Background

The following is background information about me. More details (Curriculum Vitae) can be found in Resume, Teaching Experience and Education.
 

INSTRUCTOR's BIOGRAPHY

Clifford Kettemborough (Cliff) has over 25 years of computer industry experience. He started working as a mathematician in 1976 right after graduation from university, performing economic mathematical modeling (operation research) type of work. Then, very shortly after, Cliff became a computer programmer, using COBOL, PL/I, BASIC and FORTRAN on IBM 360 and 370 series and Honeywell Bull machines within a data processing environment.

Couple of years later Cliff became a senior programmer/analyst within a scientific/engineering environment using HP, DEC's PDP and VAX machines. Next, he moved up to a senior software engineer position, writing operating systems in Assembly and Macro languages for microprocessors from Intel-base to PDP, VAX and IBM mainframe machines. Cliff was involved with PC technology (late '70s!, when it was done at the research level) years before its official introduction to the public.

He continued for couple of more years as a senior software and systems engineer within both commercial and aerospace/defense environments using Pascal, C, C++, and Ada on a variety of machines and operating systems.

For the past several years Cliff functioned in a management capacity directing many projects dealing with state-of-the-art technologies, re-engineering "legacy" systems and technology transfer to business applications: GUI design, Client-Server computing, Data Warehousing, Distributed Architectures, Internet/Electronic Commerce, etc.

During his career, so far, he worked for large corporations such as IBM (Europe), Xerox Corporation (senior software engineer), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (senior staff), Rockwell International (as Software Manager on the "Space Station Program"), Transamerica Financial Services (Manager of Emerging Technologies Group), Maxicare Health Plans where he was the Director of MIS (over 50 direct reports and $5 million budget), and currently, again at Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he holds the position of Technology Manager and System Software Architect for the Mission Design and Navigation Section coordinating the work of over 100 technical staff personnel, with the mission of re-engineering and architecting a legacy environment. Cliff also worked for about 2 years as a senior consultant in the software industry for one of the prestigious "Big 6" consulting firms in Southern California.

In addition to various types training, Cliff holds the following formal education degrees: Master's in Mathematics ('76), Master's in Computer Science ('85), Master's in Management of Information Systems ('86), Doctoral in Computer and Information Sciences ('88), Master of Business Administration ('92), Doctoral in Business Administration/Technology Management ('96), and Doctoral in Computer Technology in Education/Computer Systems in Education ('97).

He also has extensive teaching experience (close to 300 courses) in Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Business and Management as an adjunct faculty for several colleges and universities at both graduate and undergraduate levels in Europe and the United States, for the past 20 years.

As other accomplishments, Cliff was awarded "Excellence in Teaching/Instructor of the Year, 1996" and elected member of the "Leadership Society" by the University of Redlands.  Received an award for "Knowledge and Service Given to Our University" from Woodbury University, 1999.  Core Faculty – National University, Chapman University, Pepperdine University, The Union Institute. He also served on various advisory committees for a number of professional organizations. Cliff holds couple of Professional Certifications (Certified Quality Analyst, Certified Programmer/Analyst, Certified Manager, Certified Instructor) granted by National-level certification bodies. Cliff is also listed in several "Who's Who" publications in U.S. and U.K. He also served in Military (overseas), and honorably discharged with the rank of Major Lieutenant.

Cliff also writes, occasionally, for couple of professional trade magazines and speaks couples of foreign languages. He enjoys travel, reading (mostly science, history, geography) and sports (all kind), as well as time with his family.