Category: England

Author Published on Leave a comment

The colloquium took place at the gorgeous campus of the University of Reading in Reading. Its aim was to promote Women in Computing and a range of students attended to present poster abstracts in four categories. The categories were first year, second year, final year (which incorporated third years and fourth years) and MSc. My category had thirty people in it as it covered two year groups. Throughout the day we listened to inspiring talks from women in the field and in academia. The range of topics of the talks and posters was vast and very interesting. It was attended by university students, industry and academics.

Standing beside my poster
Standing beside my poster

My poster was about my final year project - Seizure Pad. My younger brother was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy when he was four years old. From then, I have helped care for him. As technology has advanced, my mother has tried multiple methods to assist in managing his seizures. However, none were suitable enough. I began to do some research and found that she was not alone. That’s where Seizure Pad comes in.

The rise in ubiquitous computing has seen advancements in eHealth. From health care applications to Internet based health monitoring systems, there is a range of eHealth tools available for patients. For those with epilepsy, eHealth provides digital diaries and analytical tools to monitor seizures. However, these tools do not support those with complex epilepsy. Good management of complex epilepsy requires carers to log and analyse data about frequent seizures. Current eHealth is limited because the lack of user involvement in the design and development of applications has failed to identify and support the communication of complex data between the patients and clinicians, which in turn leads to poor overall support and management.

Seizure Pad was developed as a result of an experience driven design study following a participatory approach. It has involved working closely with a range of clinicians, patients and other users to ensure an inclusive support tool for those with complex epilepsy. By identifying the types of data to be recorded and providing an intuitive user interface, it presents a new framework to assist in seizure management. Seizure Pad offers customised input fields, automatic data capture and a clear analysis of the data. This visualisation of data empowers the patients to be more independent and contribute to their healthcare.

Currently the study has developed a prototype, which is being tested by end-users. I am hoping to conduct further research which will involve a randomised clinical trial of Seizure Pad to further test its impact on the communication divide and self-efficacy of the user.

Collecting my prize from EMC
Collecting my prize from EMC

I was humbled to have won the finally year category at the BCSLovelace Colloquium 2014 as the projects I was presenting alongside were amazing. EMC gave me a very generous cash prize of £300 and I also received a goody bag which included, among other things, a furry Android, which has been stolen by my cat, Bitcoin! Although this is the fifth conference to attend and fourth to present at, I found it the most enjoyable. Whereas the other conferences were focused on a particular topic of research, this one was so varied. Everyone I spook to had a completely different focus and project to my own. It was exciting as I rarely get to talk to students out with my own class, and never do I get to talk to some many fascinating women. Also, one of my biggest fears about joining the IT industry is my lack of interest in the more technical side. However, this conference showed me that I have nothing to fear as the variety of exciting positions available is far greater than I had previously thought! I think the most valuable thing I took away with me was that life is about risks, sometimes they work out other times they don’t but it’s just about finding out what works for yourself. As all the brilliant speakers said, if one job doesn’t feel right, look at a different area within IT for we are part of an ever changing industry!

Author Published on Leave a comment

As a great lover of nature and natural beauty in the countryside, I have always enjoyed the drives in the United Kingdom but especially around Scotland and Wales. I had never been across to North Wales before so when Alan decided he wanted to see it when we were visiting Liverpool I eagerly agreed. As is the norm of the British weather, we chose a day to travel the two hours to Wales only to wake up to chrome skies and damp paths. Nonetheless we clad ourselves in coats and scarves before climbing into the car armed with a packed lunch and a camera.

As we drove towards the motorway and towards North Wales, the skies got darker and the fog heavier. By the time we saw the first sign for Wales we could barely make it out due to the heavy fog. As we drove along by Colwyn Bay, just passed the Wales border, we acknowledged that there was a body of water there as the horizon was darker and the SatNav indicated there was, else we would never have known. As the rain got heavier and the winds picked up eager to pull my car towards the middle barriers, we discussed turning back. Suddenly, there was a patch of lighter cloud which, as we watched, gave way to a tease of sunlight. As quick as it came it disappeared. It encouraged us to risk it though and keep going, hoping that the rain would subside and take the pesky fog along with it. We were not to be disappointed.

