Resume

• 2005

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

  As a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate I undertook in-depth research in order to make an original contribution to the body of knowledge in my research field

  Ultrasonic Sensing for Autonomous navigation. This qualification I hope will enhance my academic career. \n\nMy dissertation examiner commented that my work \"addressed a difficult but important problem. A single Ultrasonic sensor provides very limited information about the environment when compared to high-quality cameras or laser scanners. Modern approaches to robot navigation and localization are simply not designed to deal with such a poverty of sensor data. This has at least two application areas: \n1 Navigation and localization in extreme or hostile environment such as ocean

  disaster scenes

  where darkness

  pollution and dust render cameras and other sensors ineffective.\n2 Understanding techniques and abilities of vision impaired people

  insights that may lead to better navigation aids

  improved sensing techniques.\"

  Computer Science

  Unimovies

  Faculty Research Committee

  University of Wollongong

• 2002

  Research Masters Computer Sciences

  Sherine Antoun dissertation titled “Sensing for Autonomous Navigation by Identifying and Tracking Multiple Continuous and Discontinuous Reflectors in Each Echo of a Monoaural CTFM Ultrasonic Sensor”

  and Published in IEEE sensor Journal 2013. \nGraduate Bachelor Computer Science with Honours in 2002. \nGraduated Master of Computer Science (Research) 2006.\nGraduated Doctor of Computer Science 2013.

  Digital Archive Survivability

  Member of The faculty of informatics Research Committee (governance)

  University of Wollongong

  Master of Computer Sciences (Research)

• 2000

  University of Wollongong

  University of Illinois Springfield

  Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences Wollongong Campus

  Coordinator for CSCI203 Algorithms and Data Structures and CSCI444 Perception and Planning (Robotics)\nCSCI 203 Algorithms and Data Structures considers:\nVarious approaches to analysing algorithm complexity

  introduced in earlier subjects; The use of abstract data types as a design technique

  and their implementation in solutions to problems; the concept of efficient code and ways to measure efficiency (empirically

  by timings

  and theoretically).\n\nCSCI 444 Perception and Planning:\nThe subject explores ways in which a robot can combine data from a variety of sensors to create or update a model of its environment

  and then use this model to infer the consequences of proposed actions. The subject explores robot designs

  locomotion

  controls and software architectures. The subject will cover the use of internal sensors

  such as those measuring odometry and location

  and external sensors including those for touch

  vision

  and range finding.\n\nIn addition to lectures instruction

  I have advised students on appropriate research topics

  edited and evaluated their work.

  Subject Coordinator and Lecturer

  University of Wollongong

  Wollongong Campus

  2013-Date Informatics Tutors Mentor: First time tutors in-session mentoring and support\n2011-Date Executive committee member: Unimovies (voluntary community engagement project)\n2002-2008 Presenter: Faculty of Informatics open days and high school enrichment program\n2004-2006 Member: Faculty of Informatics research committee\n2002-2004 Demonstrator: Faculty of Informatics Girls in IT open days

  Services to the University of Wollongong

  University of Wollongong

  Grand Junction

  Colorado

  I am privileged to be the successful candidate for this position

  my task is to teach (on campus) a variety of computer science courses for majors

  as well as support courses for physics

  engineering and mathematics.

  A. Prof. Computer Science

  Colorado Mesa University

  Faculty of Informatics Wollongong Campus

  Rather than simply supervising a practical class

  I strive to cultivate an interactive environment in which students can express themselves freely while learning to engage with each other and the material at hand in meaningful ways. I emphasise critical thinking and the need to consider the theoretical and practical aspects of all problems. I feel that it is my responsibility to uphold scholarly standards and to encourage and challenge students to work up to their potential to become employable graduates. I want their experiences in my classes to teach them far more than the mechanic of a programming language.

  Tutor

  University of Wollongong

  Wollongong Campus

  Scholarship PhD Research Candidature (complete).

