Turn On Your Future @ UWTSD's School of Applied Computing & Electronics

Posts tagged ‘School of Applied Computing’

Graduate Profile: Matthew Meader @ NWIS

Q. What is your Name? Matthew Rhys Meader.

Q. What University course/s did you study? BSc (Hons) Computing & Information Systems (1st Class)

Q. What is your job title and role? As a Senior Software Developer, it is my role to engage in all phases of the software development lifecycle that include the analysis, design, development and support of nationally used clinical systems used within NHS Wales. It is also my role to mentor new staff with less clinical and technical knowledge and expertise.

Q. Could you briefly describe the organisation you work for? I work for the NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS); we supply over seventy software services to users across NHS Wales and to other parts of the United Kingdom. We support doctors, nurses and other clinical professionals, helping them provide specialist care to patients in hospitals, GP practices and across the community.
My team in particular are responsible for updating, maintaining and creating new modules for the Welsh Patient Administration System (WPAS). This system records details of patient’s hospital visits, including waiting list management, medical records, inpatient treatment, outpatient appointments and emergency visits.

Q. Which skills learned at University are helpful to you in your job? The most prevalent skill I gained whilst at University was the ability to write clean code and learn new languages as and when required. Other skills I learned that were helpful include:
• Project Management.
• Software Development Methodologies (Agile etc…)
• Usability Engineering & UX Design.
• Web Design.
• JavaScript, JQuery, JSON, Web Services (REST/SOAP), CSS/LESS.
• SQL.

Q. Do you have a typical day and how would you describe it? My typical day usually starts at 0800 with me planning the day ahead by checking emails and the Team Foundation Server (TFS) to ensure that all work tasks are on schedule and prioritised correctly. We hold daily SCRUM meetings to divide workloads amongst the team and to effectively help those struggling on certain tasks. Throughout the day, the team (Including myself) work on agreed tasks, but sometimes we have to fix bugs identified by users. This usually comes through from the helpdesk, though we do have to call users to gain an insight into the bug before creating a fix. Once a fix is completed and checked into Source Control, tests are conducted against the Systems Requirements Specification (SRS) document as well as a pre-defined Test Plan that the developer creates at the start of each task. The job at times can be unpredictable and requires focus and efficiency.

Q. What aspects of your job do you enjoy most? I enjoy problem solving, especially when it takes a long time to solve and it gives me great joy when a piece of work that I have developed is released LIVE with the knowledge that it is being used in hospitals across Wales.

Q. Do you have any advice for students who would like to start a Career? If you wish to start a career straight from University, then I suggest looking for jobs half way through your third year, this will give you scope as to what is out there. Also, look out for Graduate schemes in workplaces, these will give you the experience you need and can help you progress in that organisation. Also to Quote Vincent, van Gogh:

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”

Think about this as you start each assignment and think what grade you wish to achieve at the end goal ‘Graduation’. Also, remember to ask questions.

Q. A Quote that sums up your time at the University?

“Teachers/Lecturers open doors, but you must walk through them yourself. “

I loved my time at university; it gave me perspective into my capabilities and motivated me more than I ever was in school. The lecturers were extremely helpful and I urge students to talk to them whenever they can.

For more information about Computing courses and opportunities at UWTSD please click here.

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Graduate Profile: Ross Thomas

Q. What is your Name? Ross Thomas

Q. What was your University course? BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology

Q. What is your job title and role? I am a junior developer and my role is configuring the companies scripts to match all different client needs.

Q. Could you briefly describe the organisation you work for? The organisation I work for CloudIQ is a Tech Start-up company that was created around 2012, we want our clients to make the most of their e-commerce website by re-marketing old ones and marketing new ones.

Q. Which skills learned at University are helpful to you in your job? I feel the main ones would be business awareness – this was important on adapting to a different situations you may be faced with and being aware of how it’s impacting the business and environment you are in. Another skill that I feel is of high value to me is analytical thinking, this has helped me so much when being faced with a problem or when my code isn’t working, it is having to think of different ways and think out of the box to solve it.

Q. Do you have a typical day and how would you describe it? Every day is different, but will have a similar feel to it, mostly I am writing or editing code to meet the clients needs but I could also be investigating the code and working with the team to try and fix the issues we have.

