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Staff Profile

Dr Alex Chan

Research Associate in Machine Learning

  • Email: alex.chan@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: School of Engineering
    Stephenson Building
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

About me


I am currently working as a Research Associate in Machine Learning with the Microsystems Research Group, as part of the EPSRC Project: Scalability Oriented Novel Networks of Event Triggered Systems (SONNETS). Our goal is to discover, analyse, and create new Machine Learning (ML) models and explore how we can apply event-triggered paradigms, especially within particular interesting fields like finance.


Outside of SONNETS, I am exploring the design of ML models using formal models like Petri nets to further understand the causality effects and event-driven mechanisms of how an ML model makes it's prediction(s) and how it trains. Additionally, I am also assisting with the teaching of the EEE3027 labs for both Semester 1 on Integrated Circuit Design and Semester 2 on Embedded Systems.


Qualifications


  • 2023: Achieved a Doctor of Philosopher Degree (PhD) in Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (EECE) at Â鶹´«Ã½. Thesis title: "Automated Synthesis of Speed-independent Circuits using Distributed Finite State Machines".
  • 2018: Achieved a Bachelors of Science (BSc) Degree in Computer Science with Industrial Placement at Â鶹´«Ã½. Dissertation title: "A modelling language tool that investigates and demonstrates Set-nets".


Current Position(s)


  • Research Associate in Machine Learning, Microsystems Research Group, Â鶹´«Ã½, Feb 2024 to present


Previous Position(s)


  • Research Assistant, School of Engineering, Microsystems Research Group, Â鶹´«Ã½, Oct 2023 to Jan 2024.
  • School ICT Assistant, Â鶹´«Ã½ IT Service, School of Engineering (Formerly in Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials (CEAM) Department), Â鶹´«Ã½, Aug 2016 to Aug 2017.
  • Infrastructure Specialist Assistant, Â鶹´«Ã½ IT Service, Infrastructure Systems Group, Â鶹´«Ã½, Feb 2017 to Apr 2017.
  • Voluntary ICT Practitioner, Acorn Computer Recyling, Aug 2012 to Sep 2012.


Research

Research Interests


  • Formal modelling (in particular Finite State Machines, Petri nets, etc.).
  • Design of distributed systems.
  • Design of asynchronous systems.
  • Machine learning algorithms and models.
  • Computer-aided design tools.
Publications

  • Article

    • Chan A, Sokolov D, Khomenko V, Lloyd D, Yakovlev A. . IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems (TCAD) 2022, 42(5), 1560-1573.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Squires-Parkin H, Chan A, Shafik R, Wheeldon A, Yakovlev A. . In: 29th IEEE International Symposium on Asynchronous Circuits and Systems (ASYNC). 2025, Portland, OR, USA: IEEE.
    • Chan A, Wheeldon A, Shafik R, Yakovlev A. . In: International Conference on Applications and Theory of Petri Nets and Concurrency. 2024, Geneva, Switzerland: Springer, Cham.
    • Chan A, Sokolov D, Khomenko V, Yakovlev A. . In: 29th Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASP-DAC). 2024, Incheon, Republic of Korea: IEEE.
    • Chan A, Sokolov D, Khomenko V, Yakovlev A. . In: Forum on Specification & Design Languages (FDL). 2022, Linz, Austria: IEEE.
    • Chan A, Sokolov D, Khomenko V, Lloyd D, Yakovlev A. . In: Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE 2021). 2021, Grenoble, France: IEEE.