Previous Institution
Brunel Pathway College (BPC) - First Year University Studies
Additional Brunel qualifications:
Network Computing BSc, 2012
Where do you currently live?
UK
Tell us about your career journey since you graduated…
I worked as a Lecturer in Computing and IT at Uxbridge College for four years while I was studying my PhD and then joined the Brunel Innovation Centre in September 2018 as a Research Fellow and Project Leader in Computer Vision. After a year, due to my excellent performance, I was promoted to a Senior Research Fellow and Project Leader in Artificial Intelligence position.
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
My job involves a lot of travelling, predominantly to EU countries due to my responsibility as a Project Manager for EU Horizon 2020 projects. If I am not abroad, I usually have a lot of meetings in the morning followed by project status updates from placement students working under my supervision. I also spend a lot of time developing bleeding edge technologies for my projects. This means that I have both technical and managerial responsibilities and tasks.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Since I joined Brunel, I managed to secure a £1 million project fund from Innovate UK, which I am currently the project manager of. The project involves using Augmented Reality (AR) goggles to help improve the locomotion of people with Parkinson’s experiencing Freezing of Gait (FOG). I am also managing two multi-million-pound European Horizon 2020 projects called OLEDSOLAR and CITCOM. I was also awarded the Charted Engineer (CEng) title by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and have published several articles and book chapters.
How would you say Brunel helped you to get where you are today?
Studying at Brunel has helped me a lot, not only in developing my technical and academic skills, but also my soft skills. Brunel has a rich social environment where I could learn and improve my cross-knowledge in different fields by having free discussions with students and friends from different majors. The support and advice I received from my school has tremendously helped me to get where I am now. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr Konstantinos Banitsas whose comments, observations and ideas have greatly enriched my knowledge and understanding and helped me to become successful in my career.
Why did you choose to study at Brunel and why would you recommend Brunel to others?
The main reason I chose Brunel was based on the positive feedback from alumni and their success stories. Moreover, the facilities at Brunel in terms of labs and the Library, as well as social life and personal development, were also the decisive factors in choosing Brunel. My education at Brunel has given me a solid foundation for my future academic endeavours and I am very glad I made the decision to go to become a member of Brunel’s family.
What is your best memory of studying here?
As I did all my higher education studies at Brunel, all the way from undergraduate to PhD, I was always referred to as the longest active student at Brunel. I have also worked at Brunel as a GTA and IT support team member during my studies. As a result, students used to come to me and ask for advice about Brunel and how things work on campus. So, I became an unofficial Brunel students’ tour guide and mentor, which I enjoyed a lot.
If you could give one piece of advice to new students, what would that be?
I would recommend every Brunel student to benefit fully from the services and facilities Brunel has provided, especially its Library. Do not just spend time reading your textbooks, but also try to read materials on different topics including politics, history, art, etc. depending on your preferences. The most important thing as a student is not to become an expert in one or another major, but to become scientifically literate, and that comes with broadening your general knowledge and understanding. This knowledge will later help you not only in your career, but also your life in general.
What would be your top tip or advice for new graduates as they begin their career journey?
Be yourself and take your time. Do not just accept the first job offer you receive; spend time to evaluate your options. Every career choice has a significant impact on your future and your life. Do not get disappointed if you do not get a job offer right away. Remember, better things come to those who wait!
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