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Curriculum Vitae / CV / Resume Updated: 19/09/08
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Details removed for reasons of security. Please contact by email.
EDUCATION
PhD in Artificial Intelligence & Computational Neuroscience. Stirling University 2002 - 2005
MSc in Evolutionary & Adaptive Systems. Sussex University 1997-1998
BSc(Hons) Computer Science (2:2) University of Kent at Canterbury 1994-1997
MAIN PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
SKILLS
TOOLS
CAREER PROFILE
I moved back in with my parents so that I could work full-time on expanding the framework I use for my academic research. I am using this period to develop my skills so that they stay current and are also useful for freelancing. The framework is written in C++ for the Linux platform. Beforehand it was used to evolve agent controllers for use in artificial worlds. It is now possible to evolve functions for use with data sets that are read in from heterogeneous sources. I have distributed the framework using parallel processing techniques, multi-threading and sockets. A GUI is currently being developed for it using Qt. I have also been developing a "free energy automata". This is written in Java for multi-core platforms using a GUI and 2D graphics. The aim is to explore how the flow of free-energy into an open-ended system can allow for interesting forms of self-organisation.
I was informally offered a position as research fellow by the external examiner the day after the viva of my PhD to work on the Humaine project. The project finished at the end of 2007 and therefore funding was only guaranteed until then. Research was a continuation of my PhD. I researched temporal processing using self-organising spiking neural networks, neuromodulation and also how neural networks can be used to provide signals to each other. The experiments were coded in C++ for the Linux operating system. I was also the project supervisor for two MSc students. Reason for leaving: Funding was for one year only.
Employed in the R&TD department as part of a team to develop and debug existing fleet user management software. The role required me to work closely with the aeronautical engineers developing algorithms that they could use whilst drawing upon my software engineering knowledge and expertise. I designed and implemented envelope-estimation software for use in arbitrary dimensions, as well as curve- and distribution-fitting algorithms. During this time I also worked on the thesis of my PhD during the evenings. Reason for leaving: External examiner offered me a position the day after the viva for my PhD.
The topic of the PhD was to emulate emotions and neuromodulation for use in intelligent and autonomous agents using a non-symbolic bottom-up approach. The functionality provided by emotions in natural agents was emulated by modelling the same underlying processes in artificial agents. A biologically plausible neural network using spike timing-dependent plasticity was implemented and comparisons were made between agents performing different tasks with and without the use of global neuromodulators. Reason for leaving: Funding for PhD was for a fixed period.
Employed at the R&D department. Initially researched and developed new technologies in the areas of information visualisation, personal area networking, agent architectures and the classification of user navigation of web sites with a view to personalising content. The department then focused on the development and implementation of the voice equivalent of web sites. This involved identifying and solving the issues that arose from implementing such a new technology. Having initially learnt the Nuance Speech Objects library, I then designed and implemented an XML data-binding tool for the dynamic generation of XML languages, such as VoiceXML. This was achieved by writing a program to generate Java bean libraries from XML DTDs to read in, manipulate and render out XML documents. Consequently Netdecisions spawned off a new company to exclusively develop voice sites and which later became a market leader (Fluency voice). This allowed the R&D department to focus on new areas of technology. I was assigned to research the area of knowledge discovery and knowledge management. I helped to develop a dynamic grammar framework for the spin-off company. One task involved the dynamic run-time translation of arbitrary Java objects to and from Javascript data structures using reflection. I was given sole responsibility for establishing coding standards and regular code reviews and also frequently ran training sessions and interviewed potential employees. Reason for leaving: Started a PhD in Artificial Intelligence & Computational Neuroscience.
I was employed as the first member of a new R&D department to add value to their existing software projects. Researched and developed agent technology and knowledge visualisation for use in knowledge discovery. A mark-up language was designed in which meta-data could be extended at run-time. This was visualised using automatically generated VRML. The agents were designed and developed for use on palmtops in wireless LANs. The code was written using 100% pure Java. Reason for leaving: Company faced threat of closure and could no longer afford to support research.
Evaluated the technical and computational plausibility of creating adaptive Internet applications and User Interfaces. The focus was on web personalisation, desktop agents and web-site chatterbots for more anthropomorphic Human Computer Interaction. This required sorting through the hype and buzzwords surrounding the existing products in the market place to see what was truly on offer. The role also involved network programming and Internet development using a variety of languages and tools. Reason for leaving: Contract came to an end.
Developed and maintained new and existing Internet utilities. This included identifying problems inherent in the original design and creating simple solutions, fixing errors in existing code and fully documenting the work for future maintainers. Reason for leaving: Work was insufficiently challenging. Originally hired for my C++ skills yet they were never used.
Responsible for creation of object-oriented library and utilities used to assist in the manipulation of tagged, legal text for use on CD-ROMs. Liased with project co-ordinator to analyse the task in hand. I was responsible for design, code, testing and documentation. Reason for leaving: Started MSc in Evolutionary & Adaptive System.
PUBLICATIONS
“Biasing Neural Networks towards Exploration or Exploitation using Neuromodulation.” ICANN 2007: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks Part II. Volume 4669. Springer-Verlag 889-898.
“A Bottom-up Approach to Emulating Emotions using Neuromodulation in Agents”. PhD thesis. University of Stirling. 2006.
“Cost minimisation and Reward maximisation. A neuromodulating minimal disturbance system using spike timing-dependent plasticity”. Proceedings of the Symposium on Agents that Want and Like: Motivational and Emotional roots of Cognition and Action at the AISB-05 conference.
INTERESTS & OTHER INFORMATION
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