Timothy Harris is an Affiliated Lecturer at the University of Cambridge's Department of Computer Science and Technology, where he jointly teaches courses on multicore semantics and programming. Currently, he works at OpenAI, focusing on performance optimization for GPU inference of large language models, including the Azure OpenAI Service. Previously, he held roles at Microsoft, AWS, Oracle Labs, and was a faculty member at the University of Cambridge (2000–2004). His research spans distributed systems, runtime systems, operating systems, and high-performance computing, with an emphasis on scalability and performance. He contributed to projects like the Xen hypervisor and the Barrelfish research OS. Key research interests include distributed training of PyTorch models in the ONNX runtime, large-scale storage performance with Amazon S3, and runtime systems for in-memory graph analytics. His work often bridges 'big data' and high-performance computing techniques. Notable contributions include the book Transactional Memory (2010) and the Barrelfish OS, alongside numerous publications in top-tier conferences like SOSP, ASPLOS, and EuroSys. He has served as PC chair for ISMM 2025, VEE 2017, and EuroSys 2015, reflecting his leadership in the systems research community. His awards include a Best Paper Award at PACT 2010. Beyond academia, Harris is an avid hiker, aiming to complete the UK coastline, and maintains a photography portfolio at tlhphotography.uk .
Dr. John Wickerson is an Associate Professor in the Circuits and Systems group at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London. His research focuses on improving the reliability of high-performance computing through formal methods, with contributions to high-level synthesis, memory models, and concurrency verification. He holds leadership roles including Course Director for the Electrical and Information Engineering degree and Deputy Tutor for PhD students. Research Interests: Formal Verification of Hardware/Software Systems High-Level Synthesis (HLS) and FPGA Compilation Weak Memory Models and Concurrency Semantics Fuzz Testing for Hardware Tools Compiler Optimization and Correctness Digit Elision and Arbitrary-Precision Arithmetic Notable Achievements: Best Paper Award at EuroSys 2024 (database isolation validation) Pioneered formal methods for HLS tools (e.g., QuteFuzz, C4) Co-developed the C4 C compiler concurrency checker Published over 60 peer-reviewed papers across top venues (ASPLOS, PLDI, FPGA) Lab/Team: Part of the Circuits and Systems group at Imperial College, collaborating with industry partners like Kaihong Yann and ARM.
Andreas Grothey is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mathematics at The University of Edinburgh, a position he has held since 2011. He completed his MSc in Numerical Algebra and Mathematical Computing at the University of Dundee (1995) and his PhD in Optimization at the University of Edinburgh (2001), supervised by Ken McKinnon. His research focuses on stochastic programming, interior point methods, decomposition approaches, high-performance computing, and energy systems optimization. He has contributed to energy planning, power grid reliability, and emergency response strategies for power networks. Grothey has advised seven PhD students, including work on unit commitment, top-percentile traffic routing, and power flow optimization. His projects include the OOPS solver, CESI energy integration center, and the Structured Modelling Language (SML). Recent work addresses pandemic policy optimization and exascale computational challenges. Education: MSc in Numerical Algebra and Mathematical Computing (University of Dundee, 1995) PhD in Optimization (University of Edinburgh, 2001) Research Interests: Stochastic Programming Interior Point Methods Decomposition Methods High-Performance Computing Energy Systems Optimization Advising & Projects: PhD Supervision (7 students, 2007–2022) OOPS Parallel Solver Development CESI Energy Systems Integration SML Structured Modelling Language Labs/Teams: Member of the Edinburgh Research Group on Optimization, leading projects in power grid stability and energy planning.
