Judith Masthoff |
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I come from the Netherlands. When I was growing up, computers were still very scarce. About two years before I finished secondary school, they got their first computers. I liked learning to program, thought maybe I could make my own computer game. I considered studying French or Mathematics, but ended up doing Computing and liking it.
I have worked on many different topics and lived in quite different places.
In 1992, I started as a PhD student (a scientist in training) in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. I developed an artificial teacher: a computer program that could teach and adapt its teaching to individual learners. My supervisors were psychologists, and I did a lot of studies to see how people learned. After my PhD, I worked for a bit on technology for helping elderly people to remain independent.
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In 1997, my husband got a job in Brighton, England. Luckily, I had no difficulty finding a job as well. As a computer scientist you can work anywhere!
I worked for Philips Electronics' UK research lab, near Gatwick. I mainly worked on medical projects, on technology to help nurses and doctors (radiologists and cardiologists).
In 2001, I moved to a lecturing job in the University of Brighton. My research changed to interactive television, in particular how to personalise the TV experience for a group of people watching together. I also worked on computers that prove mathematical statements.
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In 2004, we moved from the south coast of England to the north of Scotland. Computing Science at the University of Aberdeen specialises in Artificial Intelligence, my area of research. I have continued my research on systems that automatically adapt to people.
My PhD students come from all over the world (Vietnam, Pakistan, Sweden, Scotland, etc). With Hien Nguyen, I am working on so-called Persuasive Technology: technology that tries to change people's behaviour, for example getting them to exercise more. With Nava Tintarev, I have worked on explaining to somebody why they may (dis)like a movie based on what the system has learned about them. Nava is now working for Spanish company Telefonica. With Wendy Moncur, I am working on providing computer-mediated support for parents of babies in intensive care.
I am also co-leading the Computing Science department.
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My job is exciting, it never gets boring or repetitive. There are always new problems to solve. I like inventing things. Eleven patents applications were filed for my work.
I like working with people in other disciplines. Computer scientists get to learn about a lot of different things. For example, I have visited many hospitals, spoken to doctors, watched patients being treated.
I regularly go to meetings with scientists from all over the world. Most recently, I have been in Oulu (Finland), at Microsoft near San Francisco, and Trento (Italy). I have just returned from a conference in Hawaii...
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