Professor Peter McOwan

National Teaching Fellow 2008 Peter McOwan, a Professor of Computer Science at Queen Mary, University of London, has at the centre of his teaching philosophy the idea that learning should be serious fun both for the teacher and the taught. A major motive in becoming an academic was pleasure in teaching and the opportunities this provided to creatively use specialist research knowledge to support others learning. His interdisciplinary research in biologically inspired mathematical models for computer vision has led to insights on the human visual system, and allowed the development of novel computer vision technologies. Peter lectures a course looking at how modern technology impacts on wider society and, realising that his students live much of their lives online, he was one of the first in the Department to pioneer the pod-casting of lectures. Not restricted to academic peers and HE students, Peter's audiences also include school children and the general public, who, he says, "present fascinating challenges: they ask unexpected questions, challenge assumptions and need to have complex ideas broken down into relevant fundamentals without compromising the content." For his younger audience Peter developed the use of Cs4fn (Computer Science for Fun), a popular schools resource using pop culture reference stories to reveal the often hidden computer science around. He also created a national widening participation programme, Brainacademy, based on reality TV shows like Pop Idol. This initiative was a UK-wide computer science talent contest with life changing prize: win and your fees are paid and you can have a dream career with Microsoft. He also created Sodarace, where human creativity is pitted against machine-learning to design robots which compete in on-line races. It has engaged a diverse audience of users to learn through play and has brought to life the areas of artificial intelligence and engineering design for many. As Peter says, "my future is filled, as it should be, with serious fun".