Manager of Systems Development and Analysis at the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, since July 1st, 1999. Until then and since October 31st, 1994, I was an IT Software Engineer here at Northwestern.

Before coming to Northwestern, I worked as the Assistant Systems Administrator at the now-defunct Academic Computing Center of the Illinois Institute of Technology for over six years running their UNIX and VAX/VMS computers.

In May of 1995, I received my Master's degree in Computer Science, with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence.

Interests

• SCUBA diving.
  While living in the Chicago area means I don't get many chances to dive, I enjoy it whenever I can during travel.
• Martial Arts.
  I've studied Kung-fu, Shao-Lin Chuan Fa style. Other styles I like are JuJutsu and muay Thai (aka kickboxing, aka Thai boxing). I last studied Ju-Jutsu at the Paracombatives Ju-Jutsu Club, here at NU.
• Travel.
  International, preferrably. So far I've been to:
  
  • Brazil [Rio de Janeiro, Amazon jungle] for one week in December 2008.
  • Uruguay [Montevideo, Punta del Este, Solymar beach, Piriopolis] for two weeks in December 2008 and January 2009.
  • Puerto Rico for the 2nd time [Old San Juan] in December 2006 for half a day.
  • St. Lucia, West Indies [Fort Vieux, Castries, Soufriere] in December 2006 for one week.
  • Kenya [Nairobi, Amboseli National Park, Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru National Park, Malindi, Mombasa] in July 2006
  • Jamaica [Ocho Rios] in December 2005
  • Thailand [Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle, Bangkok] in July 2005
  • Burma/Myanmar [Golden Triangle] in July 2005
  • Laos [Golden Triangle) in July 2005
  • Malaysia [Johor Bahru & Penang] in July 2005
  • Singapore in June 2005
  • Puerto Rico [Moca, Arecibo, Lares, Ponce, Fajardo, Culebra, Vieques, San Juan] in May 2005. Highlights: Ruta Panoramica, Arecibo Radio Telescope, the beauty of Islas Culebra & Vieques, airfield landing in an 8-seater propeller plane, summitting Mt. Britton in the El Yunque national forest, taking the cargo ferry back to Fajardo on the mainland after missing the passenger ferry on Vieques, eating authentic Puerto Rican food at Jibarito's in Old San Juan.
  • Serbia [Beograd/Belgrade among many other places] in June 2004
  • Hungary [Budapest only] in June 2004
  • Greece [Rhodes, Crete, Santorini/Thira, Athens] in July/August 2003
  • Italy [Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre (Italian Riviera), Florence, Siena, Naples (including the ancient dead city of Pompeii), Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Rome, and the Vatican City] in July 2002
  • Hawaii (Big Island) in June 2002
  • Spain (Barcelona, Granada, Seville, Madrid, Toledo, San Sebastian, Dona Maria, Pamplona) in July 2001
  • France [Toulouse only] in June 2001
  • Fiji, South Pacific in October 2000
  • Rarotonga, Cook Islands, South Pacific in September/October 2000
  • Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia in September 2000
  • Brisbane, Australia in June 1999 (to attend a computer security conference)
  • India in February 1998 (while there, I traveled to Agra to see the famous Taj Mahal)
  • Dominican Republic in July/August 1996 and 1997 where I did maritime archaeology with the Pan-American Institute for Maritime Archeology (PIMA), excavating a 17th century shipwreck
  • Canada (Ontario) in July 1995
  • Cancun, Mexico in July 1995 (I climbed the stairs of the ancient Mayan temple at Chichen Itza)
  
  and the following states in the US:
  
  
  Illinois (spent most of my life here; in Chicago, specifically), Ohio, Indiana (did my SCUBA certification test at France Park quarry in April 1990), Wisconsin (had a super weekend on a ranch), Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (had a fantastic summer there in '94), Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nevada (Las Vegas in May '96), and Arizona (Dec. '06).
  
  Honorable mentions (interesting airports):
  
  
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (layover en route home) in 2009.
  • Hong Kong, China (layover en route home) in 2005.
  • Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport layover en route to Singapore) in 2005.
  • London, England (Heathrow International Airport layover en route to Serbia).
  Next I'll visit Barbados or maybe the British Virgin Islands. If I'm lucky, I'll attend a conference in Kyoto, Japan in the summer of 2009.
• Motorcycling.
  My last mount was a beautiful 1982 Yamaha XV750 (Virago). I'll be moving up to a higher displacement bike at some point. Possibly to a sportbike. Currently considering CBR 600f3s, FZR600s, the new EX500s, and Seca IIs. I'm leaning towards the CBR.
• Classical music.
  Especially classical violin. I can't play, but listening to Mozart (Symphony #21 in A Major), or Tchaikovsky (1812 Overture, Swan Lake, Marche Slave, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest) or Wagner (The Ride of the Valkyries, Entry of the Gods into Valhalla, Immolation of the Gods) makes me wish I could.
• Astronomy.
  I maintain a mirror site for The Nine Planets: Tour of the Solar System. Pictured above is the Martian south pole.
• Medieval Weapons and Armour.
  I have an extensive private collection. Some of my items come from as far away as Toledo, Spain and Japan and India. I've got a kind of photo album of items, some of which are in my collection.

Other Stuff

• About me: I'm a first-generation American man of Serbian ancestry.
• Where to find me: I have several email addresses as well as a complete ph entry.
• Photo Album (access restricted).