By the time we had entered Penrhyn Bay the sun was filtering beautifully through the clouds and the occasional blue sky was spotted. Taking a drive along the coast we spotted some interesting houses with turrets on them. They were most intriguing designs and colours. We found a cute little parking spot that was overlooking the water on the other side of the bay so pulled in for some lunch. As we watched the seagulls circle above, caught on the air thermals, Zita warned us to keep the windows up as these seagulls were very confident and were known to swoop into cars to steal sandwiches. Now I knew why the seagulls were much larger compared to the ones in Dundee.

Back on the road we headed towards the village of Bets-y-Coed. Stumbling upon a beautiful little bridge over a stream and watching as the sun set between two glens over a body of water was worth dodging the vehicles on the narrow roads. As we pulled into the village we saw the most breathtaking river that had a pretty little island with a massive overhanging tree in it with huge limbs stretching for the sky and caressing the water below. We stopped and watched, mesmerised as the water gushed around the island, over the rocks and diving loudly below the bridge before passing quietly through the other side. Not quite ready to return to Zita's, we slipped into a little café for a steaming cup of tea and a slice of cake as we watched the last flickers of light disappear from the sky. Still, we could hear the water's roar as the river rushed along its way to new adventures upon other shores, seeing sights we would not see. Just another day in Wales.

Author Published on Leave a comment

Earlier today I found myself at Birkenhead's Transport Museum. It showed a lovely transition of transport in the local area. From the early trams right up to the modern buses, the museum showed us it all. Despite being focused mostly on the trams, it also had on display some of the older cars that although I had only seen them in museums before, Alan was excited to see some of the older cars from his earliest memories. As I often do when I am in a museum which demonstrates the transition between generations, I often think of the advancement's in which we, as humans, have undertaken. Although we now use much faster, expensive and powerful cars they will be more valuable in the coming years as they fade out of existence whilst their predecessors remain ever loyal albeit less powerful.

As Alan and Zita approached a car - which looked to me 'quaint' and 'foreign' as I had only seen pictures of the car and in movies - he commented that the car was only a little bit older than his childhood. It amazed me that it was still in such a good condition and I supposed that given a little bit of work it would probably run again despite being around half a century old. The common phrases that the elderly say sprang into my mind as so often things made in the early to mid-twentieth century are much better made than the produce of today. As I considered what this meant I was a little sad to think that perhaps there won't be many museums of today's produce as it may not be strong enough to survive the coming years. There's something different about seeing an object from another era in 'real life' as opposed through the recreations of movies and it would be a shame that our coming generations may not get to 'experience' how the people today live.

As we arrived shortly before the tram was due to run its route we jumped aboard its solid frame that had been restored within the transport museum. Like a child in a toy shop I sat upon its hard wood seats grinning before dashing upstairs to the upper level of the tram to watch the passing sights as we bounced along the rickety route. Comparing those means of transports to what we know now today as 'public transport' it is clear that we take a lot of the technology around us in terms of transport for granted. Nowadays we would not settle for the 'bouncy' journey that the tram provided but in previous generations this was a 'revolutionary' breakthrough. As we become more reliant on these luxuries that our predecessors wouldn't have thought possible. Makes we wonder about the new exciting technologies that we could start seeing in the coming years.

Author Published on Leave a comment

As the Christmas season approaches Alan had asked if we could visit his girlfriend, Zita, in Birkenhead shortly after my exams. As we drove down towards the south-west of England we began to pass through some of Scotland's beautiful views. As we whizzed by the mountains in the distance we saw their white topped heads against the bright lively green that was sprouting out from the base of the mountains. Thankfully, this year the snow decided to skip over our little island for the most part so the journey down was relatively smooth and hassle free. Upon arrival in the Birkenhead we ended up spending twenty minutes in traffic!

However, this unexpected extra time gave Alan and I time to admire (or express disgust in) the various decorations on the houses. Some can be rather pretty, but like so many other years, I often think that some people just try too hard to follow the American standards. Most times people can accomplish this and create a pretty scene, however, so often I find that it just looks tacky. There was one house in particular that I couldn't understand how the people could cope with it, the view or the electricity bill! Just about every inch of their garden was covered in a glowing or flashing statue, the drop lights hung loosely from the roof giving an unkempt look about the house and to top it all off their window looked like it was trying to contain the undying beast within. The horrific rapid flashing that (I assumed) came from their Christmas tree would have sent even the most stable epileptic into a cluster of seizures. How the inhabitants of the house could cope within the flashing lights of the room, I do not know.

