Software Development Manager for Limejump in London – Optimising a 100% renewable future! Former Manager and Knowledge Engineer working on Amazon Alexa during launch and internationalisation. Before that a Theoretical Physicist. Originally from Glasgow, now living in Cambridge.
Employment:
- June 2021-present: Software Development Manager, Limejump.
- September 2013-2021: Knowledge Engineer, Knowledge Engineering Manager and Software Development Manager, Evi Technologies, an Amazon Company.
- July 2012-August 2013: Postdoctoral Research Specialist, Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. (See Physics page).
- September 2011-June 2012: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Quantum Spacetime, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea.
- October 2008-August 2011: Postdoctoral Researcher, Theoretical Physics group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium (includes one year’s absence due to serious illness).
- October 2007-Feb 2008: Visiting Researcher at the TATA Institute for Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India, (01/08 -02/08). and Harish-Chandra Research Institute, India (10/07-1/08).
- April 2007-Sept 2007: Research Associate, Centre for Research in String Theory, Department of Physics, Queen Mary, University of London.
Education:
- PhD in theoretical physics, DAMTP, University of Cambridge, commenced October 2003, Viva 6th of March 2007, supervisor David S. Berman,“Aspects of M-Theory Brane Interactions and String Theory Symmetries”.
- Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics (Part III of Mathematics Tripos), University of Cambridge, 2002-03 passed with distinction.
- MSci in Physics and Maths, University of Glasgow, graduated July 2002, 1st class (honours).
- Hyndland Secondary School and Scotstoun Primary, Glasgow.
Activities:
- Online learning: I’ve recently taken several online courses to improve my knowledge especially in programming. Done rather a few now, they’re mostly listed on LinkedIn.
- Created an Amazon Alexa Skill to play Mornington Crescent.
- Sport: while at Trinity College, I enjoyed rowing for first and third trinity boat club (getting blades twice (one of those by bumping 4 first boats) and spoons only once) and played for one of the lower teams of the Badminton Club. I also enjoyed playing football (not with any great competence). Sadly these days I’m still rehabilitating my leg after I had most of my fibula and some of my tibia removed and my knee joint replaced after being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma back in 2008 but try to keep fit.
- Music: I play the piano (I have my ABRSM grade VIII), guitar and even the bagpipes, I used to play a bit of double bass as well, back in the day. I occasionally performed in some very strange combos (though thankfully I don’t seem to appear much in the photos).
- Langauges: after being embarrassed by my lack of languages when travelling round the world (people from the Netherlands or Sweden would translate Spanish into English for me then say that I must be so smart because I did Physics!) I’ve been making an effort to improve.
- Czech: Currently studing at Advanced II level with the Czech Centre in London. I previously took Czech courses at the Department of Czech for Foreigners at Masaryk University for two semesters at lower intermediate level.
- Russian: Took some group courses recently (2019-2020) and have completed it on DuoLingo – switch back to Czech now courses have gone online!
- Dutch: While I was in Brussels I studied Dutch at CVO-KHNB successfully completing level 2.2.
- Trying to improve my French as well, as that was the only language I did any amount of in school, intermediate level.
- At some point have had a basic knowledge of Spanish, German and Korean, but they’re largely forgotten. I’m trying to pick up Chinese now too!
- Writing: occasionally I try to write things. I even won the Charles Grant Tenant prize for light verse while I was in Trinity.
- During Lockdown I tried home brewing and have had good results making my own beer!