Deep thoughts from the Centre for Applied Computer Science @ The University of Bolton
A lecture about REF (Research Excellence Framework), funding (in relation to research publications) and best practice in research by the prolific researcher and Reader: Dr. Celestine Iwendi.
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/y4ANnO5Wkv4
Moderators: Yash Kaushik
Host: Dr. Anchal Garg
Chief Host: Sam Johnson
Get ready for a captivating session as Associate Professor Vandana unveils the secrets behind “Cracking the Code: Young Adult Dementia Prediction Explored for Societal Impact.” In this enlightening talk, she will delve into cutting-edge techniques and insights, deciphering the complexities of predicting dementia in young adults. Join us for an engaging exploration of local post-hoc models and their broader implications for society, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and healthcare. Professor Vandana’s expertise promises to shed light on the transformative potential of understanding dementia in the youth for the betterment of our communities.
As an accomplished Chartered Accountant and qualified Teaching Professional, Dr. Mohammed Sadiq brings a passion for leveraging his commercial acumen and industry knowledge to impart crucial accountancy and business skills to learners. With extensive experience in industry, Accountancy Practice, and academia, he holds membership in the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and possesses CIMA’s full Practicing Certificate.
Beyond his CIMA accreditations, he has served as a Chief Examiner and Subject Matter Expert with a leading international qualifications body. His role has also encompassed developing and crafting exam questions for professional accountancy examinations. His commitment extends to nurturing learners’ skills to align with the evolving needs of local and national employers in the 21st Century. Currently pursuing a PhD doctorate in a specialized field of accountancy, his aim is to enhance the learner journey at the University of Bolton. He ensures unwavering commitment and positive results in all endeavors and is eager to share his expertise. Additionally, he was honored as the ‘Outstanding Lecturer of the Year’ for The Institute of Management in 2014/15.
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/y4ANnO5Wkv4
Moderators: Thomas Tega Tonukari, Ejovi Ekakitie
Get ready for a captivating session as Associate Professor Vandana unveils the secrets behind “Cracking the Code: Young Adult Dementia Prediction Explored for Societal Impact.” In this enlightening talk, she will delve into cutting-edge techniques and insights, deciphering the complexities of predicting dementia in young adults. Join us for an engaging exploration of local post-hoc models and their broader implications for society, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and healthcare. Professor Vandana’s expertise promises to shed light on the transformative potential of understanding dementia in the youth for the betterment of our communities.
Dr. Vandana Sharma is an Associate Professor at CHRIST University, Delhi-NCR, India. Currently, she is a post-doctoral fellow at Lincoln University College, Malaysia. Dr. Sharma has 14+ years of teaching experience at the postgraduate level and has expertise in subjects like Data Structures & Algorithms, Advanced Computer Networks and Software Testing. She has guided 100+ dissertations at the postgraduate level.
Dr. Sharma has served NAAC-accredited A+ institutions like Galgotias University, Greater Noida Campus and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi.
Dr. Sharma obtained her doctoral degree from Amity University, Noida Campus, M.Tech(I.T) and B.E-Com from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi.
She is a Senior Member of IEEE and as a keen researcher, she has published 35+ research papers in SCI and Scopus Indexed international journals and conferences. Dr. Sharma has contributed voluntarily as a Reviewer and Technical Program Committee (TPC) member for reputed International Journals and IEEE Conferences and has presented her work at IEEE Conferences across India and abroad. Her primary areas of interest include Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain Technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/VeLpTz8B8Qk
Moderators: Ekakitie Ejovi, Adetunji Funmilayo
A lecture on Research Excellence and industry/academic collaboration that can lead to the development of new ideas and solve difficult problems.
In today’s highly anticipated presentation, Ass. Prof. Thippa Reddy Gadekallu SMIEEE, the esteemed recipient of the Clarivate™ India Research Excellence – Citation Awards 2023, will delve into the intricate landscape of research excellence and the critical connections between academic prowess and industrial collaboration. Drawing from his rich expertise, he will shed light on how pioneering research can effectively bridge the gap between academia and industry, fostering innovation, knowledge dissemination, and economic growth. Dr. Reddy’s insights promise to inspire the audience and ignite a renewed passion for academic research and industry collaboration.
