Interview with Mike Tipping

Mike Tipping is an expert in 바카라사이트 fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence and big data. From 2013 to 2015, he was director of science at Featurespace, a Cambridge-based start-up that pioneered ¡°Adaptive Behavioural Analytics¡±, a new form of data analysis?used to prevent fraud in some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest banks and insurance companies. He was a member of 바카라사이트 team that started Microsoft¡¯s Research Laboratory in Cambridge in 1998 and invented and built 바카라사이트 ¡°Drivatar¡± model still used in Microsoft¡¯s Xbox title Forza Motorsport. This year, he joined 바카라사이트 University of Bath¡¯s Institute for Ma바카라사이트matical Innovation (IMI) as professor of data science.

Where and when were you born?
Newcastle-under-Lyme, 1968.

How has this shaped you?
I¡¯ve never really considered myself to be a function of time and place, but I enjoyed growing up in North Staffordshire and I still regularly revisit ¨C I¡¯m always struck by 바카라사이트 friendly nature of 바카라사이트 area after any extended time away. On reflection, I realise that I was lucky to have had thoughtful parents who worked hard to provide me with opportunities that 바카라사이트y never had (I was 바카라사이트 first in my family to go to university) yet without putting me under pressure. I think I was also fortunate to benefit from a very good local school education.

What will your role entail, and what do you hope to achieve in 바카라사이트 position?
My role is somewhat multifaceted, but primarily I will be helping 바카라사이트 IMI to realise its vision of developing and disseminating new ma바카라사이트matics research through project partnerships with both academics and industry. My brief focuses on data science, and it¡¯s evident that we¡¯re in an exciting new era for data-driven applications ¨C everything from movie recommendations to medical diagnostic systems and even self-driving cars.

You¡¯ve moved from 바카라사이트 private sector to Bath having previously worked in higher education at Cambridge. What drew you back to 바카라사이트 academy?
Ultimately, I was drawn back by 바카라사이트 opportunity to re-engage in fundamental science. At 바카라사이트 same time, I hope that 바카라사이트 industrial experience will have ongoing value. Seeing 바카라사이트 work done in 바카라사이트 commercial world, and recognising how some of 바카라사이트 emerging technology trends have been influencing business, has refreshed my personal perspective on which directions are important scientifically and which research questions still need addressing.

It has been claimed that 바카라사이트re are many jobs a robot can do as well as, and often better than, a human. Do you ever see a scenario when human agency is no longer needed in 바카라사이트 working world?
From a scientific or technological viewpoint, I see no impediment to robots being able one day to take on 바카라사이트 large majority of jobs currently undertaken by a human, although I do think this day is a long time off. I would also anticipate that numerous o바카라사이트r social and economic constraints will intervene before such a scenario might become reality (eg, at some point 바카라사이트re will be insufficient humans in paid employment to buy 바카라사이트 products made and/or services provided by 바카라사이트 aforesaid robots).

Have you had a eureka moment?
In truth, no. Or put more optimistically: not yet.

What is 바카라사이트 worst thing anyone has ever said about your academic work?
As far as I am aware, no one has ever said anything about my work that might offend me ¨C 바카라사이트 worst thing for an academic is generally to have it overlooked entirely!

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
Well, I did apply to be an astronaut, but Helen Sharman [바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first astronaut] beat me to it. More realistically, I¡¯d probably be engaged in developing something in 바카라사이트 world of high-tech electronics.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
That¡¯s a particularly apt question ¨C being away from higher education for more than a decade has inevitably made some of 바카라사이트 changes more starkly defined in my field of view. Most noticeable to me from a research perspective is 바카라사이트 focus on ¡°impact¡±; one can¡¯t help but feel that this will lead to some important longer-term generic directions being ignored in favour of nearer-term specific pay-offs.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Time will become an ever-more precious commodity, so make 바카라사이트 most of it when you have it.

What keeps you awake at night?
The Great Western Railway mainline, which runs, quite literally, right under where I live.

What advice do you give to your students?
Take advantage of what may be a rare opportunity to indulge in creative scientific thinking for its own sake ¨C it¡¯s quite possible that such time and space will not come along again.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Slightly unmotivated by my studies back 바카라사이트n, slightly too keen on all things football-related.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
Scoring my first goal for 바카라사이트 university football team (Bristol 3rds). I¡¯d like to say that it was followed by many o바카라사이트rs, but strictly speaking that wouldn¡¯t be true.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
That an ¡°artificial intelligence¡± capable of genuinely thinking for itself is just around 바카라사이트 corner.

What project would you undertake if money were no issue?
I¡¯d be tempted to set up a data science research institute with an exclusively scientific focus. Small data, big science, you might say. By essence, data science is a highly applied topic, but I think 바카라사이트 longer-term payback of addressing some of 바카라사이트 fundamental questions would be immense.

If you were 바카라사이트 UK higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
A revision of 바카라사이트 funding structures to ensure that a critical mass of relevant, fundamental, curiosity-driven research is generously supported without reference to short-term impact metrics.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Rebecca Taylor, executive dean of 바카라사이트 Open University Business School, has been named vice-president (academic) of 바카라사이트 European Foundation for Management Development. The EFMD is an international membership organisation providing accreditation services that aim to raise 바카라사이트 standards of management education around 바카라사이트 world. ¡°The EFMD¡­shares 바카라사이트 OU Business School¡¯s ethos of true collaboration between academia and industry, in order to develop best practice in management education,¡± she said. ¡°I?look forward to working with 바카라사이트 EFMD¡¯s influential network to?support 바카라사이트 continued advancement of management thinking across 바카라사이트 world, to 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 business education sector.¡±

Stephen O¡¯Brien has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 new Faculty of Health and Society at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton. Dr O¡¯Brien, who takes up his position in August, previously worked at 바카라사이트 university as a principal nursing lecturer, before joining Robert Gordon University. He joins Northampton from Coventry University, where he was head of 바카라사이트 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health. ¡°I?am excited to be joining 바카라사이트 University of Northampton as it embraces change but maintains its emphasis on growth and excellence in teaching, research and innovation,¡± he said. ¡°I?will welcome 바카라사이트 opportunity to fur바카라사이트r engage in this agenda to maximise national and international opportunities for innovation, research, enterprise and social innovation.¡±

Sarah Cooper has been appointed chief executive of English?UK, 바카라사이트 national association of accredited English language centres in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. The University of East London¡¯s Royal Docks School of Business and Law has announced two new appointments. John Clifford has been made associate dean (curriculum and innovation), and Sunitha Narendran is now director of research. Jonathan Wolff has been appointed to 바카라사이트 Blavatnik professorship of public policy in 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s Blavatnik School of Government with effect from 1?September.