The Network Executive Group comprises the Principal Investigator, the Co-Investigator and Network+ Coordinator, they meet bi-monthly and work alongside the Advisory Board and Initial theme Leaders. This groups key activities involve designing and delivering a roadmap to define the research domains, planning and running network events such as workshops, meeting and sandpits, creating calls for pilot studies, research initiatives and identifying placement opportunities.

Principal Investigator – Professor Jeremy Frey – University of Southampton

Jeremy Frey is a Professor of Physical Chemistry and the head of the Computational Systems Chemistry Group at the University of Southampton. Before working at Southampton, he obtained his DPhil on experimental and theoretical aspects of van der Waals complexes in the Physical Chemistry Labs, Oxford University under the supervision of Professor Brian Howard, followed by a NATO/EPSRC fellowship at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and University of California, with Professor Y. T. Lee. Jeremy’s experimental research probes molecular organisation in environments from single molecules in molecular beams to liquid interfaces using laser spectroscopy from the IR to soft X-rays. He investigates how e-Science infrastructure supports scientific research with an emphasis on the way digital infrastructure can enhance the intelligent creation, dissemination and analysis of scientific data.

Co-Investigator – Professor Mahesan Niranjan – University of Southampton

Mahesan Niranjan is a Professor of Electronics and Computer Science at Southampton. Prior to this, he worked at the University of Cambridge as a Lecturer in Information Engineering. And the University of Sheffield as a Professor of Computer Science, where he also served as Head of Computer Science and Dean of Engineering. Mahesan works in the area of machine learning, and his research interests are in the algorithmic and applied aspects of the subject. He has worked on a range of applications of machine learning and neural networks including speech and language processing, computer vision and computational finance. Currently, the major focus of his research is in computational biology. Alongside his duties at Southampton University, he also often travels to other international universities to present his research and teach intense short courses in Machine Learning.

Network+ Coordinator – Dr Samantha Kanza – University of Southampton

Samantha Kanza is a Senior Enterprise Fellow at the University of Southampton. She completed her MEng in Computer Science at the University of Southampton and then worked for BAE Systems Applied Intelligence for a year before returning to do an iPhD in Web Science (in Computer Science and Chemistry), which focused on Semantic Tagging of Scientific Documents and Electronic Lab Notebooks. She was awarded her PhD in April 2018. Samantha works in the interdisciplinary research area of applying computer science techniques to the scientific domain, specifically through the use of semantic web technologies and artificial intelligence. Her research includes looking at electronic lab notebooks and smart laboratories, to improve the digitization and knowledge management of the scientific record using semantic web technologies; and using IoT devices in the laboratory. She has also worked on a number of interdisciplinary Semantic Web projects in different domains, including agriculture, chemistry and the social sciences.

Chief Administrator – Mrs Victoria Hooper – University of Southampton

Victoria Hooper is a Senior Administrator at the University of Southampton. Prior to joining the AI3SD Network+ as Network Administrator, she worked in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities providing professional and high quality administrative support to the departments of Music and Film was Executive Assistant to the Deputy Head of School (Education). Victoria continues to work for the AHRC funded grant “Music, Home and Heritage: Sounding the Domestic in Georgian Britain” and has previously worked for large organisations in the city including Southampton City Council and Carnival UK.

PSDS Consultant – Dr Nicola Knight – University of Southampton

Nicola Knight is an Enterprise Research Fellow at the University of Southampton working on the Physical Sciences Data-Science Service (PSDS). She completed her Masters of Chemistry (MChem) at the University of Southampton previously before undertaking a PhD in Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Jeremy Frey. Her PhD focused on the interface between Chemistry and Computing with research in chemical modelling, remote experiments and the implementation of IoT technology in scientific research. Nicola’s current research interests are in the use of computing in scientific labs and notetaking with particular interest in IoT technologies and streamlining the research process.