Joanna Leng's CV

A Computational Scientist and Visualization Expert, with a strong background in physics, biology and engineering, who excels at translating technological concepts into software solutions. An inclusive leader and team member who is experienced in building multi-disciplinary collaborations: Suited to a R&D environment and looking for new projects.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2018 - Onwards     EPSRC RSE Fellow                                        University of Leeds

Independently funded as a Research Software Engineer to work with imaging scientists to develop software to simplify workflow by analysing and presenting imaging data. This fellowship is partnered with 2 national facilities, Diamond Light Source and SuperSTEM. A second thread is for building the RSE community and develop training

2015-2018               HPC User Support                                        University of Leeds

Working in Advanced Research Computing to support HPC users – initially part time. Answer user questions via email; monitor systems for problems; meet users to educate them on computational issues such as redesigning algorithms or redesigning data structures or co-supervising an MSc student to MPI and OpenMP parallelize code; hold network meetings and deliver training. Development of the service strategy.

2013-2014               Research Fellow                                            University of Leeds

Research fellow in Medical and Biological Engineering working as a computational biomechanical engineer. Developed a dynamic model of edge loading in the artificial hip in Adams software. Led the computational group meetings proactively to encourage a broader understanding of the context of computational science and improve practical skills.

2013-2014               Career Break

Career break with caring responsibilities during this time. Wrote 4 chapters for 3 books, edited the book "Handbook of Research on Computational Science and Engineering: Theory and Practice" and a tutorial for SuperComputing 2011.

1996-2008               Senior HPC and Visualisation Engineer            University of Manchester

Worked in the Research Computing Services group with the HPC services, visualization and grid teams. Worked in collaborative teams within and across groups to successfully complete various research projects.

1991-1996               Laboratory Technician                                 Blood Transfusion Service

Trained and qualified as a Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer (MLSO). Responsible for all areas of blood product production and testing - working as a team and individually to high precision.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

PG Cert in Innovation Management
University of Leeds 2015
Used the principals of critical self-directed learning and action learning to understand workplace issues and use the management literature to solve them within an iterative cycle of learning.

PhD in Computer Science
University of Manchester 2006
The dissertation was titled ’A Visualization Toolkit for Solar Physicists’.

MSc in Computer Science
University of Manchester 1996
The dissertation was titled ’Volume Visualization of Third Trimester Placenta’.

BTec in Computer Studies
Park Lane College, Leeds 1992

BSc (Hons) in Biophysics
University of Leeds 1989
A four year course with 4 years of biophysics, 2 years of physics and 1 year of each Maths, Chemistry and Microbiology.

Training

Coursera version of Stanford Introduction to Artificial Intelligence December 2011

Coursera version of Stanford Human Computer Interaction - August 2012

PRIZES AND KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

• Gained second place in the Software Susstainability Institute's Collaborations Workshop 2020 Hackday and third place in 2019. In 2020 created a new chapter for the Turing Way on running online events and in 2019 developed software for testing of visual content.
• Identified as a key European influential expert by FISTERA (http://fistera.jrc.ec.europa.eu/), in 2003.
• The first visualizer to work on a UK national academic flagship supercomputing service which was an unrecognised role at that time. Developed a body of work so that now the UK research councils fund this as a legitimate support role for all follow on national services.
• Approached by IGI Global to edit a research handbook. Led the production of the 'Handbook of Research on Computational Science and Engineering: Theory and Practice' from conception to publication.
• Visualized a CT scan of an Egyptian mummy and produced animations, images and interactive demos that were used extensively. Computer Graphics World selected images from the article "Unravelling the Mysteries of the Mummy", published in May 2000 as one of the most important visualization images of the last 25 years.
• Visualization Showcase Competition 2006, Second Prize, J. Leng, L. Margetts and I. M. Smith for the entry entitled, Visualizations of a Physically Coupled System.

