The Journey is the Real Party!
Hello!
I'm Eyad Elyan, a Professor in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at Robert Gordon University and founder of the Machine Vision Research Group. My work bridges cutting-edge AI research with real-world industrial applications, turning complex data into actionable insights.
I lead multidisciplinary teams on R&D projects that advance machine learning and computer vision technologies, translating research into practical solutions for industry. My work has been recognized through the UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership Academic of the Year Award in 2023, awarded for pioneering AI solutions in remote inspection for the oil and gas sector.
By collaborating closely with industry partners, I help organizations make faster, smarter, and more secure decisions through innovative AI-driven approaches.
🎓 Education
| Degree | Field & University | Year |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | 3D Modeling and Recognition of Human Faces, University of Bradford, UK | 2008 |
| MSc | Software Engineering (Distinction), University of Bradford, UK | 2004 |
| BSc | Computer Science, Al Quds University, Palestine | 1999 |
💼 Career Journey
| Role | Institution & Notes | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | Robert Gordon University, School of Computing | 2020–Present |
| Reader (Associate Professor) | Promoted in recognition of research excellence | 2018 |
| Senior Lecturer | Advanced to Senior Lecturer role | 2015 |
| Lecturer | Joined RGU School of Computing | 2009 |
🔬 Research Focus
My research centers on applying machine learning and deep learning to solve real-world challenges. Key areas include:
- 🤖 Applied Computer Vision – Image classification, video understanding, and action anticipation
- 📊 Learning from Imbalanced Data – Generative AI for data synthesis and advanced sampling methods
- 🎬 Video Content Analysis – Human activity understanding and behavior prediction
- 📄 Document Intelligence – Object recognition in engineering diagrams and historical documents
Highlight Project
One of my pioneering contributions includes developing an end-to-end AI solution for processing and analyzing Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID), transforming how the industry handles complex technical documentation.
🏆 Recognition & Awards
🥇 UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership Academic of the Year 2023
For developing pioneering AI solutions that transformed remote inspection in the oil and gas sector🏅 Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award Finalist 2024
Recognition for impactful industry collaboration
👨🏫 Teaching
I’m passionate about educating the next generation of data scientists and AI practitioners:
- 📚 Advanced Data Science Development
- 💻 Data Science Development
- 🔍 Research Methods
- 👁️ Machine Vision
🎓 PhD Opportunities
I’m currently accepting PhD students in these exciting areas:
🎥 Deep Learning for Image and Video Analysis
Human activity analysis, anticipation, and behavior understanding, with particular interest in surveillance, safety and healthcare applications
⚖️ Learning from Imbalanced Data Sets
Generative AI for data synthesis, novel sampling methods to address class imbalance in various domains, and its applications in indusrtrial settings.
📐 Object Recognition in Complex Documents
Engineering diagrams, historical document analysis, with focus on improving spacial understanding and reasoning capabilities of AI models (e.g. VLMs).
🌐 Machine Vision Research Group
As head of the Machine Vision Research Group, I lead a talented team focused on converting complex, unstructured data into knowledge and actionable insights using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques.
Interested in collaborating or joining the team? Let’s connect!