2013 Keynote Presentations
We will be announcing our 2013 keynote presentations soon! In the meantime, please see the engaging speaker we were lucky to have at our 2012 conference.
2012 Keynote Presentations
Opening Plenary - Keynote Speakers
Cliff Barackman, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot
Cliff Barackman was born and raised in Long Beach, California. Throughout his youth, his interests were drawn towards both the physical and biological sciences, as well as music. While Cliff was navigating his life, a growing interest in the Bigfoot phenomena drove him to travel to other parts of the country to look into the mystery. It was in college that Cliff's interest in Bigfoot moved from a quirky interest to an obsession. Having a sizable break between classes, Cliff started spending time in the college library reading books on his various interests. After researching Bigfoot, he realized that not only was Bigfoot interesting, but it might actually be a real, biological creature.
Cliff had been an avid camper all his life, but around this time he started camping with the singular purpose of doing Bigfoot research. On his first expedition to Bluff Creek, California in 1994, he stumbled across possible Bigfoot footprints, as well as tree damage evidence and a possible hair sample.
Cliff's interest in physical evidence led him to take a keen interest in footprint casts. Over the years, what started out as the gathering of a few Bigfoot souvenirs has eventually led him to holding one of the largest cast collections in the country.
Being one of the most active Bigfoot researchers today, Cliff's expert opinion, level-headed approach and analytical mind are essential. When numbers need to be extracted for the sake of data analysis, or when a footprint needs to be permanently recorded, he is there to offer his unique skills.
Cliff augments the credibility of Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot with his passion for data collection, and his ability to explain complex ideas in simple fashion.
Cliff utilizes a variety of technologies in his search for sasquatches. Since sasquatches are a nocturnal species, night vision and thermal imaging technologies are heavily relied upon in his efforts to obtain compelling footage of these elusive creatures. It is Cliff's belief that technology is finally catching up to the sasquatch, and through the use of thermal imaging devices, compelling videos showing bigfoots in the wild can and will be obtained.
Dr. Michael Walsh, Associate Director of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine’s Aquatic Animal Health Program
A Dolphin Tale: Monitoring Skin Trauma in Dolphins & Manatees
Read Abstract
Harry Connick Jr.'s character in the 2011 film "Dolphin Tale" is loosely based on Dr. Mike Walsh, associate director of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine’s Aquatic Animal Health program. The film depicts real events of a dolphin that was outfitted with a prosthetic tail. Dr. Walsh used thermography to determine the effects of the device on the dolphin's skin. Learn more about Dr. Walsh's innovative use of thermography on dolphins and manatees in his riveting keynote at InfraMation 2012.
Mike Walsh is a Clinical Associate Professor of Aquatic Animal Health at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. He also consults as the veterinary of record for the Clearwater Marine Science Center. Mike graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in biological sciences, then a DVM in veterinary medicine. He did his internship at the University of Pennsylvania and residency at the University of Florida.
Mike has extensive experience in aquatic animals having worked at Sea World Orlando and Cypress Gardens Zoological Park. He has also been very active in such organizations as the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine, serving as president in 1998. Mike has received several prestigious awards for aquatic animal preservation, such as the U.S. FWS Manatee Conservation Award.
Mike began using IR Thermography in 1986 with help from Dr. Tracy Turner who was researching its use in horses. Dr. Turner visited Dr. Walsh several times with his infrared camera equipment and looked at every aquatic species they could. Of particular interest was a manatee that had an infection. Drs. Walsh and Turner showed the value of IR Thermography in looking at infections or injuries to speed up diagnostics and therapy. Mike is currently applying it to manatees as well as Winter the dolphin to better understand the use of a prosthetic on dolphin skin.
Dr. Charles Xie, The Concord Consortium
Empowering Students to Make True Scientific Discoveries Using IR Imaging
Read Abstract
IR imaging represents a new generation of educational technology tools that promises to transform classrooms and bring back the “high adventure” of science. What an IR camera can immediately show and tell would have taken students hours using a thermometer or a sensor. Learn easily reproduced science experiments that can help you sell your thermal imaging services and find new applications beyond the conventional.
Dr. Charles Xie is a Senior Scientist at the Concord Consortium and the Principal Investigator of three current projects funded by the National Science Foundation. His passion with thermal imaging began in 2010 with a second-hand I5 camera. He quickly realized that IR cameras could one day become as important as microscopes for teaching (and doing) science, as many invisible physical, chemical, and biological processes that absorb or release heat can be visualized, discovered, and investigated through IR cameras. Since then, he has tirelessly worked to accomplish this vision. Charles has designed scores of simple IR imaging experiments that teach profound science concepts. Some of these experiments have been featured on science education magazines. His "IR Magic"—using science to cause objects to change colors in the IR view in a surprising way—has been a smash.
Building Thermography - Keynote Speaker
Amanda Evans, Director, Center of Excellence for Green Building and Energy Efficiency
A Full Spectrum Life: Inspiration to Live By
Read Abstract
This paper is designed to inspire infrared thermographers to look at their career and life in a larger spectrum than they may have been. Incorporating ideas from building science, house as a system, healthy homes and more, this manuscript aims to broaden the options for the individual in their careers and life. There will be stories about how other people are changing and expanding their lives in innovative ways.
Amanda is the Director of the Center of Excellence for Green Building and Energy Efficiency and the Project Manager of the New Mexico Energy$mart Academy at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico. She teaches the Building Performance Institute Building Analyst and Envelope Professional certifications, the RESNET HERS certification, Intro to Infrared Thermography for Building Science as well as other courses in the NME$A program. Amanda is on the Board of the Santa Fe Area Homebuilders' Association, USGBC New Mexico and the Foundation for Building. She regularly presents at conferences around the country on green jobs training and opportunities.
Condition Monitoring - Keynote Speaker
Dr. Bob Madding, RPM Energy Associates, LLC
Know the Who, What, Why, When and Where of Condition Monitoring
Read AbstractThe 5 Ws aren't just for journalists anymore. Being able to answer the Who, What, Why, When and Where of your condition monitoring program will help you achieve more beneficial results. Dr. Bob Madding of RPM Energy Associates once again contributes his exentsive thermography expertise in this insightful presentation.
Bob holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He began the first infrared thermography seminar at the University of Wisconsin Extension in 1978. He co-founded the Thermosense Conference in 1978 with two other colleagues from the UW. He has presented and published numerous technical papers on infrared thermography applications, as well as contributing chapters to textbooks such as Applied Thermal Design and the Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering. In 2000 he founded the InfraMation Conference, the largest commercial IR thermography applications conference. Bob has over 35 years of experience in infrared thermography applications and training. With several years of practical experience at a large electric utility and at a large aerospace defense company, Dr. Madding has a unique combination of both technical product and applications knowledge and a “school of hard knocks” understanding of IR thermographer issues. While at Maintenance and Diagnostics, an EPRI contractor, he developed advanced applications of IR thermography for condition monitoring of power plants, substations and switchyards. While Director of the Infrared Training Center, Bob taught classes, developed training course materials for all the ITC course offerings, wrote software for electrical load correction of hot spot temperature rise, a power loss calculator that estimates electrical resistance on problematic operating equipment such as oil-filled circuit breakers, and other IR applications software to make the professional thermographers’ life more rewarding. Currently, Bob is President of RPM Energy Associates, LLC doing thermal infrared imaging consulting work.