I started coding in school when my father taught me professional website development. I have continued to develop across a broad spectrum of applications, languages, and systems. I believe context is everything for allowing data to tell a story.
I therefore spend time carefully considering visualisation for comprehensive and concise representing of information.
I aim to be creatively analytical and analytically creative.

Experience

  • present

    Postdoctoral researcher - NOMIS Fellow

    Institute of Science and Technology Austria

  • Industry AI Consultant

    With Intelligence

    Sole owner of a consulting company for artificial intelligence, business intelligence, data science, information architecture, and Executive Neuroscience [business-applied neuroscience & cognitive science] services.

    more

    Notable projects

    • Mamba Insights - Systems architect for a real-time computer vision solution for generating insights from CCTV footage. I engineered a hybrid offline + online approach for deployment in internet-scarce settings.

    • Offerzen | Make Team – part-time Developer Coach, or “Make Master”, to guide developers in exploring innovative technologies (Insurance AR, IoT & Robots, Insurance API & Chatbot) in a fun and rewarding experience. Coached 100s of developers from diverse technology backgrounds, regularly wrote for their blog, and have grown the “Make” community.

    • Mercedes-Benz South Africa – won the LaunchLab competition to develop a computer vision solution to automatically detect dents and scratches in the Sales and Marketing division. The application has been used and approved by the Mercedes-Benz head of technology for the world.

    • Number Boost – consulting data scientist on diverse projects including consumer behaviour analysis in big SA banks, cryptocurrency trading algorithms focused on regime switching, and implementing biplot analysis for peering into “black box” algorithms.

    • iXperience – teaching assistant for the artificial intelligence and data science course, taught by local leaders in the field (e.g. Head of AI for Vodafone Africa).

  • Demonstrator

    University of Cape Town

    Guided the 1st – 3rd year MBChB (medical) students during their tutorial and practical sessions covering a wide range of human biology, with focus on neuroscience.

  • Mentor

    Udacity School of Artificial Intelligence

    Coached students for the AI nanodegrees offered by Udacity. Both technical and personal supervision was provided to ensure the students were happy and healthy on their journey. I was given weekly feedback, regularly getting 5/5 across the rating metrics. I am proud to say most of my students finished the programme.

  • Software and Information Architect

    Q Division

    Project lead on “data utilisation” for one of Namibia’s biggest companies, which increased the visibility of company resources and allowed better predictions of marketing campaign efficacy. Software and Information Architect for corporate innovation project for Comair Limited to deliver the proof of concept that has turned into a multi-million deal.

  • Co-founder | Director

    Novacode

    Four-man team of developers that aimed to make great software. We managed to learn a lot from our failures on our internal projects to produce great wins for clients; increasing their revenue by 22%. Accepted into the “Seed Academy” start-up bootcamp, sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark, and attended “Lab2Market” cross- university course for biotechnology.

  • Other

    Bartender | Mixologist | Web Developer

    I have been a bartender and mixologist (cocktail wizard) throughout my undergraduate degree to a) earn a little more and b) gain understanding about the value of hard-work, public relations, and consumer experiences “on the ground”.

    During high school I did website development jobs to gain technical skills and start my programming career. I haven’t stopped coding since.

Education

We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.

Alan Turing

  • University of Cape Town

    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
    Neuroscience

    University of Cape Town

    2017 - 2019

    Supervised by Dr Joseph V. Raimondo
    Advised by Prof Henning Sprekeler, Prof Andrew Trevelyan, Prof Tim Vogels

    Investigating chloride dynamics in neurological processing and epilepsy using computational methods
  • University of Cape Town

    Master of Science in Medicine (MSc Med)
    Neuroscience (upgraded)

    University of Cape Town

    2015 - 2016

    Supervised by Dr Joseph V. Raimondo and E/Prof Lauriston Kellaway
    Advised by Prof Andrew Trevelyan and Prof Tim Vogels

    Chloride dynamics and GABAergic signalling in Deep Brain Stimulation
  • University of Cape Town

    Bachelor of Science (BSc)
    Computer Science [with first class honours]

    University of Cape Town

    2015
  • University of Cape Town

    Bachelor of Medical Sciences Honours (BMedSc Hons)
    Physiology/Neuroscience [with first class honours]

    University of Cape Town

    2014

    Supervised by Dr Jacqueline Dimatelis and Prof Vivienne Russel

    Vinpocetine improves short-term learning in early alcohol exposed rats by altering synaptophysin levels
  • Rhodes University

    Bachelor of Science (BSc)
    Biochemistry & Psychology [with distinction]

    Rhodes University

    2011 - 2013

Notable Awards

DAAD-NRF Joint Scholarship Programme – Masters and Doctoral level
1 of 200 in the country

-
[2016-01-24]

Short Term Research Scholarship
DAAD scholarship for research at Technischen Universität Berlin, Germany

2018

Murray-Jelks Scholarship
UCT Scholarship for international travel

2018

Columbia University Travel Stipend
Stipend for conferences: Computational and Systems Neuroscience (COSYNE) (Colorado) and Canonical Computation in Brains and Machines (New York)

2018

Alfred Beit Award
Top 5 students at Rhodes University

more

UCT Academic Scholarship

-
[2015-02-06]

3rd in the country for Information Technology

2010

Dean’s List and Academic Colours

every year

Top of the class
Computer Science
Mathematics (with 100%)

