From UIC Sponsored 36 Week Training Program
to User Group Leaders Conventions
ZACK BAJIN
COMPUTER RELATED WORK
Experience on mainframes since 1970 (University of Waterloo 1970-1972 and Canadian General Electric, Toronto 1972-1974). Developed expertise in micro- computers since their beginnings, in 1977.
Employed in December 1974, by the GBC Academic Department to teach post-secondary courses in Mathematics, Physics, Modern Physics, Mechanics and Thermodynamics. Science Coordinator for three years.
• In 1978, initiated and helped establish the first Microcomputer Lab at George Brown College with 20 Commodore PET stations. One of the first three evening course instructors teaching BASIC programming.
• 1981-1989, Coordinator of Energy Conversion Technology, a three year technologist program in alternative energy and conservation, the first program to offer its students full access to an assortment of Apple/Macintosh and IBM compatible personal computers.
In the mid-eighties proposed an Innovation Centre. For the intended Centre for technology transfer and excellence, the College received the funding of $600 000 from the Ministry of Industry , Trade and Commerce.
• Throughout the eighties (1983-1989), consultant, support resource and trainer for the Staff Computer Learning Centre (Word processors, Spreadsheets and Databases on IBM compatibles and Apple/Macintosh computers)
• 1989/90, after a brief sabbatical leave, joined the CAD/CAM (later Computer Science and Engineering) department to develop and become Coordinator of a Macintosh® based training program for engineers and technologist in the first Macintosh lab of the College, which until then was utilized for training of the College staff.
•In Spring of 1990, developed a 36 weeks post-diploma program, Macintosh® Engineering. Initiated interactive courseware design. (Also teaching MS-DOS, Word, Wordperfect and Lotus 1-2-3 on the PC platform)
• In Summer of 1990, participated in the 2nd International Workshop on New Course Materials in Scotland. As a member of an international team, developed interactive training package on starting a small business.
• WS 1991/92, start of the UI & CEIC sponsored Macintosh® Engineering Applications, a 36 week post-diploma certificate program for engineers, scientists and technologists.
•Spring of 1991 Education Coordinator of over 600 members strong Club Mac
•Spring 1993 President of Club Mac (by now approx. 500 members)
•1993 National Instruments Training Certificate: LabVIEW
• 1994 Developer, Apple Computer
•Macworld 1993 (San Francisco) and 1994:(Boston) - Advisory Committee member.
•1995 President Canadian Consortium of User Groups
•September 1995: Chair & Host of North American User Groups Symposium And Workshop at Westin Harbour Castle.
•1997: Ambassador to MacWorld, New York (Apple/Microsoft partnership)
•1998: Club Mac established “Zack Bajin Presidential Award” plaque for outstanding ClubMac members.
Right: On August 24, 1995, Windows 95 was launched
and a 100m banner “graced” the CN Tower.
September 9, 1995. walking distance from the CN Tower, I was hosting the NAUGSAW95 and the MacFair Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle.
In1990 I joined the Computer Science and Engineering department at George Brown College, to develop and coordinate the highly successful, 36 week long, Macintish Engineering Applications program, sponsored by the UIC, in which unemployed, professionals, such as architects, electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers, printers, photographers and videographers, learned about Apple PowerPC hardware and software in 16 leading applications ranging from word processors, spreadsheets, databases, 2D and 3D CAD applications to photo, graphics editing, and multimedia software (see: Schedule of all Mac Engineering courses).
I became a certified trainer of LabVIEW a powerful instrumentation application by National Instruments, and was a registered Apple Developer, promoting development of interactive training material stored on CD-ROMs and distributed via World Wide Web.
In 1990, I coordinated a computer workshop at the ASEE conference in Toronto. From1991 I was an invited seminar presenter on communication and networking at the bi-annual Conference of the International Society for System Science in Toronto. From 1993, I was a regular conference presenter at Macworld in Boston, Toronto and San Francisco, on topics dealing with computer based interactive learning, and training in leading edge computer technology and engineering applications.
From 1992 I served as its Education Coordinator of Club Mac, a Toronto based user group of up to 600 members, then in 1994, I became the President of the same computer club and served in this role until 1997. As Club Mac’s president I established the Canadian Consortium of User Groups, and became its president as well. In September 1995 we hosted the North American User Group Symposium And Workshop (over 300 delegates) and the Mac Fair (over 4000 visitors) at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto. At about the same time, Microsoft officially introduced a MacOS like operating system, Windows 95.
During 1996 and 1997 I remained the president and the chair of the CCUG Board of directors, however I decided not to get reelected for another term of Club Mac, whose membership declined noticeably due to the implementation and rapid growth of the World Wide Web. It is worth noting that in 1994 I headed the organizing committee of the NAUGSAW’95 and used a WorldWideWeb precursor eWorld to schedule online chat room meetings with User Group leaders all over North America.
Employment history: harware/software experience:
1994 Acting Coord.-PC Support Admin., Comp. Sci. & Eng., GBC PowerPC applications
1991 Coordinator, Comp. Sci. & Eng., GBC Macintosh Engineering Apps.
1990 Coordinator, Interactive Studies, Computer Sci. & Eng., GBC Macintosh & 386
Presentations, Publications, Research Work Reports and Conference Organization:
Sep.1995 North American User Groups Symposium And Workshop 95 - Chair, Toronto, Ontario
Jun.1995 Global Communication and Borders, 4th ISSS Conference, Ryerson Polytechnic, Toronto, ON
Jan. 1995 PowerPCs in Science and Engineering, Macworld San Francisco, CA.,
Oct. 1994 Macworld Toronto, ON,
Aug.1994 Macworld Boston, MA,
1993 Interdisciplinary Computer Training, 3rd ISSS Conference, Ryerson Polytechnic, Toronto, ON
1993 System Analysis and Simulation with LabVIEW, Graphical Programming, 3rd ISSS Conf., Tor.,ON
1993 Interactive Training - Nonlinear, Accelerated Learning, ECOO, Toronto, ON
1990 New Technology Course Materials, 2nd International Workshop, Paisley Scotland,
Executive Member:
Canadian Consortium of User Groups, Founding President
Club Mac, President
Energy Action Committee Toronto (EnACT)
Foundation for Global Understanding (Toronto 2000)
Memberships: MacSciTech
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
Solar Energy Society of Canada Inc. (SESCI)
Association for Media &Technology in Education in Canada (AMTEC)
Instrument Society of America (ISA/Science, Robotics)
Editorial Board Member: Current (Magazine for HS Teachers, distribution 12 000)
Advisory Committee Chair: Canadian Standards Association, F381, 1987
(Parallel Power Generation)
Advisory Panel Member: The Better Built House, TVO Series, 1988
Advisory Board Member: Marc Garneau Collegiate
BBS Moderator: Club Mac (Education), CNCI (George Brown - Conference)
MAGIC BBS: (Macintosh Apple Group In Canada later acquired by Ted Rogers),
Interest Group Leader on Energy Environment
Organizing Directector and Host of NAUGSAW’95 Conference in Toronto
(eWorld meeting room moderator)
POWER MAC ENGINEERING