© 2021. Antonio Gracia.
ABOUT ME
I was born in a warm and beautiful city called Cordoba (Spain), in 1985. I am passionate about engineering, natural sciences and technology. I have a multidisciplinary background in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data science, big data, large scale data analysis, data visualisation, supercomputing, aerospace engineering, planetary sciences, bioinformatics, robotic devices and virtual reality. I enjoy practicing scuba diving, which allowed me to obtain the advanced scuba diver and rescue diver licenses.
I am a strong advocate of the use of multidisciplinarity as a platform to solve important technological, engineering and scientific challenges.
Doctor in Computer Science with 11 years of experience, currently guiding the Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence research efforts at Boeing Research & Technology Europe, in Madrid. My work is focused on helping shaping and strengthen Boeing's AI international strategy. My responsibilities include finding AI opportunities and projects across the industry and academia, collaborating and serving as a liaison between different Boeing International Centers (i.e. the Middle East, Russia, Australia, USA, Brazil, India, and China), and growing our AI international team. My hope is that this will ultimately allow for the expansion of Boeing's AI capabilities, thus bringing the full benefits of AI technology to the entire company as well as society at large.
75% is focused on improving Boeing aircraft reliability while reducing costs by applying advanced Machine Learning and AI for predictive maintenance, time series forecasting, manufacturing processes optimization, estimation of aircraft time of arrival, trajectories, fuel consumption, etc., and solving flight autonomy-related problems by using computer vision and other technologies.
15% of my time is focused on searching for funding options and research opportunities in AI, as well as proposing new ideas of collaboration between different companies and universities. This involves writing project proposals (e.g., European Commission calls) to attract funding.
The remaining 10% is pure fun!!
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
I obtained the Master's degree in 'Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality' by the 'Universidad Rey Juan Carlos' (Madrid), back in 2010. In my Master's thesis I studied robotic and haptic devices aiming at creating a computer simulation of a mathematical model for an articulated hand that could be integrated into an advanced physics engine. The aim was to achieve an innovative and realistic experience in the field of Human-Machine interaction, providing touch and force sensations in the interaction of humans with virtual environments. The results were published in an international journal, presented in the World-Haptics 2011 conference and awarded as the Best student-paper.
In 2012 I received my second Master's degree, in 'Advanced Computing for Science and Engineering', by the 'Universidad Politécnica de Madrid'. I conducted research on Bioinformatics, focusing on the large-scale analysis and processing of neurons data, as well as DNA microarray data from different kinds of cancer, such as leukemia, glioblastoma, lymphatic, stomach, breast and liver. I focused on non-linear mathematical data dimensionality reduction methods aiming at developing advanced visualization techniques for the visual diagnosis of patients. The underlying idea of the thesis was one of the finalists in the IDEA2 Madrid 2012, which is a program in the field of Biotechnology organized by important institutions: MIT, Harvard and Comunidad de Madrid.
In June 2014 I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science by the 'Universidad Politécnica de Madrid'. During my doctorate I worked in the Center for Biomedical Technology (Madrid) along with well-known oncologists and neuroscientists (e.g., Dr. Cristóbal Belda and Dr. Javier de Felipe) on the analysis of large-scale biological and medical data from Magnetoencephalography (MEG) techniques on the human brain. The aim was the early detection of cancer and mental diseases. I conducted research on the combined use of non-linear machine learning, data reduction, visualization and supercomputation techniques to extract patterns hidden in massive amounts of data. Afterwards, those patterns were used to create statistical models that, using visualization techniques, could help in the early detection of Cancer, Alzheimer and Dementia. In order to drastically reduce the computational time, I used one of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe, Magerit (Madrid). My doctorate was framed within two innovative scientific projects: the Cajal Blue Brain (the first attempt of simulating the mammalian brain by carrying out reverse engineering), and Gaia mission (European Space Agency).
In parallel to my Ph.D., I devised a software technique that used as input datasets from MEG techniques to visualize the connections between different active regions in the human brain, in 3D real-time. That development was shown to Her Majesty the Queen Sofía of Spain during a visit to the Center for Biomedical Technology, in February 2012.
3D real-time simulation of the interconnections between the regions in the human brain that are activated when a patient undergoes to different learning tasks
Magnetoencephalography machine
Her Majesty the Queen Sofía of Spain visiting the facilities where the Magerit supercomputer is located, in Madrid
Shortly before finishing my PhD, I was lucky to be selected for a postdoctoral position granted by the Swiss National Science Fundation (SNSF) to conduct research in Planetary Science, at the Physics Institute for Space Research and Planetary Sciences (University of Bern, Switzerland). I decided to steer my career to space research working for European Space Agency's Rosetta and ExoMars missions. My research group carry out a wide range of activities, from planetary remote sensing to the building of scientific instruments (e.g., CaSSIS, BELA, Rosina and CHEOPS) integrated onboard spacecrafts for such missions.