  PhD Candidate

  University of Wollongong

  University of Illinois Springfield

  Teaching\n• Contribute to the intellectual life of the School by engaging in high quality core teaching\n• Contribute to the monitoring and enhancement of quality in teaching within the department\n• Actively seek and pursue training in teaching technology and practice\n• Teach and examine undergraduate and graduate level students\n• Act as personal adviser and provide pastoral care\n• Supervise research graduate students \n• Develop innovative and attractive courses

  shape and influence curriculum development and actively contribute to the review of courses \n• Actively contribute to departmental teaching administration.\nResearch\n• Conduct substantive research into complex problems

  ideas

  concepts or theories\n• Develop coherent research strategy in my discipline\n• Developing a body of quality publications in recognised peer reviewed publications\n• Present research and give invited papers at national and international conferences\n• Act as a reviewer for academic journals\n• Provide academic leadership at conferences and raise the profile of UIS research\n• Provide expert opinion and commentary to external audiences and organisations

  Assistant Professor

  University of Illinois

  Springfield

  Illinois Area

  Assistant Professor

  University of Illinois Springfield

  UOW College Wollongong campus

  As a Subject Coordinator / lecturer I gained valuable experience lecturing and leading tutorials. In addition to lectures instruction

  I have advised students on practical aspect of computer programming and algorithm development. \nSubjects taught:\nProcedural Programming

  Object Programming

  Algorithms and Problem Solving

  Analytical Thinking for Technology

  Foundation Studies in Computing I and II and Applied Programming. \nProfessional Development:\nWhile at UOWC I enrolled and successfully completed the University Learning and Teaching (ULT flexible delivery parts 1 and 2).

  Subject Coordinator and Lecturer

  University of Wollongong College

• 1999

  Bachelor of Computer Science

  As an undergraduate Computer scientist I learned to design and write programs for computer applications. These applications include computer systems to control machinery

  the analysis of stock market trends

  visualisation

  neural network design

  computational geometry for robot navigation

  automatic teller machines and patient medication prescription monitoring.\n\nFor my degree candidature I elected to focus on the computer science schedule where all but one of my subjects were from the CSCI schedule

  I studied programming languages

  artificial intelligence

  computer systems administration

  3D modelling

  operating systems

  real-time software and software engineering

  hardware programming

  and robotics.\n\nA high point of my degree was the third year project where along with my team I developed a computer application to solve a real patient admin problem for a local hospital. As a High-achieving student I completed a fourth year Honours degree which in turn lead me into research.

  Computer Science

  Centre for e-Applications Research CeAR

  Unimovies

  University of Wollongong faculty of Informatics

  Honours

  University Learning and Teaching

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Computer Science

• 1995

  Established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly. On July 1

  became a campus of the University of Illinois

  thereafter known as the University of Illinois at Springfield. Located at the Southeast side of Springfield

  Illinois

  near Lake Springfield. UIS is approximately 200 miles southwest of Chicago and 100 miles northeast of St. Louis.\nSet on 746 acres of rolling green gardens.

  Assistant Professor

  University of Illinois at Springfield

  Arabic

  French

  Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) APA(I)

  Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) [APA(I)] is part of the Linkage Projects Program. The awards are for graduate research degree students. My graduate research culminated in a Doctoral degree conferred in 2013 for my thesis \"Sensing for Autonomous Navigation by Identifying and Tracking Multiple Continuous and Discontinuous Reflectors in Each Echo of\na Mono-aural CTFM Ultrasonic Sensor\".

  CRC

  Deans merit award UOW

  Awarded for servicing 2 terms as an elected member on the faculty of informatics research committee.

  Faculty of Informatics University of Wollongong

• 1969

  General High School Bacheloria

  St Mark College was a kindergarten to high school French Jesuit School

  it provided my classmates and I with an excellent learning environment where we were encouraged to inquire and understand rather than the prevailing rote learning approach of the rest of Egyptian schooling system espoused. We had hands on chemistry and Physics labs (rare in the Egyptian education system) many Tesla experiments and discoveries were demonstrated here. I was involved with the astronomy group

  sciences club

  the photography club as well as the college's scouts group.

  Sciences

  Sciences club

  Astronomy group

  Photography club

  Scouts movement.