Often around Christmas we see acts of kindness and giving, of love and charity but just as often we see acts of egotistic people who greedily populate their houses with excess clutter that simply shows off their wealth and social position. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the spirit of Christmas with it's get togethers and clusters of lights but when you hear of some of the expenses that people are willing to spend only to decorate their houses it's shocking!

Anyway, enough rants about that, we arrived just as duck was descending upon Zita's street and the stars were reaching out to us. As we entered the house I was reminded of our last visit to Birlenhead and I settled into my adaption to make the place my temporary home for the next four days. It is my ability to adapt to my surroundings and feel at home wherever I am that I am very fortunate to have and often rely on to make a possibly awkward week more relaxed.

Author Published on Leave a comment

Last week my boyfriend and I spent the week with his family in two quaint little country towns. Still new enough to the beauty of Scotland and northern England I drove to the various areas with eyes wide and a bubble of joy bubbling within me. Although most of our journey was along the main motorways, we veered into the beautiful rural areas where I wasn't disappointed with the scenery. For those of you unfortunate souls who have not experienced the often fairytale like appearance of the country, you have not lived. It is really no surprise that Scotland and northern England are used for well respected films such as Harry Potter and television series like Dr. Who. With rolling hills whose natural creases show both their age and the changes to the landscape over the years. The deep green trees create a texture and the illusion of a hairy hill. The scattered farm animals lazily graze with the occasional one reaching over the fence for the longer, less tasted grass as they too want to try something new. Passing over the glens I spied the grassy desert that stretched further than the Roman straight roads covered. Scenery like this may bore others who crave the busy rush of the city life, but I love driving along the roads and seeing the slopes and falls of nature's base.

Our little trip was not without its challenges as we fought with the Sat Nav (TomTom Fail!) and ended up in areas that weren't that suitable for a car, especially one as low as mine! On these little detours we cursed and swore at 'Julie' - the name that Andy gave my Sat Nav - but she showed us some pretty views.

During our break we spent two weekends at Allendale town and five nights at Bankfoot, both beautifully quaint villages. In Allendale town we resided at Andy's grandfather's house whose bank sloped down into the embankment of the village's little stream. Taking Chloë - read Playing 'mummy' for a week - for a walk around the stream we burned off some energy. Strolling along the sandy path we brushed aside the overgrown vegetation and proclaimed our victory as we scampered down the little rocky path to the water's edge. As it was a beautifully sunny day we let Chloë paddle in the water in her top and underwear but very promptly she stripped naked and proclaimed that she could 'now swim like the little fishies'! We couldn't help but laugh.

Our time at Bankfoot was spent mostly outdoors when the weather was permitting. Chloë and I enjoyed collecting the freshly laid duck eggs from Andy's mom's ducks. Being a city girl the little country routines are still enjoyable to me. On the first morning that we collected the eggs, Chloë happily thanked the ducks for the eggs before finishing off with 'I go eat your egg now '. She hadn't quite realised what the egg was...

It was a lovely time away that allowed me to get to know Andy's family better and see some of the beauty that Scotland and northern England have to offer.

Author Published on Leave a comment

This past week my boyfriend and I have spent the week with his three and a half year old daughter, Chloë. It was an interesting, although challenging week. As this was the first time I had ever met Chloë and Andy's (soon-to-be) ex-wife it obviously provoked some feelings of unease within me. Although I was well aware of Andy's past before we got together, actually seeing that side of his life made it real. Don't let my post title fool you, although taking on the maternal role for the week I have no intention of ever replacing Andy's wife's place in their daughter's life. Coming from a broken home myself I know what it's like to have an intrusion of a parent's partner invade your household and would not expect to be seen as Chloë's mother in any form. I wasn't sure how I would react to Chloë, or more importantly how she would react to me. What I didn't expect was her seemingly instant 'approval'.

Just before we were to take her home to her mother, we met up with Andy's cousin whose daughter -- Lexi -- was nine months younger than Chloë. In her cute socialising way, Chloë proudly introduced us as "my daddy and my Heather". It was times like these that the maternal side of me lit up. Kids never fail to amaze me in how quickly they accept new situations and although Andy's and my relationship is still new, I could see myself accepting Chloë as a daughter figure even if I would never expect her to see me as a maternal figure in her life.

