Meet QCIF’s new team members
QCIF is delighted to introduce six new team members who have recently joined our Data Science team in various roles. Each brings valuable expertise that will contribute to a range of projects, including ecological research, biostatistics, and high-performance computing (HPC) software development. Their skills will enhance our ability to support diverse research areas and drive innovation across multiple domains.
Get to know them below:
Daraka Hewa Vithanage – Software Developer (Full Stack)
"I am looking forward to applying my technical skills to contribute to innovative digital platforms at QCIF, particularly the WildObs platform, which supports ecological research and conservation."
Daraka joins QCIF as a Software Engineer, working on the Wildlife Observatory of Australia (WildObs) project. His focus is on developing cutting-edge digital research infrastructure to deliver cloud-based solutions that are accessible and user-friendly.
With over six years of experience in designing and developing high-performance, scalable, and secure software applications, he has skills in programming languages such as Java, Go (Golang), Python, and JavaScript.
Joshua Bowden – Senior Software Developer
“The QCIF projects have the potential to broaden my UX skills and add to my cross platform application development repertoire, which are areas that continuously reach into people’s everyday life, so are good skills to have.”
Josh will be contributing to HPC-related software development, focusing on optimising large-scale simulations for various scientific applications. He holds a PhD in Materials Science and has extensive experience in data collection, image and spectroscopic methods, and high-performance computing (HPC).
Alan Ho – Biostatistician
“I look forward to working with the QCIF team to assist clients in achieving research excellence, particularly improving patient outcomes.”
Alan brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at the Queensland Brain Institute and Poche Centre for Urban Indigenous Health. As an expert in biostatistics and epidemiology, Alan has a strong focus on infectious diseases, neurological degenerative diseases, and heart disease. He also has a passion for working with LGBTIQA+ and Indigenous communities. At QCIF, Alan will support health research initiatives, with a particular interest in health informatics and disease surveillance.
Joanna Salerno – Data Scientist
“I’m looking forward to contributing to a range of QCIF projects and supporting research across multiple domains.”
As a Data Scientist, Joanna will provide tailored support to research teams, helping them develop and launch studies. She will be working closely with researchers across Queensland, delivering data science expertise that is vital to advancing research in various fields.
Previously, Joanna was a data science trainer at QCIF, where she delivered workshops designed to help researchers upskill in areas such as programming, statistical analysis, data management, and research communication.
Ryan Newis – Environmental Data Specialist
“I see my new role at QCIF as a great opportunity to contribute to research that aids in understanding the natural world and protecting Australia's unique environment.”
Ryan’s background in environmental sciences spans ecological monitoring, molecular ecology, and landscape analysis. His work at Griffith University in pollination ecology research explored the impacts of insect pollination on horticultural crops. At QCIF, Ryan will focus on developing an Integrated Ecological Data Service for Queensland’s State of Environment Reporting, as well as working on the EcoCommons platform, which supports environmental research and conservation.
We are thrilled to have such talented individuals join our team and look forward to seeing the contributions they will make to QCIF’s projects and the broader research community.
Wesley Wang - Software Developer (Full Stack)
Wesley is a seasoned Software Engineer offering 10 years of rich experience in software development. He specialises in enhancing and maintaining large-scale web and mobile applications and he is skilled in utilising microservices and cloud technologies and deep learning and data analytics libraries.
Welcome aboard!