Antonio Gracia (engineer), Raphael Marschall (physicist) y Olivier Poch (astrobiologist) visiting the facilities where the BELA instrument is built. BELA is a laser altimeter onboard the spacecraft currently orbiting Mercury, in the ESA's BepiColombo mission
ExoMars mission blasting off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan (Russia) on the 14th March 2016
In Bern we studied objects in the Solar System through the use of pretty sophisticated remote-sensing methods. We focused on planetary bodies and surfaces where dynamic phenomena often occur (e.g., comets, Mars and moons like Europa). Furthermore, we also studied the interaction of light with planetary surfaces in the Solar System and, particularly, the physics of the dynamic phenomena that involve large amounts of ice. The group is funded by the SNSF, within NCCR PlanetS which is a project that groups some of the most well-known swiss universities to conduct astronomical observation, measurements of the solar system bodies through spacecrafts, laboratory work and theoretical modelling. The aim is to understand better the origin, evolution and characterization of the planets.
Visualization of the atmospheric dynamics in exoplanets. This work was published in the New York Times newspaper, June 2015.
In Switzerland my research focused on different aspects in Planetary Sciences: a) large-scale data analysis, statistical methods, processing and reduction of multidimensional planetary data, b) combined use of GPU hardware and laboratory measurements to create physical models to simulate the sunlight scattering on computer-generated fractal planetary surfaces; c) geometric calculations of the position and orientation of the Sun respect to planetary surfaces, aiming to create physics models about the temperature, gas and dust distribution on such surfaces; d) creation of innovative techniques for the scientific visualization of data; e) integration of virtual reality devices into space simulations using 3D high resolution planetary shape models.
Nicolas Thomas (Scientist and director of the Physics Institute for Space Research, Bern), Antonio Gracia and Ellen Stofan (Former NASA Chief Scientist)
In 2016 I went to the UK to purse my third master's degree and specialize in Astronautics and Space Engineering, by the University of Cranfield (UK). My aims were to get a more profound, technical and global sight of the engineering side and mathematics in space missions, thus complementing the scientific background acquired during my postdoc.
Scientists working on the International Space Station, 400 kms away from the Earth surface
Soyuz TMA - 14M
I wanted to understand better how space exploration works from inside, for example, how spacecrafts behave and navigate in space, from a mathematical and physics point of view. To do that I studied aspects of space flight, space systems engineering, orbital mechanics, space missions analysis, space propulsion and life support systems. Also, I felt special curiosity about finding new ways on how the growing GPU and AI technology could be successfully integrated on board spacecrafts, aiming to boost and improve their performance in space.
Apollo 17 Mission on its way to the Moon, 1972.
Expert activating the Veggie plant growth system aboard the International Space Station, May 2014.
In the master, we conducted two different projects to show that we acquired key skills in Space Engineering. The first was a group design project, in which we designed a Space Station, a Deep Space Habitat (DSH), that could hold 14 people and operate for a minimum period of 1 year. The DSH would be located between the Earth and the Moon (60,000 km from the Moon), at a point of 'orbital stability' called L1 Lagrange. My contribution consisted in the design of the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS). To do this, I did a literature research on the existing modules, systems and technology onboard the International Space Station. I focused on the life support systems for the astronauts (amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, water and food required to carry out metabolic functions; management of biological waste; etc.), and environmental control (atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, ventilation, elimination of toxic gases in the cabin; fire suppression; etc.). After understanding these systems and how they correlated with each other, I was able to carry out a new conceptual design adapted to our DSH. We presented the final results to some partners of the aerospace industry and the feedback received was very positive and encouraging.
The second project was my master's thesis, focused on In Situ Resources Utilisation (ISRU). This project was proposed as a demonstration experiment compatible with a Luna-Resurs 27 type mission (European Space Agency), which will send and land a spacecraft to the lunar surface for the exploration of the Moon's South Pole in the decade of 2020s. The design consisted of a solar energy concentrator that collects and accumulates radiation from the Sun, thus providing thermal energy to a thermo-chemical reactor that contains regolith extracted from the lunar surface. After heat-based treatment of the regolith, the volatiles (e.g. water and hydrogen) contained in it are eventually released, chemical electrolysis of the water is carried out and oxygen is produced that is duly stored in tanks for human consumption. One of the main characteristics of this proposal is that the system was specifically designed to operate in the unique conditions of the Moon's South Pole. Furthermore, the system had the potential to be scaled up, significantly increasing the oxygen production rates to support future activities of an astronaut colony on the lunar surface. The project was supervised and validated by the European Astronaut Center (ESA), in Cologne. Next figure presents the main design of the proposed technology.
