David Schmudde

Curriculum Vitae

Software Engineer, Educator, Researcher, Digital Artist

I use quantitative and qualitative analysis to improve software products and technology policy. My interdisciplinary background is an asset for teams that need help educating the public about their work, defining the social impact of their technology, and implementing innovative products. I am an advocate of Linux, Lisp/Clojure, Jupyter/Python notebooks, and the decentralized web. Areas of research include the structure and transmission of information, the history of technology, digital art, and applied computation.

Experience

Chief Technology Officer July 2020 - present
Yorba, a tool for managing online digital identity, Turin, IT
Technology: Clojure, NodeJS, Google Cloud

  • Lead greenfield project from concept to business with monthly recurring revenue
  • Featured in TechCrunch as “Mint for uncluttering your entire digital life”
  • Processed over 100M eMails on behalf of our members
  • Aligned the resources of a self-funded startup with technology choices
  • Built reliable interoperable services with Gmail, Plaid, Wikidata, Have I Been Pwned?, Data Rights Protocol, etc...

Developer Advocate September 2017 - January 2020
Nextjournal, an open science platform for reproducible research, Berlin, DE
Technology: Clojure, ClojureScript, Datomic, Python, R, Docker

  • Developed the user group management feature from database calls to front-end layout
  • Developed user analytics notebooks to set and achieve platform traffic and conversion goals
  • Increased reach in organic search through popular, runnable notebooks like "How to Remove Outliers in Data With Pandas", from January/2019 to January/2021 these notebooks accounted for 15% of all of Nextjournal's traffic
  • Worked cross-functionally to enhance user on-boarding
  • Presented topics in computer science using live code in Nextjournal at Curry On, PyCon, and Creative Coding NYC
  • Wrote deep dives into core product concepts, "Computational Environments," "Transclusions," and "Remixing" (branching and version control)
  • Helped structure and write Nextjournal's documentation

Creative Technologist January 2005 - August 2019
Beyond the Frame, a new media company creating interactive experiences, New York, NY, US
Technology: Clojure, Apache, Tomcat, Digital and 35mm Cameras, Final Cut X, Logic X

  • Built University of California's interactive "Pathways Online Tutorial" for new students
  • Negotiated distribution and exhibition agreements for interactive installations, online experiences, and short films
  • Worked with the Elks National Foundation to establish a video presence online that indoctrinates new members and documents philanthropic efforts
  • Granted residencies for new media creative work at Signal Culture (New York), Holocenter: Center for the Holographic Arts (New York), and Startup Germany/Medienboard (Berlin)
  • Established Bushwick Film Festival's "New Media Day" in 2013, reprised in 2014
  • Produced documentary pilot, "Souvenir Junk Drawer," for Soulpancake
  • Developed and reviewed feature film scripts for Throughline Films
  • Awarded multiple "Best of Festival" distinctions

Freelance Developer October 2015 - April 2016
Penguin Random House, a new media company creating interactive experiences, New York, NY, US
Technology: PHP, JavaScript, Wordpress

  • Developer of high-profile author sites like Arianna Huffington and Carol Burnett as well as imprints like Hogarth Shakespeare for Crown Publishing Group
  • Created accurate bids for work with a structured client review and delivery process
  • Wrote custom code for Wordpress sites and conformed to corporate security standards

Front-End Developer December 2013 - April 2015
NetGalley, a publishing website and community for preprint digital books, New York, NY, US
Technology: Symfony 2, Symfony 1, PHP, JavaScript, JQuery, Less, Doctrine, GitHub

  • 40,000+ members and 100K+ uniques/month
  • Released every two weeks, accurately hitting sprint targets while committing quality code
  • Moved to new templating technologies and stylesheet best practices to support faster development and extended support for Japanese, German, and French

Digital Project Manager/Digital Producer September 2012 - December 2012
F#, a digital audio marketing firm, New York, NY, US
Technology: Jira, Spotify API

  • Managed the creation of interactive advertising campaigns
  • Led ideation process for wireframe, development, creative, and launch
  • Led agile production process that included teams on three continents highlighting cultural awareness, language, and time zone management concerns
  • Clients included Universal Pictures, Chevrolet, Philips, Gap, and Spotify

Academic Experience

Adjunct Professor January 2017 - May 2019
Stevens Institute of Technology, College of Arts and Letters, Hoboken, NJ, US

  • Taught 14 week semesters, 5 contact hours a week
  • Created syllabus and curriculum for new Cyberspace and National Security class
  • HSS-371 Computers and Society: An examination of the politics and culture embodied by technology. This includes internet governance, ethical issues in computing, privacy, intellectual property, the digital divide, and digital arts.
  • HST-495 Cyberspace and National Security: This course explores the concept of power in the digital age. Topics include cyberwarfare, espionage, propaganda, surveillance, social media, cryptography, hacking, and cybersecurity within the context of society.

