Biography of Dr. Standler
Atmospheric Physics
During 1967-77, when I was a full-time physics student, I took the usual physics
classes to prepare me to do research and solve problems in almost any area of classical physics.
There are some themes in physics, such as oscillations and motion of waves, that occur in many areas
of physics (e.g., mechanics, acoustics, optics, electromagnetism, plasma physics, etc.),
and understanding these themes make it easier to learn new areas of physics.
During 1971-79, I did scientific research in atmospheric physics,
including lightning.
Electrical Engineering
After earning my doctorate in physics in 1977, there were few jobs for physicists,
because of decreases in funding for pure scientific research.
I switched careers to electrical engineering.
I was a professor of electrical engineering for 10 years
and an employee of, or consultant to, industry for 7 years.
During 1973-1989, I designed and built electronic instrumentation, including both
analog and digital circuits.
My career in engineering built on my previous experience in physics research,
in which I designed and built some of my electronic instruments and
protected them from lightning.
electrical surges
Since 1973, I have designed and built numerous surge suppressors for ac power circuits,
analog and digital data lines, and telephone lines.
During 1982-93, I did engineering research in protection of electronic circuits from
electrical surges
(i.e., transient overvoltages), such as caused by lightning, switching inductive loads, and
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from nuclear weapons.
conclusion of my scientific & engineering research
During 1971-93, I wrote more than 35 archival papers in science and engineering, plus
one book that has been in print for more than
twenty years, and I am an inventor on three U.S. Patents.
In 1990, the annihilation of financial support for scholarly research
in all of my areas of physics and electrical engineering forced me to find another way
to earn an income.
However, I continue to consult part-time in the design and application of surge suppressors and
surge arresters. For that reason, I continue to maintain my collection of catalogs of
components for surge-protective devices.
Law
I had been interested in privacy law and First Amendment law since the 1960s and I had worked
as a consultant on scientific evidence to litigators, so I decided in 1994 to become an attorney.
When I was a full-time law student during 1995-98, I broadly studied torts, contracts, and
constitutional law, as well as intellectual property law.
I used the same broad, general approach to law that served me well in my previous careers
as a physicist and electrical engineer.
An attorney who has a narrow focus in only one specialty can miss analogies from
other areas of law when novel or nonroutine cases arise. In the area of computer and technology law,
new technologies are continually creating novel or nonroutine cases.
My earlier career as a professor for 10 years
helps me understand and solve problems in higher-education law.
My writing computer programs since 1968, and my being a webmaster since 1997,
helps me understand and solve problems in computer law.
My experience in scientific and engineering research for more than 17 years
helps me understand torts involving technology
and also appreciate the importance of intellectual property law.
In this way, my current career in law builds on my experience
in my previous careers in physics and electrical engineering.
Since becoming an attorney in Massachusetts in December 1998, I have continued to learn law,
mostly by assigning myself legal research projects on topics that interest me.
Some of these self-assigned projects became essays at my website
with citations to statutes, cases, and law review articles.
You can see my intense interest, enthusiasm, and scholarly approach to law in the
more than 60 essays at my websites.
I have also gained experience through work for my legal clients in Massachusetts, and
from my nationwide consulting to litigators.
Credentials
My curriculum vitae gives my credentials,
a bibliography of my publications, and a summary of my professional experience.
this document is at http://www.rbs2.com/about.htm
first posted 16 May 2009, revised 12 April 2010
return to my homepage