Dion Collier - PARSONS
“Life is not about inventing every little thing from scratch, collaboration of ideas help to streamline better solutions.”
- Dion Collier
A little bit of intrigue can go a long way.
With an inclination to design, building and mathematics, Dion Collier was encouraged to begin a career as an industrial electronics technician. Later in life, Dion shared, “I upgraded to being an electrical engineer when I moved to Augusta over twenty years ago.” After two years, Dion shifted to being a software developer at Fort Gordon.” Now, he is a Senior Cyber Software Developer for Parsons’ Augusta office, located in the Georgia Cyber Center.
For the past few years, Dion has attended several of theClubhou.se meetups to learn more about 3D printing, hacking, Python and laser cutting. Last June, he began his role at Parsons which is conveniently located above theClubhou.se. “It is very easy for me to attend theClubhou.se after work;” Dion relished, “their laser cutter and Maker Lab is what really sold me on becoming a member. I have a small 8-watt laser that I use for carving woodworking projects at home, but it is not powerful enough to cut. Being able to learn more about using a powerful CO2 laser cutter will help me to spec out one for my woodworking shop. It is also pretty cool sharing laser cutter operation and project ideas with other members.”
The experience of collaboration and shared learning led Dion, along with a few other mentors, to organize an all-girls STEM club in Evans, Ga for his daughter and others: Girls Engineering & Coding Organization Club (GECO Club). He explained, “My personal focus was to teach GECO basic programming logic with Scratch, Makeblock mBots and Python 3. It is fun teaching the girls how to make a Python Graphical User Interface (GUI) and have it interface to electronics.” For example, they created a large project which simulated two traffic lights with crosswalk lights and push-buttons at an intersection. They had to then breadboard the traffic lights and push-buttons so it would operate with the GUI output.
Prompted with the question of what expertise he would like to share with others, Dion quipped, “Raspberry Pi electronic projects are always fun!” Dion has countless examples of the capabilities of a Raspberry Pi. Dion seems to always be finishing a project while in the midst of another one with a new one coming down the line. “I just completed a simulation of the Harry Potter vs Voldemort wand battle with an addressable LED light strip, Raspberry Pi and Python.” He is getting close to completing the STEM Club of America word clock, stating, “The packaging of the Raspberry Pi and electronics are almost done. The Python 3 program is basically done and the alphabet lights work. I just need to improve the power filtering and signal to the addressable LEDs.”
“Raspberry Pi electronic projects are always fun!”
Dion Collier using the laser cutter here at theClubhou.se.
Dion is also working on a Python Turtle GUI word clock application and a scaled down version of the Christmas lights scene from Stranger Things replicated with addressable LED Christmas lights. In addition these projects, he is pursuing starting his own LLC to sell woodworking and electronic items online.
Sharing Solutions is Dion’s favorite of theClubhou.se Core Values. “Life is not about inventing every little thing from scratch,” he says, “collaboration of ideas help to streamline better solutions.” Dion says that talking to other members of theClubhou.se has helped him develop solutions for his STEM Club of America non-profit. He has received business and project ideas from collaborating with other members.