Associate Professor January 2006 - January 2012
Illinois Institute of Art, Department of Digital Film and Video, Chicago, IL, US

  • Taught course load of 2 to 3 classes every quarter
  • Lead classroom instruction in all 4 quarters every year with 12-18 contact hours per week
  • Designed the curriculum for the Bachelor of Audio Engineering
  • Facilitated relationships between the school and the film and advertising industry (e.g. Illinois Institute of Art night at the Midwest Film Festival, arranging guest speakers on campus, introducing students to internships and career opportunities)
  • Core member of faculty committee for senior film portfolio defense
  • Faculty Advisor: Film Club, Audio Club
  • Courses: DFV-365 Sound Design for Film, DFV-100 Survey of Film, DFV-330 Digital Filmmaking Portfolio Preparation I, DFV-430 Digital Filmmaking Portfolio Preparation II, DFV-120 Fundamentals of Audio, AUD-100 Survey of the Music Industry, AUD-201 Music Theory

Adjunct Faculty January 2005 - June 2007
International Academy of Design and Technology, Web and Multimedia Design, Chicago, IL, US

  • Taught freshman to senior across three departments: Web & Multimedia Design, Video & Animation Production, and Game Design
  • Designed the curriculum for the Interactive Multimedia Track
  • IADT kiosk: class developed and implemented public informational kiosk
  • Courses: Directing and Producing, Application Design, Digital Production I, Advanced Post Production, Digital Video Editing, Audio Production, Digital Audio Editing, Senior Project for Visual Communications, Career Portfolio Development for Visual Communications, Independent Study

Talks & Workshops

Conference Presentations

Selected Talk: Say What You Mean, Curry On, London, UK


2021 Internet Identity Workshop (Spring) Mountain View, CA, US, “Strategies For Bridging to Next-Generation Identity Systems”

2021 PROGRAMme Research Into the History and Philosophy of Computing Bertinoro, IT, “Liveness”

2021 Art of Future Online, The Art of Up-Cycling Digital Debris

2021 Internet Identity Workshop (Spring) Mountain View, CA, US, “Managing Authorization”

2020 Nexa Center for Internet & Society at the Polytechnic University of Turin Turin, IT, Software Preservation in Networked Art

2020 JupyterCon Online, Dr. Schmood's Notebook of Python Calisthenics and Orthodontia

2019 Society for the History of Technology Milan, IT, The Emergence of Computational Thinking in Art

2019 PyCon/PyData Berlin, DE, Dr. Schmood's Notebook of Python Calisthenics and Orthodontia

2019 Curry On London, UK, Say What You Mean

2019 History of Digital Cultures University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL, “Enabling Digital Anthropology”

2019 Vossius Seminar's History of Knowledge Series University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL, Intended Knowledge?

2018 Stored In Memory: The 10th Annual SIGCIS Conference St. Louis, MO, US, Misuser

2018 Strange Loop St. Louis, MO, US, Misuser

2018 Creative Coding NYC New York, NY, US, “Sound, Motion, Notation”

2017 Society for the History of Technology Philadelphia, PA, US, Unlikely Harbingers

2017 RIXC Art Science Festival Riga, LV, Manifesting Human Relationships in Art and Technology

2017 I T.A.K.E Unconference (Keynote) Bucharest, RO, Aesthetics and Narrative

2017 Codes & Modes Symposium Hunter College, New York, NY, US, The Grammar of the Internet

2016 Clojure/conj Austin, TX, US, Aesthetics and Narrative

2016 Vintage Computer Festival Midwest 11 Elk Grove, IL, US, Accidentally Arming a Hacker Revolution

2015 Pecha Kucha Berlin, DE, Computers & Intimacy

2015 C-Base: Home of the Chaos Computer Club Berlin, DE, Harvesting Human Intelligence

2009 Music Composition for the Screen Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL, US, Hybrid Scores and Atonality

