91Ó°ÊÓ

Professor Mario Gongora received his MSc and PhD from the University of Warwick (UK). He is currently  Professor in Applied Intelligent Systems at the School of Computer Science and Informatics, De 91Ó°ÊÓ University (91Ó°ÊÓ), he is the Faculty Enterprise Lead and a senior member of the Research and Innovation Institute of Digital Research, Communications and Responsible Innovation at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media.

 

He is currently focusing in the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques into the fields of Data Analysis of large and complex datasets and modelling Natural Phenomena, including identification, simulation and optimisation.

Prof. Gongora has extensive experience in the analysis and modelling of natural inspired systems and behaviours using computational tools. His experience involves the use of evolutionary computing and machine learning techniques to identify systems from large/incomplete datasets, modelling and emergence of complex behaviour in artificial systems and environments; and use of the models to simulate, predict or optimise the performance of systems in an on-going automated learning cycle.

He runs a spinout company to commercialise applications of his research into robust behaviour simulation and optimisation systems for customers in large Venues and complex processes. This enterprise has additionally benefited from Prof. Gongora’s close contacts with industrial partners.

Prof. Gongora works in close contact with external partners, taking the expertise from the University to Industry and Society. 

Dr Gongora leads the Research in Societal Enhacement (RiSE) team.

Senior member of the Research and Innovation Institute of Digital Research, Communications and Responsible Innovation, and mentor to the Innovation of Artificial Intelligence (IAI) cluster.

• Computational Intelligence: Hybrid Optimisation Systems, Evolutionary Computing.
• Intelligent Data Analytics for large, complex, disparate and incomplete data sets.
• Applications of Computational Intelligence and Edge systems to the analysis of Complex or unstructured Processes and Natural systems.

Artificial Intelligence

Robotics

Embedded programming

BSc, MSc, PhD 

Award conferred "International Leaders Making an Impact in Security" in the "International Leaders in Security" category, at the 5th Edition of COLADCA International awards ceremony - 11th Dec 2021

Award conferred "International Project that Leaves a Footprint in Security" as Project Lead of "Artificial Intelligence for analysing Stop and Search and other police activities" in the "Protection of Human Rights and Individual Freedoms" category,  at the 5th Edition of COLADCA International awards ceremony - 11th Dec 2021

Nominated as finalist for the ATC Global Excellence Awards ‘Industry Partnership of the Year’ category (Northrop Grumman Airport Systems, VenueSim and East Midlands Airport), March 2013. Finalists list:
•    US Airways, ACSS, FAA and EUROCONTROL partnership for NextGen/ADS-B avionics
•    AMP Corporation, DCA Low Cost Aircraft terminal (LCAT) KLIA Package A (Systems)
•    Guntermann & Drunck GmbH & EUROCONTROL - Mission-critical applications in Air Traffic Control
•    Honeywell - ITP
•    Middle East Airlines and Air Arabia - ATS and Technical Affairs
•    Northrop Grumman - Northrop Grumman Airport Systems, VenueSim and East Midlands Airport

Winner of the 8th British Computer Society prize for progress toward machine intelligence. SGAI 2009, Peterhouse College, Cambridge, UK. Project: Novel use of sound to guide an autonomous helicopter.

Member by invitation of the Digital Revolution Challenge Group at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), as independent academic advisor in AI policy.

Invited as observer and contributor to the ACI World Smart Sec Management Group since Jun 2021.

Advisor for Artificial Intelligence to COLADCA, the International community of Risk Management and Security Industries and experts, with over 15 member countries and over 3000 individual members and international companies. Appointed 1st Feb 2019 to date.

Member by invitation of the Expert Group to support the Smart Security Programme from IATA / ACI (International Air Transport Association & Airports Council International) from 2012 to date, continuous contribution to the Blueprints and Guidelines that are distributed to all airlines and airports in the world.

• Using augmented intelligence platforms in agriculture, to help identify crops that are under strain due to climate or require intervention with fertiliser or pesticides; and analyse risk to manage financing and insurance issues

• Artificial Intelligence for analysing Stop and Search and other police activities

• Improving the sustainability of oil palm crops through ML and computer vision for classification of fruit in terms of quality and ripeness

• Artificial intelligence to support the improvement of pupil attendance and engagement at schools

• Sensor fusion using intelligent agents to enhance the effectiveness of artisan land mine detection

Recent consultancy: Applying Artificial Intelligence to support the East Midlands Chamber in their Local Skills Improve Plan (LSIP) project.

Consultancy fields: Intelligent Data Mining, Automation and Robotics (including telemetry and instrumentation), Computational Intelligence applications (e.g. optimisation, system identification, modelling and simulation)

Past consultancy/commercial projects include GSH (telemetry and automation for intelligent buildings), Rolls Royce (automation and instrumentation), Venuesim (intelligent data mining, modelling and simulation), among others.

Currently supervising 5 research (PhD) students. 

KTP (joint inter-faculty) East Midlands Chamber of Commerce and De 91Ó°ÊÓ University,  to create a Business Research & Intelligence Unit for the East Midlands region. Granted Oct 2020, April 2021 for March 2023. Highly praised and awarded KTP.

Awarded 2 Dishtiguished Internationa Associates (DIA): Prof. Alejandro Pena, Universidad EAFIT, Medellin, Colombia (2023-24), and  Dr, Isis Bonet, Universidad EIA, Medellin, Colombia (2022-23)

Royal Academy of Engineering – Newton Fund, International collaboration grant (IAPP) for an “Intelligent system to improve the sustainability of oil palm crops through the construction of forecasting maps integrating adaptive vegetation indices from multispectral aerial views”, Mar 2018 – Mar 2020.

Venuesim (spinout company created with seed/investment funding from Lachesis), commercialising research outcomes of intelligent data mining, modelling and simulation. Jan 2008 – current.

Intelligent GUI systems, KTP (TSB) funding to develop highly effective and intelligent GUI frameworks to present information from complex systems, in collaboration with Northrop Grumman. June 2012 – May 2014.

Has had funding from various sources (PhD scholarships from EPSRC DTA, QRF, RIF, HEIF)

US Patent number 6,339,720 “Early warning apparatus for acute Myocardial Infarction in the first six hours of pain”, US government.

US Patent number 5,545,971 “AC voltage regulator”, US Government.

Spinout company Venusim resulting from Dr. Gongora’s research in intelligent data mining.

Article in Airport-technology.com which is the only site focused on bringing the latest news about airport projects, trends, products and services for the global airport industry:

Invited by IATA (International Air Transport Association) to be a member in their expert group for the Checkpoint of the future, an international initiative to drive forward and contribute to aviation security science; by bringing together governments, industry and academic experts from across the world.

 

REF 2020 UoA 11: Support for Operations and Security for the Global Air Transport Industry (Modelling, Forecasting and Optimisation)

This ICS present how it has enhanced the security screening process of millions of passengers travelling daily through nearly 1,200 international airports. This was achieved through the contributions of Dr Mario Gongora as international adviser, where he disseminated the relevant research outcomes supporting security; leading to an active contribution in the development of the Smart Security programme guidelines disseminated across all airports around the world by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI) and steering the industry to develop suitable solutions