Johnny is a software developer and occasional graphic designer. He has a background in physics and philosophy, with a particular interest in the intersection of the two.
What’s the most interesting project or problem you’re working on right now?
Applying concepts from category theory to give us new ways of articulating the decisions we’re making in our software architecture.
What social problem is nearest and dearest to you?
The exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie.
What role do you think tech can/should/could play in social impact?
Tech won’t save us, but there needs to be an alternative to technology created to extract resources (money, data, etc.), that instead serves the needs of communities. Far too often, tech is an accelerator of the destructive forces of the world rather than a tool for positive change.
What’s most surprising, unexpected or rewarding about working in transdisciplinary collaborations?
I love the density of communication between different team members and partners. It’s always rewarding getting a different perspective on a problem.
What in your education and/or past professional or personal experiences is most relevant to the work you’re currently doing?
The philosophy side of my Physics and Philosophy degree has proved surprisingly useful both in communicating precisely and in structuring software and data systems. At IDEMS it seems we always want to generalise our structures to just one more level…
Why did/do you choose to work at IDEMS?
I was looking for an ethically motivated job that would value my skills and enable me to contribute to meaningful projects.
Where is home? Anything you want to share about that?
I volunteer at a local mycology co-operative and am gradually digesting the wet foundations of Manchester through an expanding mycelium network.