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/IDBZARHaVj0
Moderators: Efe Okamonu and Yusuf Afolami
A lecture on the importance of Artificial Intelligence(AI) Ethics, a growing concern and topic in a world where AI is disrupting various economic sectors.
Dr Ikpenmosa (Ike) Uhumuavbi brings an extensive track record of cross cultural and multidisciplinary achievements in business law research, consulting, legal case management, compliance audit, client relations spanning over two decades. He is currently a senior lecturer, postgraduate research/knowledge exchange coordinator and postgraduate program leader where his primary focus is providing leadership in teaching, assessment, research, undergraduate, masters, and PhD supervision. Ike’s duties also include document drafting, development, and regulatory compliance to meet organizational goals. As a recipient of various scholarship awards, including full and partial study grants, he has obtained several advanced academic degrees and professional certifications in Nigeria, United Kingdom, and the United States. During his studies in the United States, Ike was a recipient of the prestigious Cali Excellence for the Future Award and Book Award for outstanding performance in Rule of Law (American Context).
More recently, he has benefitted from study grants for short courses on global biodiversity framework, sustainable development, and the law from the University of Cambridge. Ike’s teaching and research experiences cut across three interrelated themes. These are emerging technologies, finance, and sustainability. More specifically, he specializes in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the Law with insights that cut across artificial intelligence law, regulation, governance, ethics, securities, fintech, cloud computing, and cyber-security law. His work pursues the adoption of functional contextualize frameworks in addressing fundamental and structural misalignments in governance architectures across legal, institutional, cultural, and power structures as they relate to emerging technologies, finance, and sustainability issues. Ike’s research activities have supported consultancies with several organizations including the Ministry of Communication and Orientation – Edo State Government, Schools Management Board – Edo State Government, and Africase Attorneys (a Legal 500 and Chambers UK listed top tier International Business Law firm in Africa). Within this area of specialty, Ike has successfully produced several masters and PhD graduates. He currently supervises some PhD students and welcomes more applications. As a qualified Barrister and Solicitor in the Commonwealth, Ike manifests significant practice experience in litigation, subrogation, alternative dispute resolution, and negotiation of commercial transactions.
Apart from his consultancy roles, he is currently a Central Asian Legal Research Fellow at the Tashkent State University of Law, Uzbekistan. Ike is also an adviser to the editorial board of Integral Law Review, Integral University in India, and a tutor/mentor in African Law Students (an organization of law students across the continent of Africa). Ike’s external engagements are ably complemented by his internal activities across the university. He is actively involved in the decision-making organs of the University of Bolton. This includes:
• Member, Board of Studies for Research Degrees, University of Bolton
• Member, Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Committee, University of Bolton
• Member, Joint Research Committee, University of Bolton
• Member, University Ethics Committee, University of Bolton
• Facilitator, Postgraduate Research Workshop, University of Bolton
• Member, Scientific Committee for REF2028, Greater Manchester Business School
• REF2028 Lead, School of Law, University of Bolton
Research Interests and Research Subject Specialisms:
1. Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, and the Law
2. Fintech (digital assets, platforms, and infrastructure)
3. Cybersecurity and the Law
4. Legal Aspects of Cloud Computing and associated services
5. Intelligent and Complex Systems
6. Governance Systems and Architectures
7. Financial and Economic Crimes
8. Corporate, Finance, Structured Investments, Securities Law, and Regulation
9. Sustainability and the Law
Teaching specialisms;
1. Artificial Intelligence Law, Governance, Regulation, and Ethics
2. Corporate Law and Governance
3. Financial and Economic Crime
4. Fintech/Legal Tech
5. Intellectual Property Law
6. Research Methods
7. Public Governance, Human Rights, Access to Justice, Sustainability
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/OcZ4CbU-jZs
Moderators: Olajuwon Yakub & Rukayat Balogun
