Nicky Nicolson Email & Phone Number

London, GB

As Senior Research Leader in Biodiversity Informatics, I lead a team of specialist technologists and researchers tasked with curating, improving access to and exploitation of Kew’s exceptional data resources. These include global scale nomenclatural and taxonomic datasets, specimen catalogues and data on the distribution, morphology, usage and traits of.

Biodiversity Informatics / IT

Working on the long term management of Kew's nomenclatural and taxonomic informatics resources, and how we and our partners can use these for analysis.Specifically:- Scaling up the "names backbone" approach for use in a wider range of projects - to manage multiple, overlapping taxonomic classifications built from a nomenclatural foundation.- Leading.

Science Applications

Designed a "names backbone" using a novel graph-based approach, a natural fit for the nomenclatural / taxonomic domain.Presented design, development progress, impact and wider applications to Kew scientists, scientific partners and external review panel.Led technology review to standardise tool-set and working practices in the science applications team.

Science Applications

Specialised in systems managing nomenclature and taxonomy.Represented Kew in many collaborative projects.Standardised build and deployment processes across the science applications team, helped to define the handover of responsibilties from development to production environments.Re-architected IPNI from monolithic servers to standardised web.

Science Applications

Designed and built software systems to meet needs of science teams; worked on systems managing classifications, bibliographies and living collections.Had responsibility for trialling new technology, software and tools.Developed guidelines on standard core system architecture, and enabled other team members to apply these.

Botany Group

Accredited River Habitat Surveyor - survey method to use physical characteristics of rivers to assess habitat quality.Conducted field work to support the network of reference sites.Data preparation to support field work, and quality checking of field work results.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Machine Learning

Joined Brunel's Centre for Intelligent Data Analysis, part of the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, October 2015.

Msc, Computer Science

Bsc (Hons), Botany