I’m a researcher in program synthesis, metaheuristic optimisation, machine learning, and computational creativity. I also write music and I write programs that write music.

I’m a lecturer in the School of Computer Science in the College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, in the west of Ireland. I teach mostly on the MSc in Data Analytics and MSc in Artificial Intelligence (classroom and online), and I’m the Programme Director for the MSc in Artificial Intelligence (Online).

I’m interested in supervising/mentoring researchers at undergrad, MSc, PhD, or post-doc level. Please see my research interests and contact me with a CV if interested.

I’ve previously worked and studied at:

• University of Galway (then known as University College Galway and later the National University of Ireland, Galway) (BSc in computer science and mathematics);

• Hewlett-Packard, Galway, Ireland (automated install and system management for supercomputers, at the time the fastest in the world);

• University of Limerick (PhD in evolutionary control of sound synthesis);

• University College Dublin (post-doctoral research in evolutionary design);

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (post-doctoral research in evolutionary design); and

• University College Dublin (Lecturer in Business Analytics and Programme Director of the MSc in Business Analytics, UCD College of Business).

• My Mastodon, @jmmcd@mastodon.social
• Unspoken Consensus, my Substack
• My publications in Google Scholar
• My ORCID
• My Github account
• An old homepage
• My reviews in Publons
• My other blog (will be migrated here, someday, maybe)
• My Bitbucket account