ASK-JGI – Jean Golding Institute News

Ask JGI Student Experience Profiles: Rachael Laidlaw

Posted on 14 August 202414 August 2024 by kerry.turcsi

Rachael Laidlaw (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2023-24)

I first came into contact with the Jean Golding Institute last year at The Alan Turing Institute’s annual AI UK conference in London, and then again in the early stages of the DataFace project in collaboration with Cheltenham Science Festival. This meant that before I officially joined the team back in October, I already knew what a lovely group of people I’d be getting involved with! Having nice colleagues, however, was not my only motivation for applying to be an Ask-JGI student. On top of that, I’d decided that whilst starting out in my ecological computer-vision PhD niche, I didn’t want to forget all of the statistical skills that I’d developed back in my MSc degree. Plus, it sounded really fun to keep myself on my toes by exercising my mind tackling a variety of data-oriented requests from across the university’s many departments.

Rachael Laidlaw in centre with two JGI staff members to the left and one JGI staff member to the right pointing towards a Data pin board at the JGI stall — *Rachael Laidlaw (centre)*, second-year PhD student in Interactive Artificial Intelligence, and other JGI staff members at the JGI stall

During the course of my academic life, I’ve taken the plunge of changing disciplines twice, moving from pure mathematics to applied statistics and then again to computer science, and I liked the idea of supporting others to potentially do the same thing as they looked to enhance their work by delving into data. Through Ask-JGI, I kept my weeks interesting by having something other than my own research to sometimes switch my focus to, and it felt very fulfilling to be able to offer useful technical advice to those who were in the same position that I myself had been in not so long ago too! I therefore got stuck in with anything and everything, from training CNNs for rainfall forecasting or performing statistical tests to compare the antibiotic resistance of different bacteria, to modelling the outcomes of university spinouts or advising on the ethical considerations and potential bias present when designing and deploying a questionnaire-based study. And, of course, by exposing myself to these problems (alongside additional outreach initiatives and showcase events), I also learned a lot along the way, both from my own exploration and from the rest of the team’s insights.

One especially exciting query revolved around automating the process of identifying from images which particular underground printing presses had been used to produce various historical political pamphlets, based on imperfections in the script. This piqued my interest immediately as it drew parallels with my PhD project, highlighting the copious amount of uses of computer vision and how it can save us time by speeding up traditionally manual processes: from the monitoring of animal biodiversity to carrying out detective work on old written records.

All in all, this year has broadened my horizons by giving me great consultancy-style work experience through the opportunity to share my expertise and help a wide range of researchers. I would absolutely encourage other curious PhD students to apply and see what they can both give to and gain from the role!

Ask JGI Student Experience Profiles: Mike Nsubuga

Posted on 5 August 20247 August 2024 by kerry.turcsi

Mike Nsubuga (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2023-24)

Embarking on a New Path

In the early days at Bristol, even before I began my PhD, I stumbled upon something extraordinary. AskJGI, a university initiative that provides data science support to researchers from all disciplines, caught my attention through a recruitment advert circulated by my PhD supervisor for support data scientists.

My journey started with hesitation. As a brand-new PhD student, who had just relocated to the UK, I questioned whether I was ready or suitable for such a role. Despite my reservations, my supervisor saw potential in me and encouraged me to seize this opportunity. Yielding to their encouragement, I applied, not fully realizing then how this decision would profoundly shape both my academic and professional paths.

A World of Opportunities

Joining AskJGI opened a door to a dynamic world brimming with ideas and innovations. My background in bioinformatics and computational biology meant that working on biomedical queries was particularly rewarding. These projects varied from analyzing protein expression data to studying infectious diseases, allowing me to use data science in meaningful ways.

Among the initiatives I was involved in was developing models to predict protein production efficiency in cells from their genetic sequences. Our goal was clear yet impactful: to identify patterns in genetic sequences that indicate protein production efficiency. We employed advanced data analysis and machine learning techniques to achieve effective predictions.

Additionally, I contributed to a project analyzing the severity of dengue infections by using statistical models to identify key biological markers. We pinpointed certain markers as critical for distinguishing between mild and severe cases of the infection.

These projects showcased the transformative power of data science in understanding and potentially managing diseases, directly impacting public health strategies.

Making Science Accessible: Community Engagement at City Hall

A highlight of my tenure with AskJGI was participating in Data Science Week at bustling Bristol City Hall. The event was not merely a showcase of data science but an opportunity to demystify complex concepts for the public. Engaging in lively discussions and simplifying intricate algorithms for curious visitors was incredibly fulfilling, especially seeing their excitement as they understood the concepts that are often discussed in our professional circles.

Audience sitting in City Hall. Some audience members are raising there hand. There is a projector and a speaker at the front of the hall — AI and the Future of Society event as part of Bristol Data Week 2024

Fostering Connections and Gaining Insights

AskJGI enhanced my technical skills and broadened my understanding of the academic landscape at the University of Bristol. The connections I forged were invaluable, sparking collaborations that would have been unthinkable in the more isolated environment of my earlier academic career. Reflecting on my transformative journey with AskJGI, I am convinced more than ever of the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the critical role of data science in tackling complex challenges. I encourage any researcher at the University of Bristol who is uncertain about their next step to explore what AskJGI has to offer. For PhD students looking to get involved, it represents not just a learning opportunity but a chance to make a significant societal impact.