2009 Midwest Independent Film Festival Chicago, IL, US, Low Budget Filmmaking (Moderator)

2009 Chicago Actors Casting Summit Chicago, IL, US, Casting in Student Films (Panelist)

Workshops

2019 The Internet Lives Here New York, NY, US, Docent, “Telecommunications Tour”

2017 ClojureBridge New York, NY, US, Advanced Instructor, Functional Programming & Clojure Fundamentals

2017 Digital Humanities Festival New York, NY, US, Co-Teacher, Strategies for Interactive & Immersive Dance

Publications & Exhibitions

Publications

Exhibitions

2022 Museums Without Walls Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada, Gallery 404

2021 xCoAx: 9th Conference on Computation, Communication, Aesthetics & X Graz, AU/Online, Gallery 404

2021 Gallery 404 (curator, ongoing) Online Museum of Broken net.art, Gallery 404

2018 Sound And Vision International Film & Technology Festival Elizabethport, NJ, US, “The Rhythm of Time”

2018 NewFilmmakers New York, NY, US, “The Rhythm of Time”

2018 The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival New York, NY, US, “The Rhythm of Time”

2017 Measure, Model, Mix: Computer as Instrument (workshop selection) Philadelphia, PA, US, “Jack and the Machine”

2017 Bushwick Film Festival New York, NY, US, “Distant Apologies”

2017 Blow-Up Arthouse International Film Festival Chicago, IL, US, “Distant Apologies”

2017 Blow-Up Arthouse International Film Festival Chicago, IL, US, “The Rhythm of Time”

2017 YoFiFest Film Festival Yonkers, NY, US, “Distant Apologies”

2017 Holocenter: Center for the Holographic Arts (installation) New York, NY, US, “Borderless IV”

2017 Average Art Magazine “Borderless IV”

2016 Hack && Tell (presentation) New York, NY, US, “The Rhythm of Time”

2016 Third Shift @ Third Space Gallery (installation) Saint John, NB, CA, “Borderless IV”

2015 FUSE @ Livestream Public (performance) New York, NY, US, “Borderless”

2015 Music Hall of Williamsburg (performance) New York, NY, US, “Borderless”

2015 ArtStars* Bits & Beats Berlin, DE, “Jack and the Machine”

2015 310 XNRD (installation) London, UK, “Borderless”

2015 Schusev State Museum of Architecture Now&After Festival (installation) Moscow, RU, “Borderless”

2015 IndieWorks New York, NY, US, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2014 Fonlad International Exhibition of Video Art Cologne, DE, “Borderless”

2014 IFP Made in NY Media Center (installation) New York, NY, US, “Borderless”

2014 Red Hook Film Festival New York, NY, US, “The Assassination of Chicago’s Mayor”

2014 ShortsHD Channel - Dish Network, DirecTV, AT&T Broadcast, “The Assassination of Chicago’s Mayor”

2014 IndieFlix Internet Distribution, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2013 Filmstock Film Festival UT, US, “A Simple Reminder”

2013 Hollyshorts New York, NY, US, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2013 Filmstock Film Festival NM, US, “Refuge”

2012 Beneath the Earth Film Festival Internet Distribution, “Refuge”

2012 Filmstock Film Festival Tempe, AZ, US, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2012 Filmstock Film Festival Tempe, AZ, US, “Refuge”

2013 Aesthetica Film Festival York, UK, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2012 Hollyshorts Los Angeles, CA, US, “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor”

