Thea Iberall
Short Bio
While I worked at Wang, I was getting my Master's degree in Computer Engineering at Boston University (with Larry Hamilton). At BU, one of our professors regaled us with stories of his trying to sell prototypes to toy companies. I thought this a perfect application for microprocessors, so when I left Wang, I went to work at Coleco in Hartford, where I programmed lots of hand-held electronic toys. In my spare time, I started teaching at the Hartford Graduate Center (part of RPI). When I realized the world of computers was passing me by, I went to UMass to get my doctorate to learn more about computer architecture. But I got hooked by the brain -- as a model for developing smarter computers. So my degree is actually in Computational Neuroscience, and I developed a model for how the brain controls the hand ("The Grasping Hand", published by Elsevier-North Holland).After I graduated, I headed west to the University of Southern California, where I was on the research faculty and started a Hand Lab, and then worked at the USC Film School helping Hollywood with their technology problems. But I was dissatisfied and couldn't figure out what to do. What could be as esoterically challenging as computational neuroscience but didn't involve all that math? And then I got it! I became a poet. And since 2001, I have been writing. I have had lots of poems published (some on line, go see my website for references). I got another master's degree at USC, and discovered that I love writing plays as well. My favorite play is my musical about dancing and singing neurons. So, see, all that education was put to use for something. In my spare time, I do contract programming of electronic toys, using what else, but microprocessors. (I have John Golini to thank for this job, so working at Wang has really paid off for me).
thea
www.theaiberall.com
Stories and Anecdotes
I solved the problem of security by bringing in one of my stuffed clown dolls and getting its picture taken. that's the badge I wore. I think I still have that badge somewhere.The other thing I remember is my first day of work. It was Rich's birthday and there was a party going on. Larry and friends were trying to bribe Joan to throw the cake in his face. Knowing that these amateurs weren't going to do a thing (I was a professional clown, btw), I picked it up and threw it in his face. He ran into his office and wasn't heard from again. Later that day, they moved Lydia out of my office. I figured, so much for this job, they are getting rid of me lickety-split. But they didn't. And I taught Lydia how to be a clown.
The pie-throwing thing is still haunting me, though. First day at MSD (where I contract), I told them this story, and the boss bought a whip-cream pie and looked at it and looked at me, and didn't say a word. But I knew, at the party later that day, there was an expectation to use my great talent. And I did. And just last week, at Mattel, there was another birthday, but my present to that person was not throwing a pie in his face. He appreciated it.