Mark Batty is a Professor in the School of Computing at the University of Kent, specializing in formal methods for concurrent systems. His work bridges hardware-software interfaces, focusing on memory models for C/C++, OpenCL, and architectures including x86, ARM, POWER, and GPUs. As a member of the Programming Languages and Systems Research Group, he develops mathematical specifications and verification tools for real-world concurrency challenges. His research centers on empirical testing of hardware/compiler behavior, formal modeling of system components, and verification of fine-grained concurrent algorithms. Key contributions address relaxed memory semantics, transactional memory, and compositional reasoning for concurrent data structures. His work combines theoretical rigor with practical tool development to ensure correctness in complex concurrent environments. Analysis of his 2015-2025 publications reveals consistent focus on memory consistency models, formal verification of weak memory concurrency, and compiler optimizations. Dominant themes include C/C++11 standards, GPU concurrency semantics, and mechanized verification techniques. His research demonstrates strong industry relevance through collaborations with hardware vendors and contributions to language standards. Mark Batty has received significant recognition: John C. Reynolds Doctoral Dissertation Award (2015) from ACM SIGPLAN CPHC and BCS Distinguished Dissertation Award (2015) Lloyds Register Foundation and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship (2016) He actively leads major research initiatives and mentors next-generation researchers: Current Funding: EPSRC Standard Grant 'Verifiably Correct transactional memory' (2018), VeTTS Grant 'Specification and verification of C++ data structure libraries' (2018), EPSRC First Grant 'Compositional, dependency-aware C++ concurrency' (2018) PhD Recruitment: Actively seeking candidates for UKRI-funded studentship in Verified Trustworthy Software Systems Batty drives community engagement through Kent Concurrency Workshop (2016) and South of England Programming Language Seminars, fostering national collaboration in programming languages research. His leadership in organizing Royal Society discussions underscores his influence in trustworthy systems verification.
Maozhen Li is a Professor in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Brunel University of London , within the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences . He serves as the Vice-Dean of the NCUT Transnational Education (TNE) programme, overseeing a joint school with North China University of Technology. He has been at Brunel since 2002, progressing from Lecturer to Professor in 2013. Education: PhD, Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences (1997) Postdoctoral Research, School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University (1999–2002) His primary research interests lie in high performance computing, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence, with applications in smart grids, smart manufacturing, and cybersecurity. He focuses on developing interpretable, robust, and lightweight AI models, including work in causal AI, parallel machine learning, and edge computing. His research integrates advanced techniques such as deep learning, reinforcement learning, and blockchain for real-world system optimization. An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong and consistent research trajectory in AI-driven solutions for environmental monitoring (e.g., PM2.5 prediction), industrial defect detection, IoT security, and intelligent transportation. His work frequently combines deep learning with graph-based modeling and federated or reinforcement learning, emphasizing scalability, efficiency, and robustness in distributed and edge environments. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) Shortlisted for the Computing UK BIG DATA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018 in the category of Most Innovative Big Data Solution Maozhen Li has successfully supervised 25 PhD students and examined over 30 PhD theses externally. He has secured significant research funding from EPSRC, the European Union (Horizon 2020), Innovate UK, and the Royal Society , with projects including Z-BRE4K, IoRL, and TDX-ASSIST. He serves as an Associate Editor for journals such as the Journal of Cloud Computing and the International Journal of Grid and High Performance Computing . Research Groups and Teams: He is affiliated with the Intelligent Engineering Frameworks (IEF) research group at Brunel, contributing to collaborative efforts in AI, IoT, and smart systems. His leadership in transnational education also fosters international research collaboration between Brunel and Chinese institutions.
Simon Moore is a Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Cambridge's Department of Computer Science and Technology. He leads the Computer Architecture research group, focusing on secure processors and subsystems, particularly the CHERI project. His work emphasizes formal verification, hardware-software co-design, and scalable security solutions. He is a Fellow and Director of Studies at Trinity Hall, overseeing undergraduate admissions and mentoring in Computer Science. Research Interests: Moore's primary focus is the CHERI secure processor architecture, integrating RISC-V cores with formal verification. His work spans secure hardware design, memory safety, and embedded systems. Notable contributions include the CHERI-RISC-V microarchitecture, CheriABI, and formal verification frameworks. Key Projects: CHERI, CheriBSD, Morello (ARM collaboration) Recent Achievements: Test of Time Award (IEEE Security & Privacy 2025), finalist for Bhattacharyya Award (2022) Grants: Innovate UK Digital Security by Design, DARPA Mission Oriented Resilient Clouds Publications: Over 200 papers on secure architectures, including influential work on CHERI's capability model, formal verification, and hardware security. Recent focus areas include temporal memory safety, embedded system security, and GPU-based capability systems. Labs/Teams: Directs the Computer Architecture Group and collaborates with industry partners like ARM and Microsoft on CHERI implementations.