2012 MoFest Chicago, IL, US, “Elements • Spring to Summer to Autumn 2011”

2012 Chicago Filmmakers Short Story Showcase Chicago, IL, US, “Elements • Spring to Summer to Autumn 2011”

2012 Moving Pictures Film Festival Quincy, IL, US, “Refuge”

2011 ShortsHD Channel - Dish Network, DirecTV, AT&T Broadcast, “Refuge”

2011 Chicago Filmmakers Short Story Film Showcase Chicago, IL, US, “Refuge”

2010 Chicago International Film Festival Chicago, IL, US, “Refuge”

2010 The New Art Film Festival Champaign-Urbana, IL, US, “I am Concrete”

2008 Chicago Filmmakers Chicago, IL, US, “Aijo”

2006 Georgetown Film Fest Washington DC, US, “Aijo”

2006 S.N.O.B Film Festival Boston, MA, US, “Aijo”

2005 River’s Edge International Film Festival Paducah, KY, US, “Year of the Rooster”

2003 Block Museum Evanston, IL, US, “Lucid Dream Ensemble”

2003 Block Museum Evanston, IL, US, “Lucid Dream Ensemble”

2003 Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art Version Festival Chicago, IL, US, “Lucid Dream Ensemble”

2003 SEAMUS National Conference Tempe, AZ, US, “Lucid Dream Ensemble”

Institutional Credentials

Education

2004 Northwestern University Masters in Music (Magna Cum Laude), Thesis: Electroacoustic Interpretations of Popular Music

2001 University of Northern Iowa Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Creative Computing and the Visual Arts

Honors & Grants

2020 Ranked Top 5% of Screenplays: “Blue Island” The Black List, Distinction

2018 Researcher in Residence Signal Culture, Owego, NY, US, Residency

2017 Space:Light Artist Residency Holocenter: Center for the Holographic Arts, New York, NY, US, Residency

2016 Interactive Co/Lab Tribeca Film Institute, Detroit, MI, US, Competitive Selection

2015 Media Residency Program Startup Germany, Medienboard, Berlin, DE, New Media Production Grant

2015 POV Hackathon 9 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Chicago, IL, US, Competitive Selection

2014 POV Hackathon 7 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), New York, NY, US, Competitive Selection

2014 Audience Choice Award, Best Director: “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor” Red Hook Film Festival, New York, NY, US, Film Festival Award

2014 Audience Choice Award: “A Simple Reminder” Digipops Community Film Festival, Film Festival Award

2013 Tribeca Hacks Tribeca Film Institute, New York, NY, US, Competitive Selection

2012 Best Director, Best of Fest: “Refuge” Filmstock Film Festival, Tempe, AZ, US, Film Festival Award

2012 Best Actor: “The Assassination of Chicago's Mayor” Filmstock Film Festival, Tempe, AZ, US, Film Festival Award

2012 Best Editing, Best Acting: “Refuge” Beneath the Earth Film Festival, Film Festival Award

2005 Educator of the Year Nomination International Academy of Design and Technology, Chicago, IL, US, Professional Distinction

2003 Program for the Study of the Imagination Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, US, Composition Grant

1998 Interactive Award - The One Show One Club, Carbondale, IL, US, Competitive Showcase (Bronze Placement)

Appearances in the Media

Affiliations

Ruca: A business co-operative Member, 2020

Ampled: An online artist co-operative Community Member, 2020

Association for Computing Machinery Member, 2019 - 2020

Society for the History of Technology Member, 2016 - 2020

Kitchen Table Coders: A Studio for Creative Coding New York, NY, US, Member, 2016 - 2019

The FilmShop: A New York Collective of Independent Filmmakers New York, NY, US, Member, 2014 - 2017

Bushwick Film Festival New York, NY, US, New Media Advisor, 2013 - 2014

Himalaya Project: Education and Healthcare in Dolpo, Nepal Chicago, IL, US, Volunteer Media Director and Producer, 2013 - 2014

<StoryCode>: An Immersive Media Meetup New York, NY, US, Videography Volunteer, 2013 - 2014

Further Training

Internet Governance Virtual School on Internet Governance, Online, 2021

Dataism: Understanding Data Science Through Activism School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe, Berlin, DE, 2020

Exploring Cyberspace: Network Sniffing and Scanning Tech Learning Collective, New York, NY, US, 2020

German Language Training Sprachsalon, Berlin, DE, 2019

Screenwriting with Dan Conway Chicago Dramatists, Chicago, IL, US, 2007

Producers Series Independent Feature Project, Chicago, IL, US, 2007 - 2008

Latin American Composition with Elbio Rodriguez, Chicago, IL, US, 2006 - 2007

German Language Training DID Deutsch-Institut, Berlin, DE, 2005

Ballroom Dance Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, US, 2003 - 2007