Engineering scheme of the proposed solar concentrator: the solar flux comes from the Sun directly entering to the concentrator. The concentrator reflects and powers this flow towards a thermochemical reactor that holds the lunar regolith, previously extracted from the lunar surface. After some time heating the regolith up, chemical reactions take place (through the use of methane and hydrogen) that release volatile substances contained in the lunar dust, such as water vapor and others. Later, after electrolysis processes, oxygen is extracted from the water vapor and finally stored for potential human consumption.
I strongly support the idea that multidisciplinarity is extremely important, therefore over the last years my research has been focused on applying my expertise in engineering to tackle scientific and engineering challenges coming from different fields, like: astrophysics, planetary sciences, aerospace engineering, bioinformatics, medicine, supercomputation, virtual reality, scientific visualization and robotic devices.
Fields:
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Large-scale data analysis
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Software development
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Scientific visualization
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Data Science
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Machine Learning
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Planetary science
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Physics
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Space engineering
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Supercomputing
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Bioinformatics
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Haptic / Robotic devices
Skills:
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Engineering
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Science
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Research and Development (R&D)
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Multidisciplinarity
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Effective Team-Working
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Public Speaking
PERSONAL
I enjoy doing sports, roller-skating, reading, listening to classical music or soundtracks and going to the cinema. I love nature and am passionate about animals and exploring new places and countries, environments and cultures. I also do some running, body-pump, weightlifting and scuba diving. Other interests include swimming and reading about well-known theories like Einstein's Theory of Relativity or learning languages.
I am commited with current topics like Climate Change and have interest in Politics. From my view, academia plays a fundamental role in the life of well-educated people living in an advanced society. This is why in my scale of values, education is an absolute priority.
I am a firm advocate of multidisciplinary education and I think that we all are obliged to try to know and learn, at least in an overall way, multiple fields of knowledge because only in that way we could be able to understand how the world, actually, works. All these fields, in different degrees, have contributed to the shaping of the current world. A significant part of this development lies on a strong investment in Science and Technology.
I am fascinated about Antarctica, its incomparable beauty, the Aurora Borealis and its uniqueness to study and analyze completely unspoiled data that have been directly extracted from such pristine environment. I am curious about working in such extreme environments in order to improve my social and operational skills on restricted places and, above all, to conduct scientific research directly on fieldwork by collecting and analyzing biological data, or to perform engineering tasks such as mantaining electrical systems and others.
I consider that participating actively and putting the acquired knowledge over the years at big institutions' service (like ESA, CERN, NASA or United Nations), should be a moral responsibility of scientists and engineers. Peaceful collaboration and respect between worldwide superpowers are key elements so that the results of such scientific experiments can be applicable and returnable, in terms of wealth, to the society. This, consequently, means the direct improvement in the life of millions of people on Earth and, furthermore it is an important economic engine for a country as well as a profound inspiration for the youngest generations to begin careers in STEM.
To wrap up, I am particularly concerned about the case of my homeland, Spain, and I believe that having spaniards working on the ISS and beyond would mean a propelling effect in education and inspiration. This would also mean a significant advance from which the entire society could benefit from, specially after the economic crisis over the last decade and the COVID-19 pandemic, more recently. That would be a magnificient way so that Spain could start thinking big and keep contributing to the global progress.
Top left: Dr. Harrison Schmitt working close to some lunar boulders (Apolo XVII Mission). Top right and bottom: Earth as seen from the lunar surface.
A chronological list of the universities where I studied in the past:
Universidad de Córdoba - (University of Córdoba). 2003 - 2007. Spain
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos - (Rey Juan Carlos University). 2008 - 2010. Spain
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - (Technical University of Madrid). 2010 - 2014. Spain
Technische Universität Darmstadt - (University of Darmstadt). 2012. Germany
Universidade de Lisboa - (University of Lisbon). 2013. Portugal
Universität Bern - (University of Bern). 2014 - 2016. Switzerland
Cranfield University. 2016 - 2017. United Kingdom
© 2021. Antonio Gracia.