Projects
Junction Jam
February 2017 – Present
“Jam at the junction – can you beat the queues and get the cars past the traffic lights faster than everyone else? Interactive traffic simulation for all ages.”
An open source gamified traffic light control game for engagement events with potential for crowd sourcing data. See the project page on GitHub.
Google Maps API Data Scraper
January 2018 – July 2018
I created a Python Script to scrape traffic timing information along specified routes using the Google Maps Distance Matrix API. The travel times were investigated as a potential source of data for creating transport network travel demand models and signal timing plans.
Doify Gamification Website
September 2014 – December 2014
The 3 team members John O’Donnell, Jonathan Gorman and I designed and built a website as our final year software engineering project. Our website, Doify, allowed users (players) to apply gamification principles to everyday activities and tasks from every walk of their lives; be it a local cycling club, a social group in college, or even their own family. Users can create a game, add tasks, allocate points to these tasks, invite other players, and compare their performance against one another. The use of game-thinking and game-mechanics, introduced through a customizable points distribution system and the competitive elements, ultimately leads to an increase in productivity when completing game specific tasks. Users also have the ability to join public games centred on activities that are of interest to them. Players can also gain access to each of their games, as well as statistics and graphics outlining their performance, via their player specific profile.
For the purposes of ensuring generality, the users of this web application are grouped into one of 5 broad categories, namely: Recreational, Social, Family, Professional, or Personal. This ensures that Doify can be designed in such a way that it can be tailored to each of these categories.
The work was split over 3 key areas:
Front-end (HTML & Bootstrap): Jonathan Gorman
Back-end (PHP): John O’Donnell
Database & Querying (MySQL): Craig Rafter
Skills
UK Driving Licence – Class B: Cars (Manual + Auto)
Issuing authority: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
Issued: May 2019 – No Expiration Date
Certified Software & Data Carpentry Instructor
Issuing authority: Software Carpentry Foundation
Issued: Feb 2018 – No Expiration Date
Courses
- Archer – MPI Course
- Archer – OpenMP Course
- Boeing – Project Planning & Management
- GPU Programming with CUDA
- Codecademy – HTML & CSS Track
- Codecademy – JavaScript Track
- Codecademy – Python Track
- Codecademy – jQuery Track
- Data Analysis with Pandas
- NGCM Summer Academy: scikit-learn
- Alexander Technique – Introduction to Movement and Posture
- European Association for Research in Transportation (hEART) Summer School 2016
- European Computer Driving License (ECDL) Certificate
- IMPART: Microsimulation for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Workshop
- Krav Maga Ireland – 12 week course
- Learning How to Learn – University of California, San Diego [Coursera]
- NGCM Summer Academy: scikit-learn
Awards and Honors
Best Poster
Transportation Research Group
Won the best poster award at the Transportation Research Group’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Best New Activity – Southampton Science and Engineering Festival 2017
Southampton University Engagement Team
The CDT in NGCM was awarded the presented with the ‘Best New Activity’ award at the University of Southampton Science and Engineering Day awards ceremony, with my Junction Jam project (https://github.com/ngcm/JunctionJam) receiving special mention.
Transportation Research Catapult Hackathon Finalist 2017
Transportation Research Catapult
As part of a team in the 2017 Transportation Research Catapult Intelligent Mobility Hackathon, we developed a concept for a robot that uses Simultaneous Localization and Mapping to detect and report vacant parking spaces during a 24 hour challenge. We presented our idea in front of a panel of industry experts at the end of the challenge and progressed to the final. A final presentation was given in front of a panel of judges and live audience at the Transportation Museum in London where we placed 3rd overall.
Most Improved Player of the Year 2014
Corinthian Hockey Club
I was awarded the most improved player of the year trophy for my commitment to improving my game throughout the season.
Leinster Hockey Galtrim Cup Winner 2014
Leinster Hockey Association
Victory in the Leinster Hockey Association Galtrim Cup as part of the Corinthian Hockey Clubs’ Galtrim Cup team.
Leinster Hockey Minor Cup Winner 2013
Leinster Hockey Association
Victory in the Leinster Hockey Association Minor Cup as part of the Corinthian Hockey club men’s IV squad.
Walton School Prize for Physics 2009
Wesley College Dublin
Prize awarded for excellence in physics writing for the essay entitled “The Large Hadron Collider: What Has Particle Physics Ever Done For Us?”.
An Gaisce (Presidents Award) – Bronze 2008
Irene Codd – Presidents Award Leader, Wesley College Dublin
Undertook the challenges of the bronze president award, this involved 25 weeks of a new skill, volunteering and physical activity as well as an 7 day adventure. Skill: Campanology, Volunteering: assistance to Taney Parish Church, Physical Activity: Hockey, Adventure: Week spent at Killary Harbour adventure center. (Similar to UK Duke of Edinburgh Award)
Volunteering
Public Engagement, University of Southampton
March 2017 – June 2019
I designed and coded a traffic control game for public engagement events run by the Southampton University Public Engagement team. This allows me to disseminate my research to the general public and engage with the next generation of young scientists. My game ‘Junction Jam’ (see the project entry) has been exhibited at:
– Transportation Research Group MSc 50th Anniversary Celebration (2019)
– Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (2019)
– NGCM Summer Academy (2017)
– Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (2017)
– Southampton Road Show @ Thomas Hardye School (2017)
– NGCM Summer Academy, Southampton University (2017)
Habitat for Humanity Ireland
November 2007 – April 2008
I helped fundraise €32’000 as part of a team of 22 to go to Beius, Romania for 10 days to build a house for an underprivileged Romanian family.
Taney Parish Care Group
January 2007 – September 2011
The Taney Parish Care Group organises quarterly meetings for the elderly members of the parish, this gives them an opportunity to meet and converse in a safe environment that is outside their home or nursing home environment. My role was to set up the hall with tables and chairs, help serve refreshments and clear up afterwards.
Craig Rafter 