Dr Graeme Bragg is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Southampton within the Department of Electronics and Computer Science . His work spans teaching, research, and technical development with a focus on event-driven computing, bioinformatics, and computational modeling. He actively supervises PhD students and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects. Research Interests: Parallel computing, event-driven systems, genotype imputation, Petri net simulations, subglacial hydrology modeling Teaching: Specializes in hardware description languages and computational methods for engineering students Technical Expertise: RISC-V architecture, FPGA acceleration, bespoke compute fabric development His recent publications demonstrate expertise in applying event-driven computing to diverse problems including: 2025: Automated marking systems for SystemVerilog labs 2025: Seasonal dynamics in subglacial hydrology 2023: Genotype imputation using custom hardware 2022: Optimization algorithms and graph analysis Current research explores: Custom RISC-V FPGA clusters for bioinformatics Event-triggered systems for scientific simulations Parallel computing solutions for molecular modeling Contact: gmb@ecs.soton.ac.uk | +44 23 8059 2784
Alireza Poshtkohi is an interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Hertfordshire , affiliated with the School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science and the Department of Computer Science . He applies computational and mathematical approaches to neuroscience, physics, and engineering challenges, focusing on modeling the human nervous system and brain diseases at the cellular level using supercomputing technologies. Education: PhD in Neuroscience (Ulster University, 2023), MSc in Parallel Simulation of Electronic Systems (Shahed University, 2011), BSc in Embedded Systems and Computer Networks (2006). His research spans computational neuroscience , mathematical modeling , and high-performance computing , with publications on microglia dynamics, P2X receptors, and parallel system modeling. Recent work includes a 2024 study on the PI3K/Akt pathway and a 2023 book on distributed systems. He collaborates with experimental neuroscientists from the University of Reading and Michigan State University , integrating molecular neurobiology with computational frameworks. His technical expertise includes grid computing, cybersecurity, and simulation environments.
Dr. Stefan Klus is a Lecturer at the School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey. His research focuses on data-driven model reduction, transfer operator approximation, and kernel-based machine learning applied to dynamical systems. He specializes in interdisciplinary applications across quantum physics, fluid dynamics, and computational biology. Education: PhD in Industrial Mathematics (2011, Paderborn University) and Habilitation (2020, Freie Universität Berlin). Research Interests : Data-driven modeling and reduced-order methods Koopman operator theory and transfer operators Machine learning for dynamical systems (e.g., Deeptime library) Tensor decompositions and quantum systems analysis Graph-based analysis (e.g., microbiome dynamics) Publications : Klus has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed articles, with recent work emphasizing: Kernel methods for quantum chemistry and physics Tensor-based approaches for high-dimensional systems Applications in climate science (e.g., Pacific SST modeling) Agent-based modeling and social systems Technical Contributions : Co-developer of the Deeptime Python library for dynamical modeling Pioneer in Koopman operator-based model reduction Advanced graph kernel methods for microbiome analysis
Professor Klaus McDonald-Maier is a full Professor in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE) at the University of Essex , where he leads the Embedded and Intelligent Systems (EIS) Research Laboratory and heads the Intelligent Embedded Systems and Environments Research Group . He is also Director of Impact , Visiting Professor at the University of Kent, and Visiting Research Affiliate at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. Education PhD in High-Performance Parallel Neural Network Architectures, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (Germany, 1999) Electronic Engineering studies, University of Ulm (Germany) Electronic Engineering studies, Cardiff University (Wales) Electronic Engineering studies, École Supérieur de Chimie Physique Électronique de Lyon (CPE-Lyon) (France) Research Interests Professor McDonald-Maier’s research integrates embedded systems , System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures , and AI-driven robotics . He pioneers visual place recognition techniques that remain robust under severe appearance and viewpoint changes, develops cybersecurity frameworks based on ICMetrics for autonomous vehicles and IoT, and designs approximate real-time computing solutions for energy-constrained multicore and FPGA platforms. His work on radiation-tolerant systems supports space and nuclear applications, while his bio-inspired algorithms enable lightweight, neuromorphic perception on resource-limited robots. Publication Trends Between 2022 and 2025 his output converges on FPGA-accelerated AI , secure edge intelligence , visual navigation for autonomous systems , and healthcare analytics . He repeatedly couples rigorous algorithmic innovation with practical hardware deployment, yielding energy-efficient, real-time systems validated in domains ranging from autonomous driving to post-stroke rehabilitation. Scientific Awards & Recognition Best Paper Award – IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Computing (2024) Best Paper Award – IEEE/ACM DATE (2024) Best Paper Award – IEEE Systems Journal (2022) Best Paper Award – IEEE Sensors Journal (2021) Best Paper Award – IEEE Access (2020) Research Grants & Industrial Collaboration He has secured major funding from EPSRC , EU Horizon 2020 , Innovate UK , and industry partners. Current projects span trustworthy autonomy, radiation-hardened edge AI, and AI-enhanced rehabilitation technologies. He is Chief Scientist of UltraSoC Technologies Ltd and CEO of Metrarc Ltd , commercialising University research in semiconductor debug and cybersecurity respectively. Laboratory & Team Leadership As Director of the Embedded and Intelligent Systems Laboratory (EIS Lab) , he oversees a multidisciplinary team of researchers and PhD students, providing state-of-the-art FPGA, robotics, and embedded-systems facilities. The lab collaborates closely with NASA JPL, UK Atomic Energy Authority, and leading semiconductor firms to translate fundamental research into high-impact industrial solutions.
Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi is currently Vice President (Research & Innovation) at King’s College London and holds the ARM Professorship in Computer Engineering there. He is also a Visiting Professor in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. Prior to academia, he worked in the electronics design industry for eight years before joining the University of Southampton in 1999, where he became a personal Chair holder in 2004. His research focuses on energy-efficient computing systems, low-power testing, and energy-harvesting technologies, with a strong emphasis on smart city applications and wearable computing. He has led numerous interdisciplinary projects funded by the EPSRC and industry, including the PRiME Programme Grant and the EPSRC-funded Spatial Computational Learning consortium. He has supervised 45 PhD students and authored/co-authored nearly 400 technical papers, earning eight best paper awards and contributing to five books. His honors include a CBE (2018), knighthood (2025), Fellowship of the Royal Society (2023), and roles on the Research Excellence Framework panels. He founded the Arm-ECS industry-academia center in 2008, promoting energy-efficient computing research.
Professor Stuart C. Althorpe is a Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, where he leads the Althorpe Research Group. His work focuses on quantum dynamics and the application of quantum mechanics to chemical reactions, particularly examining how quantum effects influence atomic and molecular motion in systems ranging from isolated reactions to liquid water and ice. Professor Althorpe's research interests center on quantum dynamics , with specific focus on quantum tunneling , conical intersections , and path-integral methods . His group develops computational techniques that bridge quantum statistics and classical dynamics, creating methods like Matsubara dynamics to model quantum effects in complex systems. Key research areas include visualizing complete wave functions of chemical reactions, calculating tunneling splittings in water clusters, and investigating quantum interference effects at electronic degeneracies. The group employs both pen-and-paper theoretical derivations and high-performance computational algorithms for parallel CPUs and GPUs to tackle these challenging problems. The trends in Professor Althorpe's recent publications (2018-2024) reveal an evolution from foundational quantum dynamics methods toward increasingly sophisticated applications in complex, dissipative environments. His work consistently bridges computational chemistry and quantum physics, with growing emphasis on connections between quantum dynamics, chaos theory, and quantum information concepts. The publications demonstrate methodological innovation in path-integral approaches, particularly in handling quantum effects in condensed-phase systems like water and ice, while maintaining strong connections to experimental observations. Professor Althorpe has mentored over two dozen PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who have secured positions at leading institutions including ETH Zürich, UCL, EPFL, and various industry roles. His research group maintains active international collaborations, most notably with Professor D.J. Wales at Cambridge (on water clusters) and Professor Richard N. Zare at Stanford University, where theoretical calculations interpret detailed experimental measurements of reaction dynamics. The Althorpe Group operates within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge as part of the Theoretical Research Interest Group. The group's work contributes significantly to understanding quantum mechanical phenomena in chemical processes, with implications for fields ranging from atmospheric chemistry to biochemistry. Professor Althorpe organized the 2019 Faraday Discussion on "Quantum effects in complex systems," demonstrating his leadership in advancing theoretical frameworks for quantum phenomena in chemistry.