Q. What aspects of your job do you enjoy most? I enjoy working with the people I work with, but more so I enjoy learning and overcoming the different situations where I may have struggled for a while. I get a real sense of achievement when something works after trying to figure it out for ages.

Q. Do you have any advice for students who would like to start a Career? Be patient and don’t be afraid of changes, if you are unhappy with your working life change it.

Q. A Quote that sums up your time at the University? Challenging but worth it – I’d do it all again!.

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Graduates deliver Inspirational Talks @ UWTSD SOAC Swansea

Many thanks to Business Technology Graduate Dan Hawkes (BT), Web Development Graduate Jordan Crocker (Senior Web Developer) and Computer Networks Graduate Simon Downes (PhD student) for visiting the University today to talk with our students about their University and Career journey to date, sharing valuable hints and tips for academic and career success. Inspirational invaluable and greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

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Graduate Profile: Jason Price (Systems Administrator)

What is your name? My name is Jason Price.

What was your University course?
I completed two University Degrees at Swansea’s School of Applied Computing. Both my Undergraduate degree and Postgraduate Masters were in the area of Computer Networks.

What is your job title and role?
My Current role is a Systems Administrator.

Could you briefly describe the organisation you work for? 

I work for a company called Medical Connections Ltd; the company name may suggest a medical company however it is actually a software company. The company specialises in a software toolkit (API) which allow software developers with limited knowledge of DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) to cover the medical area of all types of scans ranging from ultrasound to MRI. DICOM is the standard way an image or video is created, transferred, shared, and even stored in a clinical environment. Because the standard is so vast, it makes sense for a ‘new’ DICOM developer to use a toolkit which would do all the standardisation for them, so they can concentrate on making a successful application.

Which skills learned at University are helpful to you in your job?

The University gave me the independence to break down tasks, and to troubleshoot in a manner which was thorough and precise. The University also gave me the knowledge to find and research in a critical way while also only looking for ‘relevant’ information and how to identify them quickly and efficiently so not to spend too much time on a ‘dead end’.

 Do you have a typical day and how would you describe it?

I’ll usually start my day by looking through email filtering to ensure customer emails have not been falsely stopped. I will then look at the Virtual Hosts to ensure clean operation and if any errors have been found then to action them appropriately. After checking all internal systems, I will then inspect / improve / action external services such as the website, license services, and cloud services. I will then check my “to do” tasks and complete as necessary, which can range from improving developer’s machines (upgrading hardware) to changing infrastructure and servers.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy most?

Troubleshooting: I like finding a difficult or unusual problem and trying to find a solution or even sometimes a workaround. Sometimes the problems can test your researching skills, intuitions and/or even your patience, but always satisfying to find a solution that just works.

Do you have any advice for students who would like to start a Career?

Make sure that you enjoy your chosen field of study, that’s it’s not something that you only excel at, but you actually enjoy doing. For me technology has always excited and inspired me, and I’ve always loved troubleshooting and tinkering. Using things in a manner where they were not originally designed.

I would also recommend that whatever your chosen field is don’t stop at its completion, if you can  complete your professional qualifications even at the lowest level as soon as possible this will give you an edge in the job market, but also give you a boost in confidence.

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SoAC lecturers become Senior Fellows of Higher Education Authority

Dr Stephen Hole, Associate Professor
Dr Kapilan Radhakrishnan
Dr John Rees

 

The School of Applied Computing is proud to report that the achievements of three of its lecturers have recently been recognised by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Our congratulations go to  Dr Stephen Hole Associate Professor, Dr Kapilan Radhakrishnan and Dr John Rees, who were awarded prestigious Senior Fellowships of the HEA over the summer.

The status of Senior Fellow is awarded to those professionals who reach the highest standards of teaching and supporting learning in higher education.  The award recognises excellence across a broad range of key criteria, including management, coordination, subject and pedagogic research, scholarship, academic practice, professional values, supervision, assessment and mentoring.