This week was an eye opener in so many ways. As a young woman approaching the end of her teens and aware to officially join the 'adult' world certain feelings are arising so it's natural I have considered a family in the future. Frequently I have been told of the maternal nature I express towards my friends and family but more often surprise them when I confess I am not entirely sure if I see children in my future. Somehow the white picket fence image doesn't fit with what I want from life but when it comes to children I get mixed feelings. This past week I felt like I was Chloë's main carer and spent many hours supervising, negotiating and attending to her which was both tiring as frustrating. With my brothers grown up now I had forgotten how tiring young children were - especially when they're on the brink of discovering some independence. Most meal times were a negotiation, dressing had to be a game and don't even get me started on bath time. The first time Andy and I tried to get her to shower we simply mentioned the word and she screamed the place down for the next ten minutes. After making us feel like we were torturing her, once we had finished she proudly claimed 'Chloë all cleaned now'. Sigh, how could we be mad at that? Chloë definitely taught me a lot about myself this week and made me respect my mother more!

Despite how much I hated the early starts, the tears and the patience needed to get things done; Chloë was the sweetest little child. Sociable with everybody and very affectionate. She showed me that I could cope being a mother despite the challenges of raising a child entails. Perhaps in the future I may be more willing to fully consider the idea of starting a family but for now though I am quite content on handing the child back to their parents and heading back to my less complicated life.

Author Published on Leave a comment

Well, after a six-hour long drive I find myself on the outskirts of Liverpool, the home to the Beatles among other great musicians. The city’s surrounding areas surprised me. The first part I drove through reminded me of what I imagine is the town that society was trying to forget, the type of area that was largely populated with a variety of fast food places, take-outs and basically junk food companies. With buildings that weren’t quite derelict but looked frail or out-dated none-the-less. Yes, this was a representative of the aspects of society that no one wants to admit exists in their city. I was nervous, we were due to be spending a week here and I could only imagine what the people would be like...

As we approached the house of my client’s girlfriend— where we would be staying this week— the landscape changed. The take-away shops gave way to quaint detached and semi detached houses, many of which had well kept gardens. Birkenhead, from what I saw, was a lovely smaller city on the outskirts of Liverpool. In the quaint little area I saw what Zita—Alan’s girlfriend—had told us about her area. As we had arrived rather late in the day, we left the exploring for the next day and we weren’t to be disappointed.

*

Catching the Ferry across to Liverpool the same thought kept running through my head—Liverpool is a less busy and older version of London. With a culture as rich and extravagant the bus tour we joined went onto disclose some of Liverpool’s secrets to our hungry mind. The buildings were primarily old stone buildings with beautiful stonework and stores hidden deep inside with floor to ceiling glass windows enticing passers-by to stop in for a peek. Exploring the history of the Beatles—who had started in Liverpool— and then heading to the little café over looking the River Mersey. So, to conclude, my first impressions of Liverpool was that it was a smaller version of London which boasted more aged buildings and a history almost as wealthy and exciting as the British capitol. It was an area that perfectly supported the common statement not to judge a [place] but it’s [initial appearance].

Author Published on Leave a comment

Currently I am on my way to London where I will I be stopping for a night with my grandparents in Woking before continuing my journey tomorrow to Wales where I will be staying with my great-aunt whom I have not seen in eight years.

The total journey time for the entire trip is about twelve hours, not including the waiting time or accounting for delays. As I am used to travelling it’s fine, but I have forgotten what it’s like travelling with children. Part of the purpose of stopping in Woking is dropping my youngest brother off with his father, which means that I have the joys of travelling eight hours with him. So far, he has gotten himself totally hyper and won’t stop talking; he got bored so tried to amuse himself by laughing and giggling (for no apparent reason!) for a good five minutes and decided he wanted to play a game of scrabble on my phone. What I have learned from this:
• My brother needs to learn what a library voice is and that just because you’re not in a library doesn’t mean
you can’t use that voice (yes, he did argue this point!)
• If you offer a nine-year half of your Lindt egg (just after he has eaten your extra one) he will still says yes.
Although to his credit he did hesitate and ask if I was sure on both occasions.
• Lastly, if I were to play Scrabble with him, there’s a chance I might loose!

Once we have completed this leg of the journey we will then catch tubes (underground trains) and (overground) trains to Woking station where Shaughn will have completed his journey until we return home, and I shall pause my travels for a night. I’m aware that passing through Kings Cross is going to be havoc, but thankfully, for all my complaints of Shaughn (my youngest brother), he is mature enough to stay by me and not get lost which makes things easier! Ah well, seeing my family in Wales will make all the travelling worth it in the end.