Meet our new academic staff from the Department of Informatics

We spoke to Letizia Gionfrida, Georgia Panagiotidou, Luis Carlos Garcia Peraza Herrera and Lin Gui from the Department of Informatics about their research, the figures that inspire them, and what attracted them to the field.

Dr Letizia Gionfrida is a Lecturer in Computer Vision. Letizia's research interests lie in the motion of objects, the dynamics of human movement and computer vision in assistive robotics. 

What first attracted you to the field of informatics?

What initially captivated me about the field of informatics was its distinctive ability to merge mathematical and engineering principles, enabling the comprehension and interpretation of human conditions. This capacity allows me to translate more theoretical computer science and computer engineering concepts into a profound understanding of the needs of individuals with mobility impairments, ultimately leading to advancements in medical assistance and interventions.

Is there a scientist in history, or today, who is your biggest inspiration/role model? And why?

As a black scientist, I draw inspiration from the remarkable Katherine Johnson, an extraordinary black mathematician who played a pivotal role in early applications of digital electronic computers. Toni Morrison, Nobel laureate and American novelist, and Bernardine Evaristo, award-winning British author and academic, are a great source of inspiration for me. Their ability to craft stories that resonate deeply with my experience is something I greatly admire.

Tell us about something you are working on at the moment - what is exciting about it?

At King's College London, I have the privilege of leading the Vision in Human Robotics Lab. Our research is centred around the pivotal role that vision-based sensing plays in motor control. What excites me most about our work at the VHR Lab is the fusion of diverse fields, including computer vision, biomechanics, and wearable robotic systems. Our primary approach is applied, but we also value the crucial roles that theoretical, experimental and simulation research play. My personal passion lies in harnessing the power of computer vision to detect people's intent. I'm deeply enthusiastic about the potential to enhance diagnostic, rehabilitation, and assistive devices for individuals with mobility impairments through our research.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying informatics?

To aspiring informatics enthusiasts, I would advise fostering a strong curiosity about the world around them. Informatics is a field that thrives on the exploration of data and the generation of insights. Additionally, collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking are key in this rapidly evolving domain. Embrace challenges as learning opportunities, and never underestimate the impact you can have on society through informatics.

Aside from informatics, what do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I love spending quality moments with my husband (Iosepho) and son (Adrian). Family is at the heart of my life, and their support fuels my passion for my work. I also have a deep love for music, which I express through making, dancing, and listening. Traveling is another passion of mine, as it allows me to explore diverse cultures and gain new perspectives.

Dr Georgia Panagiotidou is a Lecturer in Visualisation. Georgia's research interests lie in data visualisation, physicalisation and human-computer interaction. 

What first attracted you to the field of informatics?

As a child I used to pull things apart to see how they worked and tried to put them back together again. I was also good at mathematics, so informatics seemed like a good choice! What I found out quite soon is that there is a misconception that informatics does not require an understanding of people. Quite the contrary. The most interesting things in the field (in my biased opinion) are now happening at the intersections of humans and computers. That is why I chose to specialise in human-computer interaction.

Is there a scientist in history, or today, who is your biggest inspiration/role model? And why?

There is a series of computer and social scientists and thinkers which I admire and whose books have greatly shaped my approach to technology. These among others include Catherine D'Ignazio, Lauren Klein, Caroline Criado Perez, Leah Thomas, Kate Crawford. I think my main inspiration though comes from my everyday colleagues and mentors.

Tell us about something you are working on at the moment - what is exciting about it?

I am currently working on a research project that revolves around the field of sustainable human-computer interaction and data visualisation. For this project we are collaborating with communities based in London to co-design clear visual representations of their energy data to help people make sense of their own relationship with energy. An interesting twist in this particular project is that we are actually speculating future scenarios in which groups of neighbours are co-owning energy infrastructure (e.g., solar panels) and forming so-called 'energy communities'.

This project is particularly exciting because we get to imagine and design for future, more sustainable, living scenarios. I also personally find it rewarding to work with communities to understand their expectations from technologies and give them agency in the design.

Dr Luis Carlos Garcia Peraza Herrera is a Lecturer in Computer Vision. His research interests lie in machine learning with an application in healthcare and visual understanding with limited supervision.

What first attracted you to the field of informatics?

What first drew me to the field of informatics was its potential to transform data into knowledge and drive innovation across various domains, particularly in healthcare.

Is there a scientist in history, or today, who is your biggest inspiration/role model? And why?

One scientist who greatly inspires me is Yann LeCun. His pioneering work in the field of deep learning and convolutional neural networks, a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that learns directly from data and is often used in image classification, has had a profound impact on the development of AI and computer vision.

Tell us about something you are working on at the moment - what is exciting about it?

At present, I am engaged in a project centred on the utilisation of deep learning techniques in the analysis of surgical videos. The overarching objective is to develop deep learning models capable of comprehending surgical procedures, thereby enabling the automation of certain surgical tasks using robotic systems. This field is exceptionally dynamic and holds great promise to improve the lot of patients.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying informatics?

To those considering studying informatics, I would advise them to embrace the multidisciplinary nature of the field. It offers opportunities to work at the intersection of technology, data, and science, leading to diverse and rewarding career paths.

Aside from informatics, what do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I do CrossFit and dance Bachata.

Dr Lin Gui is a Lecturer in Natural Language Processing. His research interests lie in Model Interpretation, Topic Modelling and Transfer Learning.

What first attracted you to the field of informatics?

Informatics can have a significant impact on society by improving healthcare, optimising business operations, and enhancing communication. Many individuals are drawn to informatics because they want to make a positive contribution to the world. My initial fascination with informatics dates back to nearly two decades ago when I visited a wind farm in my hometown, a small city in Xinjiang, located in western China. I vividly recall the moment when I saw the wind turbines standing tall in the fields, and a local engineer explained to us how these impressive machines were equipped with a sensor capable of detecting wind direction and speed. These turbines then use "algorithms" to adjust the angles of their fan blades, optimising power generation efficiency and safety. This was my first introduction to the concept of "machine learning".

Tell us about something you are working on at the moment - what is exciting about it?

My current project focusses on language understanding, specifically a task called narrative understanding. Essentially, we aim to enable AI to comprehend a story from its textual content and provide coherent responses to various questions related to the narrative. Imagine a scenario where, after a mother tells her daughter the story of Frozen, the child then asks, "What happens to Olaf if summer arrives?" In this research, our goal is to generate a sequel to the story and engage in interactive storytelling with children. We can even create an immersive world where characters that originate from the input fiction or original piece of text, can extend beyond the confines of the original story.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying informatics?

I'd like to give two main pieces of advice:

Firstly, focus on building a strong foundation in Mathematics and Programming. Informatics often involves mathematical concepts and computer programming. Having a solid foundation in mathematics, computer science fundamentals, and programming skills will be extremely beneficial.

Secondly, get all the hands-on experience you can. Practical experience is invaluable. Look for opportunities to work on real projects, internships, or research assignments. This not only builds your skills but also makes you more attractive to potential employers in your career path.

Aside from informatics, what do you do in your spare time?

Reading history books and watching documentaries. I have a genuine passion for the history of the Mongolian Empire, and I'm particularly intrigued by how languages in Central Asia were influenced during that era. Additionally, since arriving in the UK, I've taken up gardening as another hobby. I must admit that I'm still a rookie in this, as most of my plants struggle to survive beyond a year. I hope that my colleagues with extensive gardening experience might come and offer some valuable insights and advice after reading this interview!