networks.
Matt Scott Crum Studios
Owner; Developer; Designer
Berkeley, California
June 2005 to Present
Clients have ranged from various non-profits and local businesses. Work in specific includes content management system development that was typically based off of a Drupal or Wordpress instance. I typically work with local clients in places I have lived which has included the San Francisco Bay Area, Boulder (Colorado), and Morgantown (West Virginia).
I help clients determine the right solution for the relevant context and then execute that design. I also do vector-based logo designs and I have a passion for good, intentional typography. I have made custom PHP-based modules for Drupal instances as well as train clients to be able to organize their data in appropriate ways.
World Vision US
Web Producer II
Seattle, Washington
Worked from May 2008 to February 2012
Spending time both working remotely and from the headquarters in Seattle, Washington, I have been privileged to take on a variety of roles and tasks within World Vision. I have been able to continue to utilize and develop my skills in graphic design while developing rich internet applications in JavaScript with the jQuery framework along with PHP. A major point of emphasis of my work has been implementing and creating plugins for content management systems (CMSs), particularly Drupal and Wordpress.
I have had the privilege to be apart of the original World Vision ACT:S team which allowed me to design and develop web strategy for the ACT:S team within World Vision, which focuses on activism around the international issues of child slavery, hunger, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. I have had a major role in developing the web strategy and presence for some of World Vision ACT:S major campaigns such as the ACT:S to End Malaria, the Human Wrong Campaign, and ACT:S for the Horn of Africa.
University of Colorado ICTD Lab
QFund Technology Lab Project
Boulder, Colorado
Participated from August 2012 to Present
Consulted the QFund Inc on solutions to allow children in a rural Zambian school to effectively learn how to use computers and popular applications such as Microsoft Office.
World Vision International
Information and Communication for Development Intern
Boulder, Colorado
Worked from May 2011 to September 2011
I worked on the implementation of three Community Empowerment Centers (CECs) in rural Tanzania. These CECs (think 'telecenters') are hubs for the people of Kingore to access information via the Internet. My work consisted of the following:
- Creating surveys to understand the relationship between technology and the community members of the Kingore Area Development Project
- Researched and compiled a list of low-powered equipment necessary to successfully implement a CEC
- Worked on building relationships with partners around the world
- Worked with global leaders in solar technology to determine capability of CEC with given power and equipment
With the knowledge I had gained from my experience working with the Tanzania CECs, I compiled a "recipe book" of resources from the Tanzania CEC project, along with other World Vision International CEC projects around the world to more efficiently and effectively build CECs.
West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation
Software Engineer Intern
Fairmont, West Virginia
Worked from May 2007 to April 2008
This opportunity for a United States Department of Defense contractor consisted of Java-based software development in various web-based applications.
Skills
Technology
- Software Development
- Python
- PHP
- Javascript
- Javascript libraries such as jQuery and AngularJS
- MySQL
- Wireless Networking
- Ubiquiti airMAX Certified
- Experience with Mass Deployments of Computers
- GIS Experience
- Google Maps API
- Google Earth Pro
- Mapbox/Leaflet
Global Development
- Monitoring Techniques
- Evaluation Techniques
- Knowledge and experience with Microfinance
- Participatory Survey Techniques
- Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis
- Advocacy techniques and knowledge around the international issues of the following:
- HIV/AIDS
- Malaria
- Child Slavery
- Hunger
Tech+Dev
- User-Centered Design
- Telecenter Design and Development
- Geographic Information Systems
- Techniques for Technology for Education
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Microsoft Multipoint Implementations