CHRIS TOMLINSON - Steering Group Chairman

Director Data Science Foundation
Chartered Marketer, MA, MCIM, MIPR, FIDM

Chris has over 15 years of digital marketing and communications experience and has worked on many large accounts including; Manchester Airport, Open University and Greater Manchester Police. He is now the marketing director of Peppersack a digital marketing and communications agency specialising in content and inbound marketing. Chris has a keen interest in the application and implementation of data science techniques.

TIM ROYSTON-WEBB

Chief Executive Officer Pivotal iQ
MBA

Tim has helped guide several business intelligence organizations with senior leadership roles within Gideon Gartner's GIGA and Forrester Research Group. He has also globally led the technology businesses of Computerwire, Butler, Datamonitor, Ovum, Kable Research and latterly Pivotal iQ a company he founded. Bringing a comprehensive and independent point of view, Tim has over 20 years’ experience in the intelligence industry and is seen as a thought leader on using Data Science to transform an organization’s sales and marketing processes. As CEO of Pivotal iQ he established himself as a global thought leader in ICT sourcing. Following the sale of Pivotal iQ to HG Insights Tim in his role as eVP Strategy is currently engaged on many data science initiatives with some of the world’s leading technology brands. Tim earned his MBA in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cumbria.

DR MO SARAEE

Reader in Data Science, Data Science MSc Course Leader

PhD

A Reader in Data Science at the School of Computing, Science and Engineering in the University of Salford. Dr Saraee holds a PhD from the University of Manchester in Computer Science. He developed and is currently leading an MSc in Data Science programme at the University of Salford which has become the most successful course at the university in terms of attracting new students and in industry engagement. The course offers a real-world approach to learning with a flexible, industry-informed and research-based curriculum co-created by the University and industry. His research and teaching have a strong focus on Data Science, in particular areas of expertise such as: Data /Text Mining and Statistical Analysis (Opinion Minin & Sentiment Analysis), Big Data Management and Architecture, ML / Cognitive Computing Development, Market-Related Data Analytics and Sector-Specific Data Analytics (Medical, Finance, Energy and Social Enterprise, etc.). Dr Saraee has been the principal or co-investigator of a number of Data Science projects which have generated in excess of £500k in research income from Research Councils, UK Government agencies and industry. He academic achievements are supported with over 140 papers published in high tier journals and at international conferences. In addition he supports other academic institutions by acting as an external examiner for a number of other institutions including Manchester Business School, Sheffield Hallam University and Middlesex University.

CHARITH SILVA

Data Scientist & University Academic (visiting)

PhD Candidate Data Science, MSc

A Data Scientist at Electricity Distribution Network Operator, Manchester, UK and a university academic (visiting) at the university of Salford. Charith Silva is a senior database administrator who was graduated with a BSc degree from University College Dublin, Ireland and then with a MSc degree from Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. His career was started in 1998, primarily into Web application development and later diversified into database development, database administration and Data Science. He has vast experience in SQL Server Database Development, Business Intelligence Development, Database Administration and Data Science. He is a final year PhD student at the University of Salford and his research interests focus on Data Science, Geospatial Big Data, Data Mining, Text Mining, Sentimental Analysis, and Machine Learning.

DR DIANA L. ASCHER

Director of Information Studies Research Lab UCLA, Partner Stratelligence, Co-founder of the Information Ethics & Equality Institute (IEEI)

PhD

Dr. Diana L. Ascher works at the intersection of information practice and policy. She is the director of the Information Studies Research Lab at UCLA and a leading authority on the ethical management of data and information. Dr. Ascher is a partner in Stratelligence, a firm that specializes in research on information and data science challenges and is a co-founder of the Information Ethics & Equity Institute (IEEI), which provides accredited continuing education and training for organizations committed to transforming their information management practices toward more just and equitable outcomes.

Previously, Dr. Ascher gained expertise in data and knowledge management, custom publishing technologies, and financial communication and literacy at American Funds and Bloomberg, and as the manager of distance learning at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Early in her career, she wrote for the Durham Herald - Sun, the Charlotte News & Observer, and WTVD News.

Dr. Ascher earned a Ph.D. in information studies at UCLA. She earned an M.B.A. from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and a B.A. in Public Policy with concentrations in journalism and international policy from Duke University as a recipient of the Benjamin N. Duke Leadership Scholarship