Bridging Academia, Industry and Government: Naimuri's Data Scientists Share Insights

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In October, the Department of Physics had the pleasure of hosting Dr James Ramsden and Dr Zac Baker, senior data scientists from Naimuri, as part of the LIV.INNO Data Forum series. This series is designed to introduce the PhD students of the doctoral program to individuals who have transitioned from academia to industry or work in fields that students may wish to pursue. 

Naimuri is a subsidiary of QinetiQ, specialising in delivering data and technology solutions for clients in government and law enforcement. Located at MediaCity in Manchester, Naimuri employs nearly 200 professionals in data science, software development, cloud computing, and business management. They focus on providing research as a service and employing rapid prototyping to secure contracts. 

During the visit, Dr Ramsden and Dr Baker shared their backgrounds in Physics, including Dr Ramsden's PhD in quantum mechanics from York and Dr Baker's master's in radio astronomy from Manchester. Dr Baker also explained how Naimuri has grown from a 20-person organisation just two years ago to its current size. 

In addition to their core activities, Naimuri facilitates engagement between academics and government agencies to ensure that UK policy and decision-makers have access to the latest techniques and resources developed in academia. They primarily aim to strengthen connections between government and universities in the North West, challenging the dominance of the 'golden triangle' cluster of universities in the south of England. 

Naimuri's academic network encompasses more than 200 researchers across 90 disciplines and 20 institutions. Led by Dr Baker, Naimuri hosts regular Tech, Academia, and Government (TAG) events where academics propose solutions to challenges set by government departments, particularly in data management and natural language processing. These events often lead to participating academics being hired as consultants for government projects. 

PhD students and other staff in attendance were eager to learn about the opportunities within Naimuri's network. They also found the information about Naimuri's ongoing projects, such as Uncertainty Quantification for Neural Networks and the use of Large Language Models in converting text to tabulated data, quite engaging. 

Following the talk, there was extensive technical discussion about the optimal design of neural networks and the importance of ethics in designing intelligent systems for the public domain. 

If you are interested in attending or delivering a Data Science Forum, please contact Business Development Manager Constantinos Astreos c.astreos@liverpool.ac.uk  or Data Science Fellow Dr Alex Hill at a.d.hill@liverpool.ac.uk