Rick Arthur
- Software Sciences and Analytics
- Niskayuna, NY USA
You can follow Rick on Twitter at @ArthurRGE
What is your title?
High Performance Computing Advocate
What is your expertise?
My technical background is in Computer & Software Engineering, but now most of my applied expertise is in management, marketing, and strategy.
How long have you been at GE?
My GE career began in February of 1990.
Where did you receive your education?
Clarkson University (B.S., Computing Engineering), RPI (M.Eng., Computer Systems Engineering), University at Albany (M.B.A.)
What are you working on now?
Addressing a very challenging landscape in disruptive computing technologies as well as architectures to enable GE reliability and trust through secured data, communications and identity.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Advancing GE’s state of the art in employing high performance computing for scientific discovery and engineering design. I also launched about 15 “dot com” sites for GE very early in the eBusiness days.
What is your computer wallpaper?
Spanning my two screens is NGC 6302 more commonly known as the Butterfly Nebula, taken by the Hubble telescope. I like to think my computer is a device with potential for work extending into the farthest limits.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small town near where I work now in Niskayuna, NY. My grandfather was an engineer at GE for about 40 years and ended up in Schenectady after many assignments.
Who is a technologist (past or present) that you most admire?
I admire Nikola Tesla for his creative genius, though arguably it was overly prolific and something of a curse. I admire Richard Feyman for the genius of his clarity of thought and in comprehending and communicating very esoteric concepts.
What is your favorite Website?
Randall Munroe’s http://xkcd.com – I often include (work-appropriate) content from it to kick off my lab meetings.
What is your favorite book or publication?
For thought-provoking socio-science, Alan Lightman’s Einstein’s Dreams.
For thought-provoking socio-environmentalism, Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael.
For pure leaps into the imagination and finest of the craft, anything by Neil Gaiman.
What invention of the future will change the world/way we live?
The information flows of the world are becoming overwhelming. Those who wish to dwell in these oceans will need digital personal intelligent assistants, who will help us filter, control, communicate and otherwise protect our limited human minds from the deluge. They will exist virtually and across multiple physical devices.
What is your hobby?
I love games – video, card, board, or otherwise.
What type of music do you listen to while you are working?
I like background-ish music ranging from Mozart to movie soundtracks to studio art like Zero 7.
How many patents have you received?
Just one – the first of several that led to Trip Optimizer.
Are you a member of any technical organizations? If so, do you hold any positions?
I am a member of ACM, and I represent GE on both the U.S. Council on Competitiveness’ HPC for Manufacturing working group as well as NCSA’s Private Sector Partnerships Advisory Committee.
Have you received any internal or external awards?
I’ve been an invited speaker at many venues, but no awards per se.
Is there any additional information you would like to include?
I had the honor of addressing members of Congress and their staff earlier this year on a panel at the US Capitol sponsored by the American Chemical Society.