WD/2015/01 Bio-informatics algorithms, machine learning and statistical inference for Precision Dairy

The successful PhD applicant will join the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group and Teagasc and work at the intersection of Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analysis in distributed systems and Bioinformatics. The Internet of Things enables an increasing connectivity of everyday devices and objects. These connected devices provide us with new insights into our daily life and we rely on Big Data Analysis to extract these insights. One aim of this PhD position is to develop new learning algorithms and compression techniques that may be applied to mid-range infrared spectroscopy measurements of milk to detect the presence of different components in the sample. However, these learning protocols will have to be amenable to efficient deployment on resource constrained sensing devices, in order to meet the requirements and applications of the Internet of Things, specifically, large scale farm deployments. This PhD will also combine these techniques with Big Data Analysis to enable, for example, improved use of resources and sustainability in agri-food environments and to underpin decision support systems of the future. This PhD’s work will interface with a prototype platform which is being developed in collaboration with research teams from the disciplines of sensor and biosensor development, communication protocols and bio-informatics. The overall objective of this collaboration is to increase the environmental and economic sustainability of Irish pasture based dairy farms (The project is a collaboration between Teagasc, Waterford Institute of Technology’s Telecommunication Software and Systems Group (TSSG), and commercial partner True North Mapping from Shannon, Co Clare. It has been awarded Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funding within the Future Agri-Food research theme.) The PhD student’s major responsibility will be to pursue their own doctoral studies. The student will be expected to develop their own scientific concepts and communicate the results of their research verbally and in writing to both a national and international audience.

The PhD student will be supervised by Dr Ruairí de Fréin and Dr Donagh Berry. Dr de Fréin has expertise in the design, development and evaluation of algorithms and protocols for distributed machine learning, signal processing, bio-inspired networking and compressible machine learning techniques. He has established close links with Brazilian research institutes: Federal University of Paraná and University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has more recently contributed to a successfully funded large scale project “PRECISION DAIRY” which lies at the intersection of Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data Analysis in distributed systems. The successful candidate will work as part of this team of researchers and the focus of his/her work will lie in developing compressive learning, separation and prediction techniques which can be embedded in smart sensors and devices or applied off-line to contribute to decision support systems. Dr de Fréín has a network of world-class European researchers, for example KTH Royal Institute of Technology and a history of working with industry partners from large multi-nationals, which will provide the student the opportunity to perform research abroad during the PhD and expose the successful candidate to future opportunities upon successful completion of the work. The PI has collaborations which are on-going with leading-edge companies including Amadeus,France, IBM Tivoli Ireland, EMC, Ireland and Alcatel Lucent Bell Labs, Dublin.
Dr Berry’s expertise lies in the development of genetic evaluation techniques, breeding objectives and breeding goals in Irish dairy and beef cattle industry. Dr Berry has active projects in the following areas: Genomic selection in dairy and beef cattle; Innovative and Practical Breeding Tools for Improved Dairy Products from More Robust Dairy Cattle; Developing Genetic Tools to Mitigate the Environmental Impact of Dairy Systems; Bovine Genetic Variation and Disease Susceptibility; OptiMIR: new tools for a more sustainable dairy sector; Development of integrated livestock breeding and management strategies to improve animal health, product quality and performance in European organic and ‘low input’ milk, meat and egg production – LowInputBreeds.