Embarking on a journey of “Career Development and Volunteering for IEEE Experience” is a pivotal step toward personal and professional growth. Join us as our esteemed Guest – Director Jyotika Athavale navigate the avenues of skill development, networking, and meaningful contributions, gaining unique insights from a leader in the field. This discussion aims to illuminate the symbiotic relationship between career development and volunteering, offering valuable perspectives from the 2024 President IEEE Computer Society. Welcome to a session designed to empower and inspire through the fusion of career development and impactful volunteering experiences
Jyotika is Director, Silicon Lifecycle Management & RAS architecture at Synopsys. Prior to Synopsys, she was Lead Technologist, Functional Safety Architecture at NVIDIA. Prior to NVIDIA, Jyotika was Principal Engineer (Director) at Intel Corporation leading corporate-wide RAS and Functional Safety architectures. Jyotika also serves as the 2024 President of the worldwide IEEE Computer Society, overseeing overall IEEE-CS programs and operations. She leads and influences several international standardization initiatives. Jyotika chairs the IEEE P2851 family of standards on Functional Safety interoperability which has WG membership from over 30 companies. For her leadership in international safety standardization for IEEE P2851, Jyotika was awarded the 2023 IEEE SA Standards Medallion. And for her leadership in service, she was awarded the IEEE Computer Society Golden Core Award in 2022. She was recognized as a Distinguished Alumna by her alma-mater VJTI. Jyotika has authored patents and many technical publications in various international conferences and journals. She has pioneered & chaired workshops and conferences in the field of dependable technologies.
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/e9wPXJlhuss
Moderators: Ezeana Emeka & Efe Okamonu
Mohammed M. Alani holds a PhD in Computer Engineering with specialization in network security. He has worked as a professor, and a cybersecurity expert in many countries around the world. His experience includes serving as VP of Academic Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, network and security consultancies in the Middle-East, and Cybersecurity Program Manager in Toronto Canada.
He currently works as a Cybersecurity Professor at Seneca College, Toronto, Canada.He has authored 4 books in different areas of networking and cybersecurity along with many research papers published in highly ranked journals and conferences. He also holds many industrial certifications such as Security+, Cybersecurity Analyst+ (CySA+), PenTest+, CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner+ (CASP+), Server+, Cisco Certified Network Associate, CCAI, Microsoft Azure Data Science Associate, and Microsoft AI Fundamentals. His current interests include applications of ML in cybersecurity, and ML security.
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/RDGzubglwiQ
Moderators: Orunsolu, Falilat temitope, David ayokunle Fayankin
Embarking on the academic odyssey of a Ph.D. is a transformative and deeply personal journey. “The Ph.D. Journey” encapsulates the myriad experiences, challenges, and triumphs encountered along the path of doctoral research. In this exploration, Professor Jerome Carson will share the highs and lows, the unexpected discoveries, and the growth that unfolds through the pursuit of knowledge at the highest level. Join us in reflecting on the twists and turns, the resilience cultivated, PhD opportunities at Bolton and the profound moments that define the intricate tapestry of this educational adventure. You can Better your best from the best of the best
Jerome is Professor of Psychology at the University of Bolton. He did his first degree in psychology at the University of Reading, graduating in 1979. After this, he did his Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of East London. Jerome then worked in the NHS for 32 years. In 1992, he became a lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry and in 1997 was promoted to Senior Lecturer. In 2005 he obtained his PhD from King’s College London.
For most of his working life, Jerome has been a clinical academic. He published his first journal paper in 1985 and since then has published over 200 papers and book chapters. He has co-edited eight books with three on the topic of mental health recovery. This has been one of his major research interests, along with positive psychology.
Jerome has worked in Bolton since September 2012. A significant landmark has been the opening of the only MSc in Positive Psychology in the North West of England, which was established in 2016. Jerome’s ambitions are to ensure that students receive the best possible education here at Bolton and that the psychology department becomes one of the top 25 departments in the country.
