Anil Hemrajani

As CEO, Anil is responsible for the vision, strategy and operation of Big Universe Learning, defining its content guidelines and playing an integral role in the website’s technology architecture.

He began his information technology career, helping companies develop custom enterprise software with emerging technologies. In 1997, he founded a successful IT solutions company, which he sold in 2003. He established an award-winning online community for software programmers that grew to 100,000 registered members. The author of a 360-page software technology book (available in four languages), Anil has published dozens of articles in popular magazines, won multiple industry awards, been nominated for a Computerworld-Smithsonian Award, and given talks to thousands of developers in four continents.

A world traveler, Anil realizes our planet is a small one, and although people look and act differently, we all have the same basic needs. He believes that higher literacy increases global awareness in children and considers beautiful picture books one way to inspire children to read, write and learn more. It’s his travels, a high regard for education and his fascination with children's books that sparked the creation of BigUniverse.com.

Notable Accomplishments

• Entrepreneur - CEO & Founder of BigUniverse.com, a social learning platform for grades K-8 where students and teachers worldwide read, write and share books online. Previously founded, managed and sold Isavix Corporation, a successful IT services company; acquired/cultivated several Fortune 1000 clients, managed the company’s finances, oversaw sales, marketing and recruiting efforts, and more.
• Software Technologist - Held a variety of positions in IT since 1986 including Enterprise Software Consultant, Software Architect, Software Engineer, and Data Center Manager. Personally assisted large and small companies in implementing custom enterprise-class, cross-platform, software applications using cutting edge technologies and efficient methodologies including object-oriented techniques, application servers, relational databases, and agile methods. Built, marketed and grew DeveloperHub.com, an award-winning online developer community, to over 100,000 registered members.
• Author, Speaker & Teacher (see below) - Published a 360-page book and over 30 technical articles in well-known trade journals. Taught and presented Java/web technologies to over 2,000 people in 8 countries and 4 continents.
• Awards (see below) - Received and/or nominated for various industry awards.

Published Work

Books

• Agile Java Development with Spring, Hibernate and Eclipse, Pearson: May, 2006 (360-page book, available in 4 languages, ~15,000 copies sold)
• Contributing author for Special Edition Using Java, 2nd Edition, Que Publishing: Nov, 1996

Articles

• Build Robust Security into a Rails-Based Wiki System: DevX.com, Jul, 2007
• Build a Wiki System with Rails, DevX.com, Apr, 2007
• Agile Java Development with Spring, Hibernate and Eclipse, Java Developer's Journal: Jul, 2006
• Agile Draw, Agile Alliance AgileDevelopment: Jul, 2006
• Using Agile Processes and Modeling To Build Enterprise Applications, BEA Dev2Dev: May, 2006
• Free Access to your PC from Anywhere (using Real VNC), PC Magazine: Jan, 2006
• Working Together With Wikis, PC Magazine: Aug, 2005
• Methodology madness, JavaWorld: Sep, 2001
• Which app server suits you?, JavaWorld: Aug, 2001
• Javaware: The challenge of staying current, JavaWorld: Jul, 2001
• Java against the (Microsoft) world, JavaWorld: Jun, 2001
• Does Sun understand GUI design?, JavaWorld: May, 2001
• How many times do you restart your server during development?, JavaWorld: Apr, 2001
• What makes a good Java Web site?, JavaWorld: Mar, 2001
• Are you still using print statements for debugging?, JavaWorld: Feb, 2001
• Java developers: High in demand, low on loyalty, JavaWorld: Jan, 2001
• Applets: Still essential to Java, JavaWorld: Dec, 2000
• The new infrastructure for software building blocks, java.sun.com: Nov, 2000
• Freeware: Is it really worth it?, JavaWorld: Nov, 2000
• Do you really need Enterprise JavaBeans?, JavaWorld: Oct, 2000
• Introduction to the Java Mail API, JavaWorld: June, 1999
• The State of Java Middleware: Part 2, JavaWorld: April, 1999
• Writing Your Own Java I/O Stream Classes, Java Developer Connection: Jan, 1999
• Programming with Java I/O Streams, Java Developer Connection: Nov, 1998
• Java Provides Common Ground Across Heterogeneous Environments, JavaWorld: Aug, 1997
• Multi-Panel Applet Design, JavaWorld: May, 1997
• How To Develop Commercial-Quality Java Programs, JavaWorld: Jan, 1997
• Networking With Java, Dr. Dobb's SourceBook: Oct, 1996
• Java Abstract Window Toolkit, Dr. Dobb's Journal: Sep, 1996
• The Java And C Connection, C/C++ Users Journal: Sep, 1996
• Examining Symantec's Cafe, Dr. Dobb's Journal: Aug, 1996

Speaking

• JavaOne, San Francisco: May, 2008
• Netherlands Java User Group, Bussum: October, 2007
• New England JUG, Boston: October, 2006
• SD Best Practices, Boston: September, 2006
• DF JUG, Brasilia, Brazil: August, 2006
• Princeton JUG, New Jersey: July, 2006
• SpringOne, Antwerpen, Belgium: 16 June, 2006
• Netherlands Java User Group, Ede: 15 June, 2006
• Switzerland Java User Group, Zurich: 13 June, 2006
• Java Special Interest Group, London, UK: 9 June, 2006
• SOA Web Services Edge Conference & Expo: 6 June, 2006
• (Various private seminars for companies in China and India): May, 2006
• Hong Kong Java User Group: May, 2006
• Northern Virginia Java and BEA User Group, Reston, VA: April, 2006
• Omaha Java User group, March, 2006
• Northern Virginia Java and BEA User Group, Reston, VA: January, 2006
• Seminars sponsored by BEA Systems, Richmond, VA (June, 2001) and Baltimore, MD (April, 2001)
• Northern Virginia Java User Group, Chantilly, VA: March, 2001
• (Launched local) WebLogic User Group, Vienna, VA: January, 2000
• Association of Internet Professionals (DCAIP Java SIG), Washington D.C.: April 1999
• Baltimore Harbor Java Users Group, Baltimore, MD: March 1999
• Java Internet Business Expo, New York: August 1997
• Networld + Interop '97, Singapore: April, 1997
• Washington, D.C. Linux Users Group, Bethesda, MD: March, 1996
• (Several private seminars in Shanghai, India, Virginia, and more)

Awards

• Outstanding Contribution to the Growth of the Java Community (Group/Organization) by Sun Microsystems
• Best Java Client at JavaOne for BackOnline, a Java-based online backup client/server product
• Nominated by Scott McNealy, Sun Microsystems for a Computerworld-Smithsonian award for a free online file storage service web site (freeback.com)
• MCI Ace Award

Technical Skills

• Methodology: Agile (Scrum, Extreme Programming/XP, Agile Model Driven Development), Rational Unified Process (RUP), and custom ones.
• Languages: Ruby, Java, C++, PERL, C, Unix shell scripting, and Visual Basic.
• Frameworks - Ruby on Rails (RoR), JEE, Spring Framework, Hibernate, and several others.
• Databases - MySQL, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, MS-SQL Server, and others.
• Operating systems - Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, IBM AIX, SGI Irix, Amdhal, AT&T Unix System V, SCO Unix, and others.

Teaching

• Database Programming in Java: Networld + Interop '97, Singapore: April, 1997
• Web Site Development (Hands-On), Learning Tree International: 1996
• Java Programming (Hands-On), Learning Tree International: 1996