Nick Jennings (computer scientist) explained

Nick Jennings
Office:Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University
Term Start:October 2021
Predecessor:Robert Allison
Birth Name:Nicholas Robert Jennings
Birth Place:London, England
Salary:£350,723 (2022–23)[1]
Education:Weymouth Grammar School
Module:
Embed:yes
Workplaces: Loughborough University
Thesis Title:Joint Intentions as a Model of Multi-Agent Cooperation
Thesis Url:https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/256596/
Thesis Year:1992
Doctoral Advisor:Abe Mamdani
Spouse:Joanne Jennings

Nicholas Robert Jennings is a British computer scientist who was appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University in 2021.[2] He was previously the Vice-Provost for Research and Enterprise at Imperial College London, the UK's first Regius Professor of Computer Science, and the inaugural Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government on National Security.[3] His research covers the areas of AI, autonomous systems, agent-based computing and cybersecurity.

He has been involved in a number of company startups including Aerogility,[4] Contact Engine,[5] Crossword Cyber Security,[6] Darktrace,[7] and Reliance Cyber Science.[8] He is the chair of the judges for the Manchester Prize for AI,[9] and a judge of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.[10]

Education and early life

Jennings was born in London.[11] He grew up on the Isle of Portland in Dorset and attended Weymouth Grammar School. He studied for an undergraduate degree in computer science at the University of Exeter and his PhD was from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Queen Mary, University of London.[12]

Research and career

His research focus is on developing AI systems for large-scale, open and dynamic environments. In particular, on endowing individual autonomous agents with the ability to act and interact in flexible ways, and with building systems that contain both humans and software agents that work together in partnership.

His systems have been used to save lives in the aftermath of disasters, to win Olympic medals for Team GB, and to monitor the impact of climate change on glaciers.[13]

In undertaking this research, he has attracted grant income of £33M, published more than 700 articles (with over 480 co-authors) and graduated over 50 PhD students (including two winners and one runner-up of the British Computer Society (BCS)/CPHC Distinguished Dissertation Award.[14]) He has over 95,000 citations in Google Scholar and an h-index of 134.[15]

From 1988 he was at Queen Mary, University of London, where he was a PhD student, lecturer, reader and professor.

In 1999, he moved to the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton where he was the Deputy Head of Department, the Associate Dean (Research and Enterprise) for the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Maths, the Head of the Agents, Interaction and Complexity group and the Head of Department. He was appointed the UK's first Regius Professor of Computer Science in 2014.

From 2010 to 2015, he was the UK Government's first Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security.[16]

In 2016, he moved to Imperial College to be the Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise),[17] as well as a Professor of Artificial Intelligence.

In 2021, he was appointed as the 9th Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University.[18]

Awards

Jennings was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to computer science and national security science.

Fellowships

Personal life

Jennings is married to Jo and they have two children.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Financial Statements for the Year to 31 July 2023 . 8 December 2023 . Loughborough University .
  2. News: Professor Nick Jennings, Loughborough University. 2021-10-05. www.lboro.ac.uk. en.
  3. Web site: Chief Scientific Advisers. Bis.gov.uk. 13 November 2018.
  4. Web site: Aerogility | the future of decision making. Arogility.com. 13 November 2018.
  5. Web site: ContactEngine - Perfect Customer Journeys. ContactEngine.com. 13 November 2018.
  6. Web site: Crossword Cybersecurity. Crosswordcybersecurity.com. 13 November 2018.
  7. Web site: Advisory Board . Darktrace
  8. Web site: Reliance acsn - IT Security Experts. Relianceacsn.co.uk.
  9. Web site: Frequently asked questions . 2024-01-02 . Manchester Prize . en-US.
  10. Web site: Judges . 2024-01-02 . Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering . en.
  11. Web site: Jennings, Prof. Nicholas Robert, (born 15 Dec. 1966), Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London, since 2016. 2020-08-18. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. en. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u286414. 978-0-19-954088-4.
  12. PhD . Nicholas. Jennings . Joint intentions as a model of multi-agent cooperation in complex dynamic environments . Queen Mary, University of London . 1992 . soton.ac.uk. . 940336317. Nick Jennings (computer scientist).
  13. Web site: Nicholas Jennings . 2024-01-04 . royalsociety.org.
  14. Web site: Distinguished Dissertations - Awards and competitions - Events - BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT. Bcs.org. 14 November 2018.
  15. Web site: Nick Jennings . 2024-01-03 . scholar.google.co.uk.
  16. Web site: Professor Nick Jennings. 2020-08-18. GOV.UK. en.
  17. Web site: 2016-06-13 . Getting to know Professor Nick Jennings, Imperial's Vice-Provost for Research Imperial News Imperial College London . 2024-01-03 . Imperial News . en.
  18. Web site: 2021-05-11 . Professor Nick Jennings announced as Loughborough University's next Vice-Chancellor . 2024-01-03 . Loughborough University . en.
  19. Web site: AA Award . Sigai.acm.org. 14 November 2018.
  20. Web site: IFAAMAS: Awards: Influential Paper. 2020-08-19. www.ifaamas.org.
  21. Web site: Researchers attempt (and win!) an 'impossible challenge' Agents, Interaction and Complexity Research Group University of Southampton. 2020-08-19. www.aic.ecs.soton.ac.uk.
  22. Web site: Excell. Jon. 2016-09-08. Collaborate to Innovate winners announced. 2020-08-19. The Engineer. en-US.
  23. Web site: IFAAMAS: Awards: Influential Paper. 2020-08-19. www.ifaamas.org.
  24. Web site: Jennings, Prof. Nicholas Robert, (born 15 Dec. 1966), Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London, since 2016. 2020-08-18. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. en. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u286414. 978-0-19-954088-4.
  25. Web site: Jennings, Prof. Nicholas Robert, (born 15 Dec. 1966), Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London, since 2016. 2020-08-18. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. en. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u286414. 978-0-19-954088-4.
  26. Web site: Fellows. 2020-08-19. AISB - The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour. en-GB.
  27. Web site: Jennings, Prof. Nicholas Robert, (born 15 Dec. 1966), Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London, since 2016. 2020-08-18. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. en. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u286414. 978-0-19-954088-4.
  28. Web site: IEEE Fellows Directory - Member Profile. 2020-08-19. IEEE.
  29. Web site: Elected AAAI Fellows. 2020-08-19. www.aaai.org.
  30. Web site: DFKI Fellows. 2020-08-19. www.dfki.de. en-EN.
  31. Web site: Home . cybsoc.org.
  32. Web site: Nicholas Jennings . 2022-05-11 . The Royal Society.

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