You can watch the full lecture on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/Em24WkVRJWs
At the University of Bolton’s School of Computing, we are proud to host the Masters of Innovation Showcase, an event that celebrates the achievements of our top MSc Software Engineering, MSc Cloud and Network Security, and MSc Data Analysis students. We believe that this showcase is a great opportunity to build a culture of collaboration and innovation among our students, faculty members, and potential employers.
We take pride in helping our students hone their skills and develop their problem-solving abilities. When we see our students build fantastic projects, we envision great careers for them. The Master’s Showcase is an opportunity for us to showcase the talent and hard work of our students and highlight their unique approach to problem-solving.
For employers, this event is a chance to connect with some of the top engineering talent in the region. They can have conversations with our students and pick their brains about their projects and ideas. This is an excellent way for employers to identify potential hires who have innovative ideas and problem-solving skills.
For students, this event is a chance to showcase their work in front of an audience that includes potential employers, university management members, fellow students, and faculty members. It’s an opportunity for them to highlight their unique approach to problem-solving and impress potential employers.
We believe that the Master’s Showcase should be a yearly event at the University of Bolton’s School of Computing. It’s a win-win situation for all involved parties – students get a chance to showcase their work, employers get access to top engineering talent, and faculty members get to celebrate their student’s achievements.
The University of Bolton’s School of Computing takes pride in hosting events like the Masters Showcase that celebrate innovation and collaboration among our students. We encourage everyone who has not yet attended this event to join us on June 2, 2023 at the D1 Suite from 11 AM to 1 PM for the event!
In summer 2022 we upgraded the computing facilities at the University creating more lab space and adding new equipment. As part of this upgrade we renamed our labs and offices after famous pioneers in Computing. Some are (almost) household names, others more obscure. As part of an essay assignment I asked our students to suggest people we had missed. What follows is an essay by Rhiannon Holt, a first year student taking the SEC4204 Modern Operating Systems module.
Frances Spence was one of the six women to have programmed the ENIAC computer. She is known to be one of the first programmers in the world. Born in 1922 Frances lived an ordinary family life with her mother, father and four sisters. She graduated high school in 1938 from South Philadelphia, going on to enrol into university. Frances studied mathematics and physics, where she met Kathleen McNulty, another one of the women who was involved with programming the ENIAC. Frances originally wanted to become a teacher. However, immediately after graduation in 1942, she and McNulty were hired by the army to work at the Moore School of Engineering (Wiki, 2016). Due to the young men that were fighting in World War II, the US army were hiring women to be involved in calculating where missiles were going to be landing, involving a lot of mathematics. In 1945, Frances Spence along with her best friend Kathleen McNulty and four other women, were hired by ENIAC to be the first programmers for an experiment, known as ‘Computers’.
ENIAC, short for “Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer”. It was first built in 1943 and was not finished until 1946, it was created to help defeat the Germans. It was stored in the basement of the Moore School and measured 50x30ft. It spanned over three walls with each of its 40 panels measuring 2 feet wide, deep and 8 feet high. It contained more than 17,000 vacuum tubes, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches, and 1,500 relays (Paul A. Freiberger, 2023). It had cost the government just short of half a million dollars and was unable to be a part of the war due to its late finish. However, it did help to calculate the creation of the hydrogen bomb.
After researching about Frances Spence and why she was so important in the role of programming throughout history, I came across an article which explained that the original women who programmed the ENIAC were originally seen as models posing for the photographs that are now widely viewed. The two men that had designed the computer were well-known, however the women did not receive public recognition until most of them were in their 70s (Little, 2017). It was discovered that the six women who were involved didn’t have security clearance to be in the same room as the ENIAC, they had to programme it via paper diagrams, no programming languages and no instructions on how the machine worked. It was a mentally demanding job that these women didn’t get any notice for, for decades. However, a positive that was recognised was that the women were not expected to leave programming jobs when the men returned from the war as they were the only ones really equipped to do it. This led onto more women entering STEM subjects than ever before, especially programming (Little, 2017).