  St Mark College (Jesuit) Alexandria

  Egypt.

• Interview with Sherine Antoun from University of Illinois Springfield

  Sherine Antoun's Ph.D. in Computer Science

  was conferred by the University of Wollongong Australia in 2012. Sherine's research interests focus on Ultrasonic...

  Interview with Sherine Antoun from University of Illinois Springfield

  Maze Solvers from UOW

  It is our last project in planning perception CSCI944 at UOW late of 2010. we used Lab View 6.5 to program the robot. It solved the maze in 3m and 45s. Our robot start at 3:14 in this video and end at 4:40.

  Maze Solvers from UOW

  Demonstrate and help skill up adult learners computing proficiency

  introduce simple task skills like web search for job vacancies

  email skills

  and document editing. Generic information on computer operations and what to look for when purchasing your first computer.

  Mission Australia

  NI LabVIEW

  SQL

  Academic Writing

  Teaching

  Tutoring

  Computer Science

  Programming

  Mentoring

  Critical Thinking

  Research

  Robotics

  Lecturing

  Mobile Robotics

  Algorithms

  Autonomous Navigation

  Student Recruiting

  Ultrasonic Sensing

  Mac OS

  University Teaching

  Software Engineering

  Landmark navigation with fuzzy logic

  Phillip John McKerrow

  Our previous research emulated aeroplane navigation for dead reckoning flight in reasonable weather conditions. In this research

  we propose to tackle navigation in a more realistic environment for a mobile robot by modelling it on the case of a tourist in an unfamiliar village. When lost tourists use a variety of strategies to reacquire the path. Here we will emulate these to navigate a mobile robot. We will attempt to develop an intelligent controller

  which copes with imprecise inputs

  to achieve its commanded tasks safely. The controller will make use of fuzzy logic to make decisions based on data stored in a fuzzy map that is represented as sets of rules. Rules that it can use to localise and navigate towards a target.

  Landmark navigation with fuzzy logic

  Prof. Phillip John McKerrow

  Blind people can navigate corridors using ultrasonic mobility aids. A research question of interest is whether they track the wall of the corridor

  the free space or a combination of the two. To study this and related questions

  we set up a wall tracking experiment to collect echo data as a mono-aural sensor was moved parallel to a wall. This involved an investigation of the components of the echo and the geometry that produced them. We developed feature extractors to enable the detection of multiple objects from echoes. The results indicate that more useful information is contained in echo components than previously thought. They also demonstrate that accurate wall following is possible.

  Issues In Wall Tracking With a CTFM Ultrasonic Sensor

  Professor Phillip John McKerrow

  When deprived of sight humans adapt and use other senses for navigation. Most rely on touch (long cane)

  but some use auditory perception. We have observed a blind teenager echolocating using sounds (clicks) he makes with his mouth. More commonly

  an ultrasonic sensor is used as a navigational aid to scan the path and environment. The echoes blind people perceive are interpreted by each individual to form an auditory scene where clear paths and obstacles are identified. With this information

  the blind user threads his/her way safely through the space scanned. The work we describe here seeks to mimic a blind person using a sonar navigational aid to traverse a path or corridor. We are using a commercially available ultrasonic mobility aid to isonify and capture echoes from a corridor

  we then attempt to correlate these to the geometric features of the corridor

  as we perceive them. Our aim is to develop a perception system

  which is capable of interpreting

  in real time the echoes to discern the geometric features of the environment

  so that this data can be used to navigate a robot through it.

  Perceiving A Corridor With CTFM Ultrasonic Sensing

  Prof Phillip John McKerrow

  We seek to get better insights into how blind people navigate with the K-Sonar mobility aid and to translate this insight into an autonomous navigation strategy useful to mobile robotics. Current mobile robots that use ultrasonic sensing to follow walls use multiple sensors and use only range to the nearest reflecting point making assumptions about the reflected echo. In this paper

  we describe an advanced wall following algorithm

  where the robot follows a wall using a single directed Continuous Transmission Frequency Modulated 'CTFM' Ultrasonic Sensor. The sensor is mechanically panned to track the wall

  avoid collisions

  and check for navigable space. We present results from our mobile robot wall following experiments. These experiments allowed us to compare our robot sensing and navigation system to the approach we have observed blind people use.

