A unique honour to guide the next generation of scientists

In an unusual turn of events, six of the eleven students who graduated with a PhD this June from the Department of Computer Science had the same advisor. Anna Sigríður Islind, a professor in the department, was the primary advisor for four of them, co-advisor for two, and also served on the doctoral committee for two additional PhD students.

Anna Sigríður describes it as rewarding and a unique honour to guide the next generation of scientists:

Advising PhD students is incredibly fulfilling; it's wonderful to follow people who possess ambition, integrity, broad vision, deep knowledge, and good hearts. I have been fortunate to advise exceptionally talented PhD students who each excel in their own way. I hold great affection for these wonderful and outstanding individuals and feel incredibly lucky to accompany them on their journey.

The students' research topics vary widely, but they share a focus on today’s most pressing societal issues. These include improving patient environments and safety, advancing global sleep research, and reducing food waste.

• Steinunn Gróa Sigurðardóttir; Her dissertation is titled Living with technology: digital mental health and patient flourishing. The project aims to revolutionise mental healthcare in Iceland by using data from smartwatches and an app to enhance services for individuals with bipolar disorder or psychosis. Steinunn will continue her research at Reykjavik University while also serving as director of undergraduate studies in the computer science department.
• Bjarki Freyr Sveinbjarnason; His dissertation is titled Scaling data governance through automation and dynamic data spaces. His work will benefit sleep research worldwide; he designed and developed the digital data infrastructure used by the Sleep Revolution project to collect data across Europe. After completing his PhD, Bjarki joined Carbfix.
• Lilja Guðrún Jóhannsdóttir; Her dissertation is titled Ensuring patient safety through digital health technologies. Her research focused on systematically improving patient safety in the healthcare system through digital health technologies. Her discoveries will guide the design and development of digital infrastructures for patients and healthcare professionals. Lilja is now a leader at the National University Hospital of Iceland, responsible for designing and developing patient-centred digital health technologies and ensuring their safety.
• Luka Biedebach; Her dissertation is titled New pathways for unsupervised machine learning in digital health: applications and future potentials for sleep. She applied machine learning to sleep data and made discoveries about both children's and adults’ sleep, as well as new insights into how machine learning can be applied. Luka is now in a postdoctoral position at Reykjavik University, continuing to revolutionise the use of smart devices for sleep measurement through machine learning.
• Ioana Visescu: Her dissertation is titled Complicated, by design: the dynamic use of a user-centred design process. The project focused on involving users in the software design process. Marta Kristín Lárusdóttir was the primary advisor, and Anna Sigríður was the co-advisor. Ioana recently started a postdoctoral position at the University of Luxembourg.
• Camilla Carpinelli: Her dissertation is titled One small step for customers, one giant leap for the food system: analysing purchasing trends for increasing sustainability and reducing food waste. The project analysed consumer purchasing behaviour to deepen understanding of how we can take meaningful steps toward increased sustainability and reduced food waste. María Óskarsdóttir was her primary advisor, with Anna Sigríður as co-advisor. Camilla now works as a data science specialist at Veitur.

Anna Sigríður says all the new PhDs have worked systematically through their scientific discoveries to make the world a better place. They conducted their research professionally and with integrity, publishing their findings in renowned international scientific journals. She looks forward to following their continued research:

I’m so pleased that each of them is forging their own path after the PhD—some continuing in academia, others not. That shows their strength. And I might add that none of them seem tired of me yet, so I’m still working with all of them on various scientific articles on the side.

On the picture from left: Bjarki Freyr Sveinbjarnarson Steinunn Gróa Sigurðardóttir, Lilja Guðrún Jóhannsdóttir, Anna Sigríður Islind, Camilla Carpinelli, Benedikt Hólm (whom Anna Sigríður served on the doctoral committee for), Luka Biedebach and Ioana Visescu.