Career History Research Laboratories

1.3 Academia

1.3.1 Aug 2014 – to date: Lecturer in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science

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  Place: School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University, London, U.K. and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing, P.R.C.
  
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  Role, achievements and successes:
  

Research & supervision: Supervision of 26 undergraduate and postgraduate student projects to date. Coordinator of MEng Team projects. Member of Research Strategy and Quality working groups. Member of Antennas research group. Research on stochastic electromagnetic fields and applications.

Teaching: Module leader and lecturer for final-year modules on Digital Systems Design (QMUL) and Digital Broadcasting (BUPT). Joint lecturer for module Digital Signal Processing (QMUL). Developing new content on latest developments in DSD, DB and DSP. Exam preparation and marking, recruitment of supervision of lab assistants, handling student queries, writing letters of reference.

1.3.2 May 2012–Mar 2013 & Jun 2013-May 2014: Research Fellow (Senior Research Fellow w/e Aug 2014)

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  Place: George Green Institute for Electromagnetics Research, University of Nottingham, U.K.
  
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  Role, achievements and successes:
  

Research & supervision: Performing and leading EPSRC research on near-field emissions from printed circuits and electromagnetics of complex environments (stochastic and data-driven techniques), incl. extension of near-field scanning system to time-domain characterization. Lead and co-author of journal papers (incl. IEEE Transactions (various) & invited paper to special issue of Wave Motion). (Co-)author & presenter of conference papers. Co-supervisor PhD student (thesis submitted Mar 2014). Mentor 3 undergraduate students in project work on BSS for E/MEG. Initiate collaboration with UoN MRI Centre, focusing on nonlinear C-ICA and multivariate Bayesian PCA/ICA. Provide support in EPSRC project on power electronics.

Teaching: Propose, fully develop course material and deliver 16-hr course “Advanced statistical and stochastic methods for engineering and scientific research” for PGR & academic staff. Gain ILTC teaching certification; ATP pending.

Funding & strategy: Lead conceptualization, development & writing of EPSRC research proposal (value GBP 810k), incl. vetting & securing additional GBP 120k of UK industrial in-kind support from 3 major private research laboratories (in aerospace, smart grids/metering & assisted driving). Conceptualize, develop and submit GBP 60k research proposal to company specializing in near-field scanning technology (pending). Draft EU Horizon 2020 proposal. Jointly develop proposal for COST Action on time-domain stochastic EMC (UoN led).

Management and representation: Vice-chair of Engineering Strategy Research Group; ESRG representative on Division management board. Contribute to university strategy and policy through personal initiative, communications, and bilateral & group discussion.

External relations, collaborations & recognition: invited visiting professor to INSA Rennes (Apr-May2013; 1 joint IEEE Trans. AP paper accepted), invited visiting professor to University of Paris (Jan & Jul 2014; ongoing; joint research under development); invited researcher to TU Munich (2014) (pending). Invited co-Guest Editor for IET Proc. SMT special issue on novel test methods for wireless communications systems (Sep. 2014). Continued chair of IEC JTF on reverberation chambers (development of IEC 61000-4-21. Ed. 3). Internal promotion to Senior Research Fellow (with effect 1 Aug 2014).

1.3.3 Jan 2014, Jul 2014: Visiting Research Professor

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  Place: University of Paris, ESYCOM Laboratory (Paris, France)
  
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  Role: collaborate on studies in wave chaos, supervise and advise on RF measurements, technical & scientific discussion with collaborator at university of Nice on low-dimensional wave chaos; propose & plan collaboration, return visits, exchange of research students
  

1.3.4 Apr 2013 - May 2013: Visiting Research Professor

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  Place: National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA), IETR Laboratory (Rennes, France)
  
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  Role: examiner for PhD candidate. Lead experimental research work on reverberation chamber (probabilistic evaluation of quality factor). Write software. Discuss and advice 4 PhD students. Visit collaborators at University of Paris. Lead writer for two joint research papers.
  

1.3.5 Oct 2008 - Sep 2011: Visiting & Part-Time Professor

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  Place: Imperial College (London, UK), Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Communications and Signal Processing Group
  
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  Role: Develop, deliver & examine lectures of mandatory course on “Digital Signal Processing and Digital Filters” for MSc Course in Advanced Signal Processing. Mentoring of MSc students for laboratory experimental work (Summer Term projects). Supervision, assessment and evaluation of MSc student projects. Write & mark exam paper, act as second marker for other exams, attend examination meetings. Undertake collaborative research work with staff on blind source identification. Provide lecture to staff & students on electromagnetics & propagation aspects of modern wireless communication systems in complex environments. Organize & supervise laboratory experimental work for MSc student; act as liaison between staff at NPL and Imperial College in areas of mutual research interest:
  

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  Approach, achievements and successes: Praise received from many students in individual feedback on level, depth and quality of course material taught. I brought several new advanced topics into the curriculum, incl. oversampling, innovations process, more advanced mathematical framework for nonlinear estimation theory and for Kalman filter theory, introduction of real-life examples from applications to electromagnetics developed at NPL to illustrate course material. I often used analogies with familiar phenomena natural/non-EM physical world to explain abstract concepts and methodologies (e.g., nonstationarity, adaptive filtering, etc.). My course placed large emphasis on deeper understanding of the course material, rigour and mathematical underpinning.