Last revision 2008-01-08
Applications of Computer Algebra Systems to General Relativity Theory (1986) Queen Mary College, University of London.
My Ph.D. work involved the design and implementation of algorithms for the classification of algebraic quantities (tensors) in general relativity; the algorithms were implemented in the computer algebra system SHEEP, a superset of Standard LISP. I designed and implemented programs in pure LISP and CAMAL, the Cambridge Algebraic Language.
At the University of Surrey I worked on an Intelligent Tutoring System for Management Studies. The project aimed to give help to students in their case study exercise. I produced a prototype and an evaluation of the effectiveness of this type of Computer Assisted Instruction system was begun. To this end, I ported an expert system shell from the PR1ME mainframe to an IBM PC; this shell was written in PROLOG by a Ph.D. student at Surrey, using part of MYCIN. The system was also used ported to QUINTUS Prolog running on SUN3 workstations to aid the development.
At Birkbeck College, I worked on the Alvey DAPES Club Project (DAta Processing Expert Systems), where I examined the validation and verification of rule-based expert systems. We constructed pilot rule bases in the expert system shell Xi Plus on an IBM PC. The aims of the project are to clarify the tools which the DAPES Club could utilise to check rule bases, and to this end we constructed a tool-kit of two programs, which we applied to several rule bases. The first program was written in ICON (to parse the rule base) and the second in C (to check the decision table output from the first). Both programs where developed on VAX and the system ported to the PC. The work also involved carrying an extensive literature survey of all aspects of the validation and verification of rule-based expert systems.
In the Statistics Department at UCL, I worked in the field of probabilistic expert systems, as part of the SERC Complex Stochastic Systems Initiative. Using object-oriented methods, I implemented algorithms for handling numerical uncertainty in expert systems. I produced a program which was used as the core for a system to experiment with methods of Bayesian updating, that is incorporating new data from which the system will learn.
In University College and Middlesex School of Medicine (Academic Department of Psychiatry) I worked on database systems for knowledge bases in medical expert systems. I completed a new user interface and a data compression implementation tailored to the project's textual database. Work was begun on a structured representation for the textual database.
In the department of Computer Science, I worked in the area of reuse of object oriented programming methodologies, on a Joint Council (JCHCI) funded project. The (psychological) aspects of reuse in object systems have been studied in two other centres and we have developed some applications which together form the "Cognitive Browser". The use of C++ and the InterViews class library as a graphical user interface design tool led to the production of a browser (with editor). Some prototyping in TCL/TK (a GUI interface toolkit for X) has led to some experiments with browsing "at the description level", in other words reflecting the way in which the user is organising their work. Experiments show that users change rapidly from one line of investigation to another and the "Cognitive Browser" software supports this flexibility. Also at UCL, I have also been associated with some work in the Bartlett School of Architecture which has applied some methods to examine navigation in towns and buildings.
The MICE project (Multimedia Integrated Conferencing for Researchers in Europe) was in its second phase when I worked won the team. After that pilot phase, MICE (MERCI) is now beginning to formally offer support and hence feedback to developers. I was in charge of the MICE National Support Centre. I also work on the DIMAGIO project, which aims to provide a large showcase event for MICE for 1994.
At the BBC, I worked in the position of Internet Producer within "Internet Team" at the BBC Multimedia Centre. Together with staff at Kingswood Warren, we are the acting operational team for the majority of the Internet (web) content supplied by the BBC.
My major daily task is the processing of email sent to "webmaster" by the general public, independent producers, BBC staff, and others, and taking action where necessary. For example, I had to contact BBC Investigations department to follow up a hoax bomb threat. Many emails are forwarded to other departments such as BBC Online News, BBC World Service and Viewer, "beeb @ the BBC". and Listener Correspondence. Errors in web pages are often reported to "webweaver email", and I pass these on for action to the appropriate teams, such as Education and News. On a weekly basis, I am responsible for the BBC Schedules pages on the website. Data (from Broadcasting Data Services) is transferred by human intervention, a time consuming and often difficult operation. A weekly highlights page is also edited as the same time, as well as occasional programme information updates, from Blue Peter to Radio 2. I have been leading the negotiations with Broadcasting Data Services to expand and improve the service.
I have acted as the contact point for the teams who maintain three major BBC websites, namely BBC News, BBC Education and the World Service. During the time when these areas were growing, I was called to train members of staff, usually on a one to one basis. At other times, I have either kept my team aware of developments or have actively taken part in projects. For example, I was consultant to the "Alert" project in BBC Education. I also helped out with some of the early stages of the Microsoft Channel work with Mike Tate. Within the team I have managed various projects and provided technical support, particularly in writing "cgi-bin scripts". In the BBC Networking Club I constructed a method by which the users (BBC Networking Club members) could upload their web pages to a remote web server at Pipex without the need for the BBC Networking Club itself to retain a copy. I wrote a PERL script to manipulate the database to supply web users with frequency information for BBC World Service. I maintain a web server on a UNIX workstation in our office for (CGI) testing and prototyping which been used to distribute new formats such as "Shockwave" or the Microsoft Channel (CDF), and to test new designs for web pages in advance of final release. I have advised on technical and security matters, such as a question on the firewall (on "The Mirror" project I showed that the software could be made to work behind the BBC firewall) and the installation of password protected pages.
During the last few months of my time at the BBC, I represented my line manager at various meeting and working groups, such as the BBC Intellectual Property Forum, with special interest in Digital Online IP matters. I have advised staff in the team on a number of issues, from training to the installation of the new BBC logo online. In the summer of 1997, I lead a project to formulate a set of guidelines for HTML coding standards, with Kingswood Warren and a contractor, Broadband. For the last three months I was on an attachment to BBC World Service, were I was advising on web page production. I also wrote small applications, extended Perl code for the frequency database, and the transferred HTML skills in the World Service Online team.
I have experience of several operating systems; Tops-10, VMS, VME 2900 and Phoenix, but principally UNIX and the X Window System. During the short period December 1987 to March 1988 I was responsible for the day to day running of seven supermicros and other equipment such as Apple Macintosh machines. I have installed many software packages, for example an electronic mail and file transfer system.
I first became involved with undergraduate teaching during my M.Sc. course in 1979-80, and continued until 1985. I spent two years lecturing, during which time I taught courses in mathematics and computing; I gave a first year mathematics course to engineering students and a first course in computing and numerical techniques to mathematics and engineering students, using the FORTRAN 77 language. I was a tutor on all the engineering mathematics courses at some point. I taught for a year at Birkbeck College, where prospective students learnt the A-level core curriculum in Mathematics in preparation for undergraduate studies.
I was involved in the formation of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Queen Mary College in February 1984, joining the old departments of Pure and Applied Mathematics. Administrative duties on a day-to-day basis involved the organisation of tutorial exercise classes, timetabling, course structuring and attendance at college committees. I was a member of the Edinburgh DEC-10 Users Committee from 1982 until the close of the system in 1985.
I attended the EUROCAL '85 conference, a computer algebra conference held in April 1985 at Linz, at which the second paper on the publication list was presented and IJCAI-87, the 10th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence held in Milan, in August 1987. I presented a poster at OOPLSA '92 in Vancouver, in October 1992. I attended INTERCHI 93 (Human Computer Interaction) in Amsterdam in April 1993. I attended JENC/INET in Prague in June 1994, and ran the MICE demonstrations with others from MICE. I also attended WWW6 in Paris, WWW7 in Santa Clara, WWW8 in Toronto and WWW9 in Amsterdam (2000).
I am a member of the ACM and the London Mathematical Society. At home, I use network of computers and I practice and teach tai chi.