I’m Stephan, an engineer, software developer, interested in understanding the human brain slightly more than we currently do, and in doing meaningful work along the way. My PhD research focused on develop new signal processing methods, software tools and processes to improve the quality of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging for clinical use. Now, I work as a research data and software engineer at the Psychoinformatics Group at the INM-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich. I also have a postdoc position at the SYNC developmental neuroscience lab at Erasmus University Rotterdam. I am autistic, and I’ve written about my late diagnosis here.
Background
I am a South African in The Netherlands. I have a partner and two kids who are objectively the best three persons in the world (no bias here). I worked two industry jobs for about 4 years after completing an M.Sc. in Mechatronic Engineering. Then I moved to the Netherlands, completed a 4-year PhD project and started my current job.
Open sciency stuff
I have found that software programming, creating useful software tools, creating educational content, and writing and speaking with others about all of this are activities that help me forget about the futility of existence. So I’m always trying to do more of that. I especially like doing that in the broad context of transparency and reproducibility in science.
I am involved in several “open science” themed initiatives, including OpenMR Benelux, DataLad, and the OHBM Open Science SIG.
Likes / dislikes
I like:
- Learning and reading
- Creating things (with code, with my hands, with words)
- Motivating people to organise around meaningful activities
- Underdogs
- Snowboarding
I dislike:
- Hierarchies
- Prestige
- Exclusivity
- Being told what to do
- Not having context