Steven Heddle Email & Phone Number

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Elected Spokesperson on the Environment and Economy for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, representing Scottish Local Government nationally. Territorial Development Spokesperson of the CEMR (Council of European Municipalities and Regions). Member of the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, Scottish Government Regional Economic Policy Advisory Group and Scottish Government AI Strategy Steering Group.

Kirkwall, United Kingdom

Scientific, IT and business consultancy. While contracted to UK Astronomy Technology Centre carried out the comparative imaging simulations of competing radio telescope antenna array designs for the billion-dollar Atacama Large Millimeter Array project in Chile, a US/Europe/Japan collaborative project. Other services include web design, and telecommunications and e-business advice and consultancy. Clients include Orkney Islands Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Voluntary Action Orkney, Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government.

Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall

Co-leader of Our Islands Our Future campaign set against the context of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, which led to Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, and Scottish Crown Estate Act 2019. Winner of Herald Local Politician of the Year Award 2013 and Leadership category in Scottish Public Service Awards. Board member of NHS Orkney May 2015 to May 2017. President of CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Municipalities and Regions) Islands Commission November 2014 to May 2016. Elected member for Kirkwall East ward since May 2007.

The Orkney part of a network of e-business advisors covering the Highlands and Islands. Assisted over 300 businesses with advice and grant support, and designed and established the successful Orkneycommunities.co.uk community portal and image library. Subsequently provided these advice services across wider area as a consultant through a supply partner arrangement.

Senior Scientific Officer at Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. Engaged in algorithm development on project to develop a computer-based system to identify and prompt for malignancies in breast x-ray images. The project underwent a successful preclinical trial in the latter part of 1997. From April 1998-July 1999, member of Software Engineering Group, writing signal processing software for new 8m telescopes in Hawaii and Chile.

Engaged as project leader and designer on a project to design an electro-optic scanning machine that accurately determines the number of sheets of card in a stack or bundle. This machine was the subject of a patent application. Subsequently led a project to design a PC-based video measurement system, designing a PC add-in card and interface electronics, and writing its software. As project leader was responsible for planning and system design.

Research Associate (latterly as Research Fellow) with Applied Optics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, on EC funded collaborative project between university and international industrial partners to design and build a car-mounted optical correlator for recognition of road signs.

Safety Glass Technology group, based at Pilkington Technology Centre, Lathom, nr Ormskirk

Phd, Physics

PhD thesis: Optical Image Processing Using Pixellated Spatial Light Modulators

Bsc (Hons) First Class, Physics