  Wall Following with a Single Ultrasonic Sensor

  Patricia Worth

  Primary author Prof. Phillip John McKerrow

  Directed sensing poses the problem of sensing in specific directions in synchronisation with robot motion while avoiding collisions with objects in other directions. The rebuild of an outdoor mobile robot

  with the goal of mimicking a blind person navigating with echolocation

  has provided the opportunity to experiment with a state machine based software architecture for landmark navigation. In this paper

  we discuss the rebuild of the robot

  the software architecture and an initial experiment in collision avoidance.

  A software architecture for mobile robot navigation

  Primary Author: Prof Phillip John McKerrow

  Our goal is to develop a navigation system for a mobile robot that mimics human navigation. To achieve this goal the robot has to perceive sufficient information about its environment to determine where there are safe paths to travel. Blind humans using ultrasonic mobility aids have achieved excellent navigation. First

  we look at the quality of ultrasonic sensing and its suitability for navigation. Then we describe examples from our research into navigation. The paper finishes with a description of current work on corridor following. \nPresentation slides: www.fri.uni-lj.si/file/73345/navigation.pdf

  Research Into Navigation with CTFM Ultrasonic Sensors

  Prof. Phillip John McKerrow

  Our Research Goal is the design of a wall following system based on observations of navigation by blind people with the K-Sonar mobility aid. We seek to gain insight into how blind people navigate and to translate this insight into an autonomous navigation strategy useful to mobile robotics. Current mobile robots that use ultrasonic sensing to follow walls use multiple sensors and rely on assumptions about the direction of echo return. Also they use only range data to the nearest reflecting point

  making further assumptions about the reflected echo. In this paper

  we describe an advanced wall following algorithm

  where the robot follows a wall using a single directed Continuous Transmission Frequency Modulated 'CTFM' Ultrasonic Sensor. The sensor is mechanically panned to track the wall

  avoid collisions

  and check for navigable space. We further describe an algorithm that reduces the difficulty in ascertaining the bearing of the robot to the wall it tracks. We present results from our mobile robot wall following experiments using range and bearing data from a single directed CTFM ultrasonic sensor. These experiments allowed us to compare our robot sensing and navigation system to the approach we have observed blind people use. The experiments herein described demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms we developed from our observations.

  Mimicking a blind person navigating a corridor using a K-Sonar with a mobile robot

  I was part of the SPIRT grant project team

  we developed set of automated methods based on neural network techniques for the detection of public fraud committed by patients

  receptionists

  for monetary gain: or by people engaged in “doctor shopping” for illicit gain of drug supplies

  in the Medicare system. The aim was to reveal the true level of public fraud in the current Medicare system

  as well as assisting the Health Insurance Commission in reducing their level of payments due to fraudulent activities. I designed an automated detection system for fraud detection in hospital of the South Easter Sydney Area Health Services (SESAHS) based at Liverpool district hospital. To date the system I developed with my colleagues is in service. The spirt grant was a 3 years grant from Health Insurance Commission totalling $262000 in funds and a similar amount in kind.

  Malgosia Sajdek

  Mathew Hounsel

  Smart ID project

  I worked in collaboration with industry partners

  the second being an individual research project part of my Honours degree work. I worked in conjunction with Illawarra Division of General Practice (IDGP) a medical doctor collective association based in the Wollongong region. I developed a set of benchmarks and guidelines for IDGP servers and intranet to support the Smart ID project. The smart ID was a collaboration between UOW and IDGP involving patients

  GPs

  administrators

  computer programmers and health informatics researchers. It was a pilot project which successfully developed a smart ID system utilising USB i-keys

  Medical Director and the WWW for use amongst a trial diabetes patient group and their GPs to improve the long term health outcomes for diabetics.

  Antoun

  Sherine

  Antoun

  Colorado Mesa University

  University of Illinois