SKILLS

Computer Visualisation

• Developed a selection of visualization tools that focus on data analysis and the presentation of information which often involved developing original algorithms.
• For a selection of visualization images see http://www.joannaleng.com/galleries/ ---- application areas include medical scans both CT and MRI (brain aneurisms, virtual endoscopy, cochlea implants, liver cancer, Egyptian mummy), serial sections of placenta, solar observations, computational simulations (epidemiology, cardiology, dinosaur foot prints, geotechnical engineering, seismology, solar physics, Finite Element Analysis) and public transport.
• Led the development of distributed systems for remote visualization into an operating theatre for the project Op3D and the computational steering for simulations of the spread of contagious disease for contingency planning for the Health Protection Agency through the CSAR service.
• Co-authored a chapter in 'The Visualization Handbook', edited by Hansen and Jonson.
• Has a strong interest in using visualization to communicate science to both scientists and the public.
• Standardised a series of computer graphics programs to provide a range of demos suitable to promote science and the department at a variety of scientific events and at the showcase for the EPSRCs international review of engineering in 2004.
• Has taken a portable virtual reality system to local museums to communicate science to the public and has been involved with the Manchester Science Festival in 2007 and 2010.

High Performance Computing (HPC)

• Identified the processes necessary to gain access to and execute codes on the National Grid Service (NGS) using the Globus interface.
• Mentored the move for 4 research groups from a local HPC service to a ’Cloud’ based grid system.
• Installed, configured and executed VizServer, a remote visualization system, onto HPC systems so that remote visualization was possible for research purposes.
• Developed code examples for a computational steering training course for use on distributed systems and presented the course at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories.
• Installed, maintained and tested software and numerical libraries on high performance systems to satisfy user requests and systems administration policy.
• Worked with the Manchester team on the HECToR proposal, for a UK flagship national HPC service.

Software Web Development

• Developed software in small lean teams focused on resolving research questions.
• Used programming languages including C, Java, C++, python and shell scripting on Unix, Linux and Windows based systems.
• Experienced in software packages Adams, MatLab, NX-Ideas and AVS/Express.
• Has developed web pages to disseminate projects and provide training materials since 1996 using html, css and various tools such as the content management system Joomla.

Leadership

• Supervision and mentoring of staff and students since 1997. Created and managed teams of 1 to 6 in an lean/agile management environment where flexibility and mentoring were important.
• Project managed the Op3D-Grid and parts of the VISUAL and UKHEC projects.
• Acted as a PI on the ’Computational Steering for Scenario Testing in Infectious Disease Contingency Planning’ and the ’Computing functional roles of gene mutations leading to sudden cardiac death’ projects.

Relationship Building

• Worked closely with researchers on the VISUAL, UKHEC and CSAR projects to encourage the use of visualisation - developed and delivered training materials, organised seminars, workshops and summer schools.
• Trained and mentored PhD students and postgraduate researchers in image processing and visualisation tools to ensure suitable presentation of their data in research results.
• Worked with senior researchers to facilitate research proposals.

Teaching and Dissemination

• Developed practical exercises, taught and assessed student submissions for the Visualization module of the Computer Science MSc.
• Led the organisation of 2 international conferences Euro-Par and IDC.
• Led the organisation and lab teaching session for 2 summer schools.
• Developed and delivered 6 bespoke seminars and workshops.
• Developed and delivered 7 different training courses that have run in Manchester and other sites in the UK.

Publications

Full details of publications is available from http://www.joannaleng.com/publications/, and includes editing 1 book and writing 6 chapters for books, over 20 papers, 5 posters, 12 technical reports, 6 articles for newsletters and 1 article for an important magazine (Computer Graphics World).

INTERESTS

Hobbies include music, exercise, crafts and photography. Exercises that I particularly enjoy are Yoga and swimming. Recently I joined an art meets science group called The Superposition. Through that I have set up a LeedsBio group that is part of citizen science and organises DIYbio activities such as guerrilla experiments in a pub and running a biology stall at local markets.

Last updated by Joanna Leng on the 20th of December 2014.