The HEA, globally recognised for inspiring excellent teaching as an essential driver of student success, delivers a platform for continuous professional development and aims to improve learning outcomes by constantly enhancing the quality of teaching in Higher Education.

hea

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It’s Hand-in Day for year 3’s Exhibition Boards

It’s been a busy day in the SoAC School Office as our third years call in to drop off their Exhibition Boards for marking.

But there’s far more to the Exhibition Boards than simply getting a good grade.  Producing an A1-size poster summarising their degree project also gives students the opportunity to develop presentation and marketing skills – vital in today’s workplace.

After the boards have been marked, the students will be displaying their work to the public at the School’s 2016 Degree Show at TechHub on May 26th. But as well as showcasing their boards, the poster event also gives them the chance to meet local employers who are looking for graduates with their skills.

Businesses and entrepreneurs come to the annual event to browse the ability, innovation and initiative on show.   But they don’t just look.  Impressed employers at previous years’ Degree Shows have offered graduate placements and work experience .. . so don’t miss it!

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School of Applied Computing Goes Green

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You can’t have missed noticing what a green bunch we are in the School of Applied Computing. From the  message on the 3rd-floor screen about our recycling point to the stickers reminding you to switch off lights as you leave a room, we never miss an opportunity to do our bit for the environment.

The chance came to prove it today when we were audited for the NUS Green Impact Bronze Award.  The criteria we were assessed on were :

  • Waste & Recycling
  • Energy
  • Travel
  • Procurement
  • Wellbeing, Biodiversity & Community
  • Embedding & Communication

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed participating in Green Impact this academic year.  It’s given us the chance to engage with sustainability at an everyday level, raise awareness and develop good practice within the School.

Our Team’s contribution is currently being assessed, with the results of the awards to be announced shortly.  Watch this space!

GI3

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Event: Sensor Networks – Monitoring the Environment

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Tomorrow night (Thursday 15th October) from 6:30pm onwards in the Alex reading room (refreshments at 6:30pm lecture at 7:00pm) Professor Ian Wells will be delivering a Lecture address as the incoming chair of the IET Wales South West Local Network. The talk will be on the use of Sensor Networks for Environmental monitoring including the ASTEC project that was very revolutionary for its time, as it was the worlds first underwater network that used Radio Frequency communication.

Professor Ian Wells is Professor of Digital Signal Processing and Head of the School of Applied Computing at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea. He has been a lecturer, researcher and manager for nearly 30 years. His current personal research interests include sensor networks (both terrestrial and underwater), ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT), medical signal processing, communication systems and computer networks.

Contact Name: Hugh Woodward (hwoodw2928@aol.com)
Date & Time: October 15th 2015 at 7.00pm, Refreshments from 6.30pm.
Venue: Alex Reading Room, Institute of Sustainable Design, UWTSD, Alexander Road, Swansea, SA1 5DX
Registration: Members of the public are warmly welcomed to this free event – registration is not essential but would be helpful: http://www.theiet.org/events/local/225957.cfm?nxtId=224579.

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START-UP Weekend Swansea is Coming :-)

START-UP Weekend Swansea is Coming ;-). Below, SUW co-ordinator and Company Director Adam Curtis talks to UWTSD Computing students about the up-coming event:
Adam-Curtis2

For more information please click-here.

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Computing at Schools Conference – 7th October 2015

A CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF THE ICT CURRICULUM IN WALES

cas

The School of Applied Computing at the University of Wales Trinity St David is hosting a half-day ‘Computing at Schools‘ Conference on the 7th October 2015 from 1pm to 5pm.

The Conference will be taking a look at recent changes in ICT affecting the curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 4, and in particular at the New Computing Progression Pathways. We’ll be hearing talks from:

  • CAS – Computing at Schools – Wales;
  • CISCO Networking Academy;
  • Birmingham City University representatives; and
  • An IT skills and career-building program for learning institutions and individuals worldwide.

Location: Cadogan Conference Room, Mount Pleasant Campus.
Time: Wednesday 7th October 2015, 1pm to  5pm.
Fee: Free of charge.
Facilities: Refreshments will be available. Limited number of free NCP car park spaces are available.

To register for this event please click-here: http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/applied-computing-visit-days/. If you need any further details, please contact kapilan.radhakrishnan@uwtsd.ac.uk or telephone 01792 481192acuwtsd

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