Meet Pizza Pundit, Jonathan Cullen

Jonathan Cullen
Research Scientist (AI)

Jonathan Cullen works in our AI team alongside Thomas Jubb and Ben Crone and is one of the newest staff members here at IBEX Innovations. Jonathan recently completed a PhD in theoretical particle physics before joining IBEX and I think it’s fair to say he’s been up to (and is currently up to) some pretty interesting stuff…

To find out a bit more about Jonathan, his life, and his interests, I asked him a few questions:

A quick summary of what you do at IBEX?
I work in the AI team, applying various deep learning techniques to medical imaging to help improve image quality and diagnoses.

How did you find yourself at IBEX?
During my PhD I had the opportunity to work on some AI-based projects, which made me catch the bug for AI, and I’ve been honing my skills ever since. The AI team at IBEX seemed like a great place to apply this experience in AI while making a real difference to people’s lives.

Professional background, life outside of work, and some key interests?
I first completed an integrated master’s degree in theoretical physics at Durham University, followed by a master’s degree in applied mathematics at the University of Cambridge. I then completed my PhD in theoretical particle physics at Durham University in 2020. Before joining IBEX I worked as a data scientist in the healthcare privacy sector.

Outside of work, I’m currently in the pursuit of perfecting homemade pizza (for which I’m always happy to trade tips!). I also enjoy competitive swimming (more of a spectator than as a competitor these days…) and playing guitar, having spent much of my teens playing in bands.

What are some of your future goals and aspirations?
While also furthering my AI experience, I’d like to keep improving my knowledge of medical imaging in general, so that I can combine these two areas of expertise to maximise the improvements to medical imaging and diagnoses.

A moment in life that you’ll never forget?
I went on a five-week road trip across the width of the USA in 2019, and every day was unforgettable. Some highlights would be watching the sunset and rise over the Grand Canyon, taking a helicopter flight over Las Vegas, and of course my first rodeo! Although I would rather forget having to sleep in the car in The Great Smoky Mountains because of a giant spider in the tent…

Your go-to productivity trick?
When working on a tough problem, I think taking the occasional two-minute break to think about something completely different often helps stop the “brain fog” from descending, and helps me get to a solution faster.

What’s surprised you about working at IBEX?
The variety of projects to work on is fantastic, and, it’s been great to have the freedom to pursue my own ideas.

There you have it, an insight into the life of Jonathan Cullen!