Prof Po Yang
Contact Information:
Room 309, Regent Court
School of Computer Science
Faculty of Engineering
University of Sheffield
Sheffield, S1 4DP
Email: po.yang@sheffield.ac.uk
Number: +44(0)114 222 1861
Prof Po Yang (PY) is a Professor of Pervasive Intelligence in the School of Computer Science (COM) at the University of Sheffield (TUoS), Head of the Pervasive Computing Group, the Deputy Director of Research and Innovation in COM, and Turning BridgeAI Independent Scientific Advisor.
My current research interests are mostly about inter-disciplinary topics related to pervasive and mobile computing, multimedia computing, AI and data science, smart sensing, pervasive healthcare, precision agriculture, sustainable and low carbon technology, more recently. Since 2019, I have been the Principal Investigator on £1.5 million of research funding, and the Project Coordinator on over £4 million of research funding from InnovateUK, BBSRC, STFC, EPSRC, Research England, industrial funds, etc.
I have published 100+ journal papers and 80+ IEEE/ACM conference papers, with over 7000 citations (h-index 42). This includes 46 IEEE Trans/Journal, 10+ top conferences (AAAI, KDD, and CIKM), 4 ESI Highly Cited Paper, and the 2022-Outstanding Paper of IEEE IES Society TC-II. He serves as an Senior Editor in IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine, and Associate Editor of Journal of Biomedical Informatics and Scientific Reports.
I graduated with a BSc (hons) in Computer Science from Wuhan University in China in 2004, an M.Sc in Computer Science from the University of Bristol in 2006 and a Ph.D in Electronic Engineering from the University of Staffordshire in 2010. From February 2015 to July 2019, I have been working as a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Liverpool John Moores University. From January 2012 to January 2015, I work as a Post-doc Research Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Bedfordshire. Previously, I worked as a Research Assistant in Document image processing at the University of Salford from March 2010 to December 2011.
ABOUT Pervasive Computing Group
The Pervasive Computing Group, at the School of Computer Science, the University of Sheffield conducts cutting-edge research on intelligent pervasive computing methodologies for big data analytics. PC group designs scalable data analytic algorithms, creates open source data analytic software, and develops powerful pervasive intelligence for applications in health informatics, smart agriculture, big traffic analytics, and other scientific areas.
Opening: We are currently recruiting 1 x 4-years EPSRC Full PhD Studentship.
Opening: PC Group is currently looking for motivated Ph.D. students and post-doctoral researchers on data analytic and pervasive computing research. Interested candidates please email your CV and transcripts.
Our research focuses on developing intelligent, adaptive, and inclusive technologies for health, mobility, and sustainability through pervasive sensing and AI. I am always looking for talented, highly motivated PhD applicants with Master degree in computer science / applied mathematics. PhD positions with possible full/partial studentships in the area of:
1. Foundational AI Research: We advance core AI methods including lifelong learning, interpretable and responsible AI, and Maximal Coding Rate Reduction (MCR²). These techniques enable generalisable, explainable, and trustworthy intelligent systems across all our application domains.
Mobility Analysis: We study human mobility to understand health and behaviour. This includes analysing walking patterns for early signs of conditions such as Parkinson’s or COPD, and using driving behaviour to assess cognitive health and fitness to drive.
Pervasive Healthcare: We use mobile and pervasive sensing to support preventive care, patient-centred practice, and sustainable healthcare delivery through data-driven and AI-enabled methods.
Smart and Sustainable Agriculture: We apply AI, IoT, and big data to precision farming, focusing on soil health, fertiliser optimisation, and pest management to support the UK’s Net Zero goals.
Co-design and Inclusivity: We adopt co-design approaches, engaging users and stakeholders throughout our research to ensure solutions are inclusive, practical, and beneficial for diverse communities.
Potential candidates are encouraged to contact Prof Po Yang directly for informal discussions.