Frances was originally surnamed Bilas, but in 1947 she went on to marry Homer W. Spence an electrical engineer in the US army, who was then assigned to the ENIAC project as the head of the Computer Research Branch (Wiki, 2016). They went on to have a family which she resigned from the classified project to raise their children. Frances’ legacy doesn’t end there, in 1997 she was added to the ‘Women in Technology International Hall of Fame’ with the other women that were involved in the ENIAC. The work of these women was pivotal towards the future of electronic computers and computer programming. WITI is an organisation that promotes the achievements women have made throughout technology, inspiring more women to participate in STEM related subjects.
Even though I’ve selected Frances Spence as an individual in the achievements of ENIAC, I feel that it is important to mention the other five women involved and how a room could have been named after all six of them.
Jean Bartik (originally Elizabeth Jennings) originally grew up in Missouri where she attended their teacher’s college, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Her intelligence and efforts led to the ENIAC being able to calculate equations in thirty seconds, which would originally take her and the other women 20 hours by hand. Bartik assembled and trained the team that converted ENIAC to a stored programme machine, and she helped to write the code that was used (history, unknown). Jean Bartik went on to achieve even more incredible milestones within technology, including programming the BINAC (Binary Automatic Computer).
Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer was born in 1922 and grew up in Philadelphia. She graduated from university in 1942 and was hired by the Moore School of Engineering to perform weather calculations. In 1945 she joined the group at ENIAC. The work of Marlyn and the other women involved in the experiment was publicly recognised in the documentary “Top Secret Rosie’s: The female “computers” of WWII (Wikipedia, 2006).
Ruth Teitelbaum grew up in New York and graduated from college with a degree in Mathematics. Ruth worked mainly alongside Marlyn Meltzer, teaching themselves and other individuals functions of the ENIAC and helped prepare the ballistics software (Wikipedia, 2006). After World War II, Ruth stayed with ENIAC and trained other programmers to work with the ENIAC.
Betty Holberton (originally Frances Elizabeth Snyder) was born in Philadelphia. She studied Journalism at the University of Pennsylvania before the Second World War. After her achievements with ENIAC, Betty went on to work at the National Bureau of Standards. This is where she worked on the ‘FORTRAN’ programming language. Betty also worked on the BINAC, known as the worlds, first commercial digital computer (Wiki, 2016). Betty Holberton was the only one of the six women to be awarded the Augusta Ada Lovelace award (Wiki, 2016).
The final woman of the six ENIAC programmers is Kathleen McNulty. Originally born in Ireland, her family moved to the United States in 1924 after her father was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Here she learned English and went on to be the one of only three women to graduate in Mathematics (Wiki, 2016). Kathleen went on to work on the BINAC computer which was designed by her first husband.
The legacy that Frances Spence and the five other women of the ENIAC have left is so important, not just for the sake of history but for the world that we live in today. The handheld devices we all have, the computers that we can use for everything you can possibly think of and the programming languages we work with today are because of these six women. In a world that is fighting for equality now more than ever. Seeing more achievements from women in STEM subjects is so important. Not just to the people of today, but for the generations of young women that are to come, tackling the stigma of computer science being a male orientated subject.
history, C. f. c., unknown. Jean Bartik. [Online]
Available at: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/2928/Jean-Bartik/
[Accessed 03 08 2023].
Little, B., 2017. When Computer Coding was a ‘Woman’s job’. [Online]
Available at: https://www.history.com/news/coding-used-to-be-a-womans-job-so-it-was-paid-less-and-undervalued
[Accessed 08 03 2023].
Paul A. Freiberger, M. R. S., 2023. ENIAC. [Online]
Available at: https://www.britannica.com/technology/von-Neumann-machine
[Accessed 07 03 2023].
Wiki, E. a. T. H., 2016. Betty Holberton. [Online]
Available at: https://ethw.org/Betty_Holberton
[Accessed 09 03 2023].
Wiki, E. a. T. H., 2016. Frances Spence. [Online]
Available at: https://ethw.org/Frances_Spence
[Accessed 07 03 2023].
Wiki, E. a. T. H., 2016. Kathleen McNulty. [Online]
Available at: https://ethw.org/Kathleen_McNulty
[Accessed 09 03 2023].
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