Qualifications
Ph.D. (2000)
Department of Computing Science, Newcastle University
Title: Parallel Simulation.
Supervisor: Prof. Isi Mitrani.
Sponsorship: CASE funding in conjunction with DERA at Malvern.
Aim:
The work undertaken was to develop techniques and algorithms that allow simulations to be processed efficiently on parallel computers. The intention was to achieve almost linear speedup in terms of the execution times for the simulations when the processor count was increased. Rather than adopting the more conventional approach of space-parallel, simulation in which the physical entities within the simulation are distributed to different processes, the approach taken in this work was that of time-parallel simulation. In time-parallel simulation the simulation time frame is distributed between the different processes thus removing the restriction that the number of physical entities bounds the possible speedup. This does however lead to the difficulty of predicting the start conditions of any given portion of the time frame before computing all previous work. Techniques of parallel-prefix and relaxation were used to perform time-parallel simulations of ATM switches and TCP connections. Near linear speedup was achieved for these cases.
M.Sc. (1996)
Department of Computing Science, Newcastle University
Computing Science.
Sponsorship: EPSRC.
Came top of year group.
The subjects studied included: Object orientated programming (C++), Programming and Data Structures, Machine and System Architecture, Software Engineering, Parallel Computation, Concurrent Programming & Operating Systems, Filing Systems and Databases, Group Project, Systems Analysis, Computer Networks and Communications, Reliability and Fault Tolerance, Declarative Programming. I completed a group project, with four other people, which produced a route planning system.
I completed a dissertation in Parallel simulation at the end of this course for which I was awarded the Philip Merlin Memorial Prize in Computing Science, for best dissertation. Although there was no grade awarded for this course I obtained the highest examination grades within the course.
P.G.C.E. (1994)
School of Education, Durham University
Mathematics. This course covered the teaching of mathematics in both secondary and sixth form schools. Teaching to age range 11 – 18+. Practice in teaching and lecturing; developing courses and teaching to a wide range of ability.
Degree (1993)
Department of Mathematics, Durham University
Mathematics 2.2 (Hons)
The subjects studied included: Dynamical systems, Differential Geometry, Algebraic curves, Dynamics, Partial differential equations, Complex variables, Analysis, Electrodynamics, Continuum Mechanics, Partial derivatives and Waves, Special Relativity, Differential equations, Partial derivatives & Partial differential equations, Numerical analysis.
A number of courses undertaken required the use of programming to solve mathematical problems.
A Level Exams Results (1990)
Mathematics A
Special paper (Maths) Merit
Further Mathematics A
Physics B
Awarded E.M. Maccoby Prize for Mathematics, for best A level results in Mathematics.
AO/AS Exams Results (1989)
Add. Mathematics (AO) A
Physics (AS) C
Received an L.E.A. Mathematics Bursary, awarded to top students in Mathematics.
GCSE Exams Results (1988)
Mathematics A
Geography A
CDT (Technology) A
Biology B
Chemistry B
Physics B
English C
Oral Communication 3
English Literature C
French D
Education
1983 - 1990 : Bede School, Sunderland.
1990 - 1993 : Durham University BSc (Hons) Mathematics.
1993 - 1994 : Durham University P.G.C.E. (Mathematics).
1995 - 1996 : Newcastle University MSc Computing Science.
1996 - 2000 : Newcastle University PhD Computing Science.
(I spent 1 year in a Canadian School. 1980/81)
Department of Computing Science, Newcastle University
Title: Parallel Simulation.
Supervisor: Prof. Isi Mitrani.
Sponsorship: CASE funding in conjunction with DERA at Malvern.
Aim:
The work undertaken was to develop techniques and algorithms that allow simulations to be processed efficiently on parallel computers. The intention was to achieve almost linear speedup in terms of the execution times for the simulations when the processor count was increased. Rather than adopting the more conventional approach of space-parallel, simulation in which the physical entities within the simulation are distributed to different processes, the approach taken in this work was that of time-parallel simulation. In time-parallel simulation the simulation time frame is distributed between the different processes thus removing the restriction that the number of physical entities bounds the possible speedup. This does however lead to the difficulty of predicting the start conditions of any given portion of the time frame before computing all previous work. Techniques of parallel-prefix and relaxation were used to perform time-parallel simulations of ATM switches and TCP connections. Near linear speedup was achieved for these cases.
M.Sc. (1996)
Department of Computing Science, Newcastle University
Computing Science.
Sponsorship: EPSRC.
Came top of year group.
The subjects studied included: Object orientated programming (C++), Programming and Data Structures, Machine and System Architecture, Software Engineering, Parallel Computation, Concurrent Programming & Operating Systems, Filing Systems and Databases, Group Project, Systems Analysis, Computer Networks and Communications, Reliability and Fault Tolerance, Declarative Programming. I completed a group project, with four other people, which produced a route planning system.
I completed a dissertation in Parallel simulation at the end of this course for which I was awarded the Philip Merlin Memorial Prize in Computing Science, for best dissertation. Although there was no grade awarded for this course I obtained the highest examination grades within the course.
P.G.C.E. (1994)
School of Education, Durham University
Mathematics. This course covered the teaching of mathematics in both secondary and sixth form schools. Teaching to age range 11 – 18+. Practice in teaching and lecturing; developing courses and teaching to a wide range of ability.
Degree (1993)
Department of Mathematics, Durham University
Mathematics 2.2 (Hons)
The subjects studied included: Dynamical systems, Differential Geometry, Algebraic curves, Dynamics, Partial differential equations, Complex variables, Analysis, Electrodynamics, Continuum Mechanics, Partial derivatives and Waves, Special Relativity, Differential equations, Partial derivatives & Partial differential equations, Numerical analysis.
A number of courses undertaken required the use of programming to solve mathematical problems.
A Level Exams Results (1990)
Mathematics A
Special paper (Maths) Merit
Further Mathematics A
Physics B
Awarded E.M. Maccoby Prize for Mathematics, for best A level results in Mathematics.
AO/AS Exams Results (1989)
Add. Mathematics (AO) A
Physics (AS) C
Received an L.E.A. Mathematics Bursary, awarded to top students in Mathematics.
GCSE Exams Results (1988)
Mathematics A
Geography A
CDT (Technology) A
Biology B
Chemistry B
Physics B
English C
Oral Communication 3
English Literature C
French D
Education
1983 - 1990 : Bede School, Sunderland.
1990 - 1993 : Durham University BSc (Hons) Mathematics.
1993 - 1994 : Durham University P.G.C.E. (Mathematics).
1995 - 1996 : Newcastle University MSc Computing Science.
1996 - 2000 : Newcastle University PhD Computing Science.
(I spent 1 year in a Canadian School. 1980/81)