John Metta
John Metta is an EcoApprentice Advisory Board member as well as one of the programmers who helped with initial phases of EcoApprentice. He is a hydrologist, a talented programmer and entrepreneur. His scientific and business expertise have been greatly valued by the EcoApprentice team.
1) Tell us a little about yourself?
That’s a crazy open question. I got two bachelor’s degrees in science, then two masters degrees in science and engineering, then after all that I decided that as long as I struggle, I’ll never stop being a programmer, so went back to programming backend systems, mostly for scientists. My hobbies are Irish Flute, cycling, archery, swimming, gardening, and, of course, programming.
2) What interested you about the EcoApprentice model/Why did you choose to serve on the EcoApprentice Advisory Board?
The EcoApprentice model was an interestingly new take on an old problem, and I like new views. I chose to serve on the board because I like the message and the meaning and thought it would be interesting to be a part of this great experiment.
3) How important is the sustainability issue to your clients?
Many of my clients are scientists, especially in the environmental sector, so they think about sustainability a great deal. However, I notice that many think about it in terms specific to their industry/field. For instance, a fisheries biologist may be concerned with river flows, but may not connect that high server usage means more power, which likely means more hydroelectric generation and decreased flows. I’d like to think that something like EcoApprentice will make broader, if somewhat hidden, sustainability issues more visible.
4) How do you think EcoApprentice can benefit businesses?
I haven’t thought about this question much beyond connecting people with good ideas to the business. The history of entrepreneurial development in this country is defined by people with good ideas being able to implement those good ideas, this places much of the benefit on the users of EcoApprentice, more than the businesses. However, partnerships between users with good ideas and businesses will only benefit both parties.