Alastair F. Donaldson is a Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, where he leads the FastPL research group. His academic career spans over a decade at Imperial, progressing from Lecturer (2011-2014) to Senior Lecturer (2014-2017), Reader (2017-2020), and Professor (2020-present). He has also held significant industry positions, including Founder and Director of GraphicsFuzz Ltd. (acquired by Google in 2018), Senior Software Engineer at Google (2018-2021), and Visiting Researcher at both Google and Microsoft Research Redmond. Donaldson earned his PhD from the University of Glasgow under Alice Miller, following a BSc (hons, First Class) in Computing Science and Mathematics. His postdoctoral work included an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oxford and a Research Fellowship at Wolfson College Oxford. His research focuses on formal analysis, software testing and programming languages techniques for improving software reliability, with special emphasis on high-performance systems. Donaldson's work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly in compiler testing, GPU programming verification, and metamorphic testing. His research has significantly influenced both academia and industry, as evidenced by the acquisition of his startup GraphicsFuzz by Google. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on fuzz testing techniques applied across diverse domains including compilers, GPUs, cryptographic protocols, and large language models. His work consistently combines formal methods with practical testing approaches, addressing challenges in compiler correctness, memory models, and API verification across multiple platforms. 2017 BCS Roger Needham Award EPSRC Early Career Fellowship Best Paper Award, EuroSys 2024 Best Paper Award, MET 2021 Best Paper Award, IWOCL 2019 Best Paper Award, IISWC 2019 Best Paper Award, ICST 2016 ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award, ISSTA 2023 ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award, FSE 2017 ACM SIGPLAN Most Influential OOPSLA Paper Award, 2022 (for GPUVerify) As Director of Research in the Department of Computing, Donaldson oversees research strategy and development. His FastPL research group investigates novel techniques for programming, testing and reasoning about high performance systems. He has served on numerous program committees and held leadership roles including PLDI Steering Committee Chair (2022-2025) and PACM-PL Advisory Board member. His industry engagement includes testifying as an Expert Witness in the IBM UK Ltd v LzLabs GmbH & Ors case. The FastPL research group, which Donaldson leads, focuses on formal analysis, software testing and programming languages. The group has made significant contributions to compiler testing, GPU verification, and metamorphic testing techniques, with practical impact demonstrated by the acquisition of GraphicsFuzz. Current research directions include fuzzing for zero-knowledge proof circuits, randomized testing of decompilers, and systematic testing of large language models for code generation.
Professor Roger Woods is a prominent academic and researcher affiliated with Queen's University Belfast's School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He holds the rank of Professor and is actively involved in advancing research and innovation in embedded systems, FPGA technologies, and AI-driven solutions for industry challenges. His work emphasizes practical applications through close collaboration with industry partners. His research interests span novel computing architectures (e.g., multi-precision and edge computing), FPGA-based systems for data analytics, and secure IoT communication protocols. Notably, he co-founded and serves as Chief Scientist of Analytics Engines Ltd, a data analytics company. He has led significant initiatives like the Kelvin-2 Tier-4 High Performance Computing centre and contributed to semiconductor reviews through EFutures. Professor Woods has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the IET Northern Ireland Engineering Excellence Award and IEEE Fellowship. He has supervised numerous PhD students focusing on topics like FPGA-based image processing, secure wireless communications, and embedded AI platforms. His publications reflect interdisciplinary strengths in hardware acceleration, physical layer security, and structural health monitoring. Key Collaborations : Projects with industry and institutions on semiconductor design, bridge monitoring, and AI hardware. Grants : Principal Investigator for multiple research grants, including Core Equipment Awards for advanced instrumentation. Labs/Teams : Active in Queen's Advanced MicroEngineering Centre and the EFutures network.
Charles Gillan is a Senior Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast's School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, affiliated with the High Performance and Distributed Computing department and the Institute of Electronics, Communications & Information Technology. His research bridges HPC systems, AI applications in healthcare, and computational physics. Key projects include managing ICU patient care via neural networks, exascale-ready mathematical packages, and edge computing architectures. Research interests focus on high-performance computing (HPC), quantum computing, real-time data analytics, and electron-molecule scattering simulations. Notable contributions include developing microserver architectures for edge analytics and advancing AI-driven clinical decision support systems. Gillan has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects like food authenticity testing using spectroscopy and improving ventilator management in intensive care units. Publications span AI in healthcare, HPC system design, and computational methods for physics problems. He has secured funding for initiatives such as the KTP partnership with Foods Connected Ltd and the HANDHELD olfactory detection project. Gillan's work emphasizes practical applications of advanced computing across healthcare, engineering, and cybersecurity domains.
