Luke Iseman Dedicated Project Visit Application

Name: Luke Iseman

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Location: Austin, Texas (back to Kenya in mid-January)

Contact Info: phone (512)466-4055, email luke@re-char.com , skype liseman.

Photo: here

Resume / Schools: on LinkedIn profile

References:

Jason Aramburu, CEO re:char. jason@re-char.com, (210)872-0632. Jason currently works with me at re:char.

Stephen Merritt, owner Dirtnail Pedicabs. merritt87@gmail.com, (512)844-4444. Stephen purchased Dirtnail Pedicabs from me.

Mia Iseman, younger sister. mia.iseman@gmail.com, (512)608-3295.

Why I'm Interested:

I've followed OSE since reading about the project in Make Magazine. I've been building my own open-source projects for years, and I'm excited about the potential to deploy several OSE projects in Kenya and elsewhere.

Practical Skills:

Appropriate Technology: I run the technology arm of re:char, creating carbon-negative products for sale to Kenyan farmers that pay for themselves within 12 months.

Open Source Electronics: I invented the Garduino, an arduino-based garden manager.

Entrepreneurship: I have started several businesses, including Dirtnail Pedicabs, a fleet of 25 bicycle taxis I built myself.

Metalworking: most skilled at wire feed, I have utilized all major welding styles. Additionally, I have run several different styles of plasma CNCs and am an amateur blacksmith.

Computers: expert in computer hardware and software troubleshooting, quite proficient in a variety of programming techniques (especially PHP and Javascript utilized with web services), skilled in CAD (SketchUp preferred), etc.

Things I have built:

In addition to remodeling a 1930s house, I have some of my projects on Instructables.

Particularly useful to OSE:

Welding, DIY experience, entrepreneurial energy.

Organizational skills / experience:

I have recruited, worked on, and occasionally managed teams throughout my career, from classrooms at Wharton to pedicabbers on the streets of Austin.

Cooking Yes, but not particularly well. I can cover my food expenses.

Resources to support myself? Yes.

Conditions / disabilities? None affecting ability to do work or exercise sound judgment.

Easy to get along with? Yes: I'm the oldest of 5 siblings, and they all still talk to me:)

Strong ideological views? Yes, but I believe in polite discussion rather than radical imposition.

Team player? Yes.

Smoke? No.

Dietary restrictions? None.

Transportation? Yes. I can have a car left on-site or not, at your discretion.

Wiki familiarity? Yes.

Pioneering, rough conditions, taking responsibility to create my own environment? Absolutely.

Availability: 12/8.

Options after month? Yes.

Goals / Deliverables:

I want to document the current state of the torch table for the first week, implement any readily available improvements the second week, and document a full deployment from scratch to finish upon my return to Kenya. Additionally, I will evaluate both Lifetrac and compressed earth bricks as possible technologies to deploy at our 6-acre demo site in 2012. The only resources I need to accomplish this are materials for any desired changes to the torch table. My project will be a success when I hear of at least 3 other people building a torch table from my documentation.

Willing to publish all results of work openly? Yes; I do this already.

What I expect to get personally? An adventure and an opportunity to learn more about DIY sustainability.

Visit prior? Yes.

3 interesting things about myself:

1. I've been to 25+ countries, and I wrote a book about my travels.

2. I'm building an off-grid house out of a shipping container.

3. Several of my projects have resulted in controversy.

3 things about living with me:

1. I sleep very soundly.

2. I have a distinctive, loud laugh.

3. I put copious amounts of Tabasco sauce on most foods.

Camera? I will bring several video and still cameras.