My Classes in the Masters Program in Computer Science
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is being widely adopted by enterprises of all sizes due to the low initial investment required, attractive operating costs, and elastic capacity that can best serve the highly variable demands of modern applications. In this class we introduce the core concepts and services that underpin public cloud infrastructure.
MPCS 51083 Class Website
Advanced Topics in Cloud Computing
Cloud infrastructure greatly simplifies the development of highly scalable applications, but operating these applications reliably and securely at scale introduces additional challenges. In this class we will explore approaches for meeting these challenges and develop an understanding of enabling technologies.
MPCS 52083 Class Website
Product Management
Product management concepts factor into every aspect of the business and hence can be approached from a number of different—but complementary—perspectives. This course skews towards a more business-focused discussion of product management, while incorporating key technical elements.
MPCS 51240 Class Website
Globus
Globus (www.globus.org) is software- and platform-as-a-service for research data management, developed and operated by a group of us in the Office of Research and National Laboratories. The service offers a suite of data and user management capabilities to the research community, encompassing file transfer and sharing, identity management, and data publication. Globus capabilities are accessible via both a web browser and REST APIs. Web access allows Globus to address the needs of research labs through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, while REST APIs address the needs of developers of research services, who can use Globus as a platform to simplify access via data portals, science gateways, and other web applications.
Globus is currently used by all R1 research institutions in the USA, many national laboratories, federal facilities, as well as hundreds of non-profit and commercial organizations around the world. Researchers have transferred more than an exabyte(!) of data and shared billions of files using Globus since we first deployed the service in November 2010.
About Me
I'm the customer guy at Globus, and my goal is to make Globus sustainable so that every researcher in the world can use the amazing data management capabilities we've built. This means getting institutions to upgrade from the free usage tier and take advantage of the many premium features in the service—if you're reading this and still using Globus for free, I hope you'll contact me about subscribing :-)
At the same time I have the urge to scratch my technical itch, which I do by teaching Cloud Computing and Product Management in the CS Masters program. Every year I have the privilege of working with dozens of smart, considerate students, who go on to achieve great things. It's always gratifying to see and hear from our graduates when they land that special job with a leading tech company or a non-profit that's changing the world. Thank you to those who stay in touch!
Other than that, I'm still recovering from my management consulting days ...being an advisor to early stage companies is my occasional fix, so do let me know if you have a nugget that you want to turn into a gold bar.
The obligatory formal "bio" is included below.
Vas is Chief Customer Officer for Globus, innovative software-as-a-service for research data management, developed and operated by the University of Chicago. His responsibilities include sales, marketing, business development, customer support, training, and working with current and prospective users to grow adoption of the service. Vas is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Masters Program in Computer Science, where he teaches courses on Cloud Computing and Product Management.
Vas has over 30 years of experience in operational and consulting roles, spanning strategy, marketing and technology. An experienced software product marketing professional with a passion for shaping emerging technologies to bring innovative products to market, Vas has nurtured early stage companies into successful businesses, and consulted to companies on a wide range of strategic issues.
Prior to joining the University, Vas was a principal at Strategos, the innovation consulting firm founded by Gary Hamel, where he led Fortune 100 management teams in defining their growth agenda. Earlier, Vas led product management and marketing efforts at Univa, a leading provider of grid and cloud computing solutions.
Earlier in his career, Vas served as vice president of product management and corporate strategy at CrossWorlds Software, the enterprise application integration pioneer, and was part of the leadership team that grew CrossWorlds from a start-up to a successful public company that was subsequently acquired by IBM. Vas was also chief technology officer at Cimnet Systems (acquired by Consona), a company specializing in software for electronics manufacturing, vice president of strategy and product management at Promeria (acquired by Ariba), a supplier relationship management company.
Vas' management consulting experience includes Booz & Company (now Strategy&), where he focused on supply chain strategy and customer service level optimization, and Accenture, where he helped clients in the financial services industry automate trading and back office operations.
Vas holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He remains a network partner with Strategos and is an advisor to early-stage technology companies on strategy, marketing, and product management.
Contact
Email:
vas@uchicago.edu
Call:
+1 (773) 702-5376