24/25 Ask-JGI Application

Ask JGI Student Experience Profiles: Emma Hazelwood

Posted on 29 July 202429 July 2024 by kerry.turcsi

Emma Hazelwood (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2023-24)

I am a final year PhD student in Population Health Sciences. I found out about the opportunity to support the JGI’s data science helpdesk through a friend who had done this job previously. I thought it sounded like a great way to do something a bit different, especially on those days when you need a bit of a break from your PhD topic.

I’ve learnt so many new skills from working within the JGI. The team are very friendly, and everyone is learning from each other. It’s also been very beneficial for me to learn some new skills, for instance Python, when considering what I want to do after my PhD. I’ve been able to see how the statistical methods that I know from my biomedical background be used in completely different contexts, which has really changed the way I think about data.

I’ve worked on a range of topics through JGI, which have all been as interesting as they have been different. I’ve helped people with coding issues, thought about new ways to visualise data, and discussed what statistical methods would be most suitable for answering research questions. In particular, I’ve loved getting involved with a project in the Latin American studies department, where I’ve been mapping key locations from conferences throughout the early 20^th century onto satellite images, bringing to life the routes that the conference attendees would have taken.

This has been a great opportunity working with a very welcoming team, and one I’d recommend to anyone considering it!

Ask JGI Student Experience Profiles: Emilio Romero

Posted on 22 July 2024 by kerry.turcsi

Emilio Romero (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2023-24)

Over the past year, my experience helping with the Ask-JGI service has been really rewarding. I was keen to apply as I wanted to get more exposure to the research world in Bristol, meet different researchers and explore with them different ways of working and approaching data.

From a technical perspective, I had the opportunity to work on projects related to psychometric data, biological matrices, proteins, chemometrics and mapping. I also worked mainly with R and in some cases SPSS, which offered different alternatives for data analysis and presentation.

One of the most challenging projects was working with chemometric concentrations of different residues of chemical compounds extracted from vessels used in human settlements in the past. This challenge allowed me to talk to specialists in the field and to work in a multidisciplinary way in developing data matrices, extracting coordinates and creating maps in R. The most rewarding part was being able to use a colour scale to represent the variation in concentration of specific compounds across settlements. This was undoubtedly a great experience and a technique that I had never had the opportunity to practice.

ASK-JGI also promoted many events, especially Bristol Data Week, which allowed many interested people to attend courses at different levels specialising in the use of data analysis software such as Python and R.

The Ask-JGI team have made this year an enjoyable experience. As a cohort, we have come together to provide interdisciplinary advice to support various projects. I would highly recommend anyone with an interest in data science and statistics to apply. It is an incredible opportunity for development and networking and allows you to immerse yourself in the wider Bristol community, as well as learning new techniques that you can use during your time at the University of Bristol.

Ask JGI Student Experience Profiles: Daniel Collins

Posted on 17 July 202417 July 2024 by kerry.turcsi

Daniel Collins (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2023-24)

Daniel Collins, 2nd year PhD Student in the School of Computer Science at the University of Bristol

I applied to Ask-JGI as a 2nd year PhD student on the Interactive AI CDT. Before starting my PhD, I spent several years working in Medical Physics for the NHS. Without a formal background in data science, transitioning to an AI-focused PhD felt like a significant shift. I was looking for opportunities to gain more practical experience in areas of data science outside of my research topic, and Ask-JGI has been the perfect place to do this!

Working with Ask-JGI has been a hugely rewarding experience, and I’ve really appreciated the variety it introduced into my day-to-day work. With a PhD, you’re often working towards a long-term goal in a very specific domain area, with projects that can span several months at a time. With Ask-JGI, each query becomes a self-contained mini-project with a much smaller scope and timeline. These short bursts of exploration and learning have been really valuable to have alongside my PhD.

The queries involve supporting researchers from various specialisms across the University, and can involve a broad range of topics and technical skills. I’ve particularly enjoyed queries that have involved writing demo code e.g. for data processing, visualisation or modelling. One of the highlights has been my work with GenROC, visualising the number of children with different rare genetic conditions recruited to the study. To try to make it more engaging for the children and families involved, we developed a pipeline for creating 3D bubble plots with a space theme using the Blender Python API. This was great because I got to spend time learning a new software tool while also learning more about the important work the GenROC researchers are doing at the University!

Blender API bubble plots for GenROC project. Plots made with anonymised and randomised data — *Example of the Blender API bubble plots made for GenROC, with anonymised and randomised data*

I wholeheartedly recommend joining the team if you have experience in any area of data science and you’re looking to develop your skills. The JGI team have created an incredibly friendly and supportive environment for learning and collaboration. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn from others, and gain exposure to the different ways data science can be applied in academic research!