Also available in PDF and MS Word formats.
Profile
A web professional known as a creator and promoter of web standards in two separate areas: mobile and semantics. I teach mobile web creation techniques on behalf of W3C alongside work in sentiment analysis and the promotion of the Semantic Web as a technology to improve online trust and content discovery. Excellent knowledge of Web standards as well as different approaches to issues surrounding media rating. Well connected to a wide variety of online industry players. Hard working, experienced, loyal, innovative.
Unusual History
Early careers include radio presentation, advertising copy writing and voice work, countryside conservation and teaching.
The common theme throughout is an ability to communicate sometimes complex issues with clarity, both verbally and in writing.
General Areas of Expertise
- Web standards and their creation.
- Semantic Web (a.k.a. 'web of data' or 'linked data')
- Education
- Online Safety & Trust
- Metadata
- Rating Systems (movies, games, trustmarks etc.)
- The Regulatory Framework for the Internet Around the World
- Effective Use of the English Language
Skills
- Range of Web Technologies (XHTML, CSS, RDF etc.).
- Scripting languages: Perl, JavaScript (history suggests I'd be pretty good at picking up others!).
- Public Speaking.
- Writing, Editing and Proof Reading.
- Voice Over, Audio & Video Production.
- Known internationally in the fields of the mobile & semantic web, online safety and broader Web standards.
Career History
Training Programme Lead, W3C Mobile Web Initiative
February 2009 - present (part time)
I deliver online training on behalf of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): the industry standards body lead by Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee. My current focus is on the mobile web - helping those with experience of desktop website design apply their skills to mobile (see http://www.w3.org/Mobile/training/). It is likely that further courses will be developed both in mobile and other areas. I joined W3C as a team member after many years of association through my previous role at FOSI under whose aegis I have been a member of the Mobile Web Best Practices Working Group from its inception in June 2005 and chair of the POWDER WG (see below).
Achievements
- Completion and delivery of two successful instances of the Introduction to W3C Mobile Web Best Practice Course.
- Representing W3C at events like the WWW 2009 conference in Madrid and Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 2010.
Project Manager, i-sieve Technologies
November 2008 - present (part time)
i-sieve Technologies offers state-of-the-art solutions to an old problem: measuring public sentiment about given topics. Clients in Athens and London are primarily advertising agencies for which we measure the impact of advertising campaigns by identifying and classifying comments made in blogs, microblogs (Twitter), forums and commercial media. My role is to develop new business opportunities in Britain and to lead the company's interest in European Union-funded projects. It is through this role that I have been able to maintain and complete the work developing the Protocol for Web Description Resources (POWDER) standards and participate wider in the Semantic Web/Linked Data world which I began in my previous job.
Achievements
- Completion of the W3C Protocol for Web Description Resources (POWDER) standards.
- Completion of the EU-funded Quatro Plus project.
- Development of new projects that use i-sieve's Sentiment Analysis technology.
CTO ICRA/FOSI
April 2000 to November 2008
The Family Online Safety Institute is a membership-driven, non-profit organisation. Its membership is drawn from the online industry serving companies such as BT, Microsoft, Google, AT&T, Bluecoat, Verizon, Telefónica/O2 and more. I am used to dealing with such companies at a high level and know many of the people who represent them in the online safety and public policy arena. The organisation grew out of the ICRA labelling system designed in the mid 1990s to aid parental choice. It is this aspect that I worked to modernise, improve and make more relevant. My redundancy followed the decision by FOSI to concentrate entirely on public policy work and events organising, losing its technical arm.
It is this job that has given me a wide range of technical skills and contacts across the industry.
Achievements
- Leading role in the development of new techniques for the application of metadata to enhance trust and safety (POWDER)
- Conceived and devised EU-funded project to increase trust in, and use of, labels by making trustmarks machine readable and interoperable using Semantic Web technologies (Quatro Project)
- Instrumental in developing the organisation's strategy in changing environment, maintaining its relevance and credibility
- Regular contributor to the international debate on internet safety
- Represented FOSI in a variety of fora including the BSG Audiovisual Content Information Group and British Board of Film Classification's Consultative Council
Freelance copywriter
2000 to 2002
Major clients and key work
Inmedia Communications (now part of Arqiva)
- Web site copy
- White Papers, briefing documents etc.
Ward Design (Mice Group)
- Bang & Olufsen (store design guide and more)
- Ford Rapid Fit
For Agencies
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
- The Orange Group
- Period Home Centre (DM letters etc.)
- Town & Country (conservatories) brochure
- In-store TV commercials/training videos
Achievements
Although my background was entirely in radio commercial production with some video work, I was quickly able to establish a substantial client list well outside those fields. Work included educational material, brochures, website and CD ROM copy, information points and Bang & Olufsen's How to design your store guide, subsequently used around the world.
Copy writer, John Mountford Studios
September 1995 - April 2001
I worked as a senior copywriter at Britain's largest independent radio commercial production company whilst simultaneously pursuing other activities.
Lecturer in media Studies at West Suffolk College
September 1995 - December 1999
Achievements
- Delivered lectures at - and lead student trips to - China Central Television, Beijing Broadcasting Institute and China Radio International
- Speaker at International media education conference in Beijing
- Redesigned media facilities
- Developed curriculum
- Devised new syllabus unit
Wildlife Warden, Suffolk Wildlife Trust
1992 - 1995 Assistant Warden & Education Officer, Bradfield Woods National Nature Reserve
Achievements
- Developed educational activities for groups from primary school to post graduate level
- Organised and publicised the Trust's most successful public event
- Developed and produced a range of fact sheets, information leaflets and booklets
- Delivered course on Ancient Woodland for Cambridge Board of Continuing Education
- Designed and re-furbished visitor centre
Freelance Broadcaster
1983 - 1990 (approx.)
Major contracts
- 1983 to 1984 Signal Radio, Stoke on Trent
- 1985 County Sound Guildford
- 1985 to 1990 Suffolk Group Radio, Ipswich
Achievements
- Assisted in establishing successful series of outside broadcasts (Signal)
- Short-listed for 3 national radio awards (SGR)
- Produced successful imaging package for station re-launch in 1987 (SGR)
- Produced three part documentary covering musical developments during the 1980s (SGR)
- Presented feature for BBC Radio 4's Natural History Programme
Formal Education
| 1975 to 1981 | Queens Park High School, Chester | O levels | 10 |
| A Levels | Physics (A), Chemistry (A), Maths (B), General (B) | ||
| 1990 to 1992 | Otley College, Ipswich | C&G II Countryside Conservation (Distinction) Adv.Nat.Cert Conservation Management (Credit) | |
| 1992 to 1995 | Open University | S102 Science Foundation | Grade 1 |
| S236 Geology | Grade 1 | ||
| S267 How the Earth Works | Grade 1 | ||
| S203 Biology | Grade 1 | ||
| 1996 to 1998 | Anglia Polytechnic University | Certificate in Education (Post Compulsory Education) | |
References
On request.