Dr. Neil Hair

Recently a team of us put together a promotional video looking at experiential approaches to learning. The ten minute video explores the use of clients and student and client perceptions of effectiveness. Let me have your thoughts!

For closed captioned support please view: CC Video

So, after a few months of running around looking like a newbie I forked out $10 and went shopping. First thing that caught my eye was a Nehru suit - black of course. Next stop Shoes - leather and etched steel - just what the doctor ordered. Then I decided that my skin was bothering me and that my hair just wasnt hanging the way I wanted it. So I bought a face job and a new style (complete with 'blood' colouring). The whole process was very simple - probably too easy (since I had Matthew Anthony on hand to help I cant say it was difficult at all). I can see how people become addicted to the way in which they look (Ive heard some saying they own more SL clothing than they do in their real life). Next stop - a white Nehru suit to lecture in. And why not - its not as if its real!

Im compiling a list of all current students, alumni and interested parties that can help us build a blogging presence at the re-launch of our upcoming Saunders college of business site. I know a few blogs already but it always surprises me just how many I'm not aware of (especially alums). So, please get in touch and let me know the name and location of the blog and its prime content and I'll do what I can with your permission to get you listed on our new site. One of the benefits of this of course is front page allocation of space on the Saunders site which has anything up to 500 visitors a day stopping by.

Came across a recent article which looks at an innovate approach to marketing itself. Think Vegas without the bling and plenty of wind power. The Masdar Sustainable City as it will be known is a planned city based on sustainable energy alone (main focus Hydrogen). I like the sound of it. Totally self sustainable, built in one of the worlds most inhospitable regions and a chance to prove to the world that human ingenuity can win the day. It does beg the question though - why in an oil rich arab nation and not one in Europe or North America? Surely Australia would also be interested in this sort of development. My hat off to the silicon shores of the UAE, you know how to market yourself to environmentally conscious expats with a passion for adventure. All based on Hydrogen (and no doubt also planning vertical farms to boot). Why isn't Rochester - home of the energy cell doing something in this field? 

Happy new year everyone! Several personal technological reflections for 07 that made a difference to my life this past year. The first was my new Intel Core Duo, my last big update was in 2003 - video processing on this new machine is ridiculously fast (almost realtime), my craving for Battle Field Two was fuel injected with the new graphics card (this is in fact a vast understatement) and my productivity dived (see last comment). I discovered the power of Facebook for research purposes and productivity sored, started using Second Life for commercial purposes (teaching) and gazed in awe at the coverage of google earth (to the point where sat with my father we could see his boat on the river Dart in Devonshire). Other than that however Ive remained wanting a little. No foldable screens, electronic paper, always on free wifi, GPS watches or Freddie Mercury 3D holographic concerts from the 1980's. I do though live in hope. I hope 2008 will bring the following for me in particular, a decent compact prosumer HD video camera, decent HD video processing software to go with it, decent HD DVD media to store it on (here's hoping) and my very own little island in Second Life to call home (complete with 60ft yatch) donated by some large organization.

An amusing report from the old country on last nights storm in the UK. All 1.6 inches of it has basically closed the country as both government agencies and the MET office (the UK's national weather center) issue warnings to people. In Rochester last night we got three inches - this morning the roads have been cleared, the pathways are danceable, and business is very much as usual. Just goes to show how practiced we are in these parts for this kind of weather.