Internships

Technischen Universität Berlin, Germany
Doctoral research exchange student in Modelling of Cognitive Processes with Prof Henning Sprekeler

-
[2018-09-20]

University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Visiting academic in the Neural Circuits and Behaviour division with Prof Tim Vogels

-
[2016-04-15]
more

Newcastle University, United Kingdom
Guest student with Prof Andrew Trevelyan

-
[2016-05-15]

Human Brain Project (EPFL), Switzerland
Hands-on training and implementation of computational model with Prof Eilif Muller and Dr Srikanth Ramaswamy

-
[2016-05-07]

Courses

Deep Learning Indaba𝕏 South Africa 2019

Organiser of South Africa’s only Deep Learning Indaba𝕏 (spin-off of the Deep Learning Indaba), a machine learning and artificial intelligence conference with 200+ attendees learning, sharing, and growing machine learning in Africa.

 -
[2019-04-14]

IBRO-Simons Computational Neuroscience Imbizo 2019

Organising committee member of the 3 week summer school in Muizenberg on Computational Neuroscience.

 -
[2019-01-06]

Deep Learning Indaba𝕏 South Africa 2018

Organiser of South Africa’s only Deep Learning Indaba𝕏 (spin-off of the Deep Learning Indaba), a machine learning and artificial intelligence conference with 200+ attendees learning, sharing, and growing machine learning in Africa.
[1 day]

Udacity school of AI Nanodegrees

First cohort to complete the AI nanodegrees. The nanodegree consisted of a symbolic AI base, a strong foundation in deep learning and 3 specialisations. I then became a 5 mentor for these nanodegrees for 2 years.

 -
[2017-01-14]
more

Deep Learning Indaba 2019

DST-sponsored tutor at the 1 week Deep Learning Indaba

 -
[2019-08-25]

Deep Learning Indaba 2018

Tutor at the 1 week Deep Learning Indaba

 -
[2018-09-10]

Deep Learning Indaba 2017

-
[2017-09-10]

IBRO-Simons Computational Neuroscience Imbizo 2017

Attendee of the 3 week summer school in Muizenberg on Computational Neuroscience.

 -
[2017-01-08]

IBRO-UCT Advanced School on Epilepsy

Attendee of the 2 week advanced summer school in Cape Town on epilepsy neuroscience research with clinical focus.

Additionally, gave NEURON lecture and tutorial.
[2 weeks]

IBRO Open Source Workshop


[1 week]

IBRO-ARC School on Behavioral Bioassays in Neuroscience


[3 weeks]
Courses page

Presentations

Improving computer vision algorithms using neuroscience principles

Scientists have worked to recreate human vision in computers for the past 50 years. But how much about human vision do we actually know? And can the brain be useful in furthering computer vision?

Africa in AI: opening panel discussion

The art of artificial assistants: Bots for business and conversations

more

Investigating chloride dynamics in neurological processing and epilepsy using computational methods

The ABCs of AI - defining artificial intelligence

Reestablish the way humans and machines interact in work environments. Discover the power of tomorrow’s AI-based organization.

Brain – Computer Vision Interface: I see what you did there

Deep Learning in the Brain

Augmented Intelligence: challenges and opportunities for AI in the workplace

Understanding a black box

Computational Neuroscience: The Brain-Computer Science Interface

Understanding intelligence is one of the most challenging scientific problems faced by humanity…

Executive Neuroscience: Leadership for the Brain

Artificial Assistants: How can I help you?

AI: Implications and impact

Chloride dynamics alter the input-output properties of neurons

Christopher B. Currin, Andrew J. Trevelyan, Tim P. Vogels, and Joseph V. Raimondo

Computational neuroscience: Thinking about thinking

A conversation about (modern) chatbots

Conversational systems: Beyond the interface

Computational neuroscience: The brain on AI

Technological limits in AI and the brain

Join us for a discussion on the moral, legal, & technological limits of intelligence.

AI-Based Approaches To Building Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Computational Neuroscience in 6 minutes

Why computational neuroscience?

If anything brain or computer-related tickles your fancy, this is the event to attend.

Vinpocetine’s effects on memory in early ethanol exposed Sprague-Dawley rats

Currin, C. B.¹, Swart, P. C.¹, Dimatelis, J.J.¹, Russell, V.V.¹
Presentations page

Leadership Positions

Cape Town City.AI
One of the city’s ambassadors. Event organiser, liaison for international collaborations, and guest host

- present

University of Cape Town Cortex Club
President, IT officer, and executive committee member

2015 – 2018

University of Cape Town Senate Animal Ethics
Committee member

2016 - 2017
more

Machine Intelligence Institute of Africa (MIIA)
Assistant organiser (speaker events and hackathons) and speaker

- present

Southern African Neuroscience Society (SANS)
Website developer and executive committee member

- present

Cape Town Intelligent Systems Meetup

- present

Postgraduate Health Sciences Student Council (PGHSSC)
Social Responsiveness and Medical Alumni Club President

2016 - 2017

TReND in Africa
Outreach contact for South Africa

-
[2015-01-01]

Cullen Bowles House
Academic representative and mentor for the residence

-
[2012-01-06]

Desmond Tutu Peace Summit
Leader

Shikaya: Dialogue for Hope young leaders conference
Invited student

South African College High School
Students Representative Council

2010

Young African Leaders conference
Invited student

Rotary Youth Exchange
Camp leader

Publications

Contact Me