Andrew Bolster Ph.D. MEng

andrew@bolster.online https://bolster.online

Data Science Leader and Systems Researcher with a wide range of experience across technical, business, and entrepreneurial fields.

Specific interests in and around cybersecurity, distributed systems, ‘trust’ in asymmetric risk environments, ML/SME co-design, software engineering best practices, STEM outreach, community management and development, market analysis and innovation strategy.

PhD Research at the University of Liverpool as part of a Anglo-French Defence Programme around Trusted Autonomous Submarines for Defence Applications.

Experienced Speaker, Panelist and commentator, with appearances at Regional and National events from TEDx and All-Island Innovation Conferences to representing the Northern Ireland technology and business communities in international trade-delegations.

Experience (2013 - Present)

Black Duck Software, Belfast

Senior R&D Manager [Black Duck Software] (2024 - Present)

Senior R&D Manager [Synopsys] (2022 - 2024)

Data Science Engineering Manager [NTT Application Security] (2020 - 2022)

Data Science Team Lead [WhiteHat Security] (2019 - 2020)

Led and managed a team of Data Scientists, driving cross-product initiatives across WhiteHat, Polaris, and Black Duck product lines. Focus areas included MLOps for automated vulnerability verification, dynamic payload generation, churn modeling, security metric evaluation, and NLP-based customer feedback analysis.

Acted as the primary stakeholder for LLM approval and AI/GenAI projects across Black Duck, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and compliance standards.

Key responsibilities included:

Served as the “Data Tzar,” overseeing data privacy, confidentiality, mobility, and cataloging. Chaired the AI tools review board and led the delivery of AI/LLM-driven tools and capabilities across the organization.

Delivered and monitored production-grade Machine Learning and LLM based solutions, providing accessible documentation and explanations of advanced statistical and data science practices. Worked closely with the Chief Architect to define architectural standards for ML projects.

Additionally, served as the UK Home Office Immigration Liaison ensuring compliance with immigration policies and procedures, UK R&D Tax Credit submission coordinator, sat on the UK Culture team, Fire Warden and First Aider.

Alert Logic, Belfast

Data Scientist (2018 - 2019)

Using advanced data mining and machine learning to analyse potential hacking and malware attacks on cloud infrastructure, improving coverage, value-assessment, and process control both internally and to customers.

Architected and built serverless TB-scale incident ETL and analysis platform, tracking both Research KPI’s, customer impacts for remediation, and overall operational monitoring.

Developed dynamic customer segmentation methodologies, and ML derived Content Signature validation/vectorisation techniques.

Generated internal software development, deployment, and scaling best practices in line with industry and academic state of art.

Sensum Co, Belfast

Data Scientist (2016 - 2018)

Sensum Co is a leading emotional analytics start-up engaged with global brands in the assessment of real-time audience/participant engagement and emotionality.

Primary responsibilities in data analysis and investigation, as well as the design, development and testing of of micro services based cloud API/SDK architecture for the real time collation and analysis of mixed modality biometric and context data.

Secondary responsibilities in the architecture of secure data services architecture, PII management, data visualisation, ingress, ETL, as well as on-site, cloud, and mobile data analysis and connectivity architecture.

TOM Ltd, Belfast / Liverpool, UK

Associate / SpriteGuard Product Manager / Director of Research and Development (PT 2012 - 2016)

Directed development and refinement of advanced wireless security systems for the public hotspot and payments services industries; product structure and marketing, including stakeholder discussion and trade show representation.

Farset Labs, Belfast, UK

Founder/Director (Voluntary 2011 - 2024)

Created the Farset Labs hackerspace in response to a demonstrated need for an independent, non-profit, charitable community of technology innovators, providing them a open space and shared resources to experiment, explore, and grow themselves, their projects, and relationships with local and global business.

Built Farset Labs as a hub for the technology community in Belfast and Northern Ireland as a whole, ensuring that the organisation remains agile and true to its core values.

Currently Farset Labs stands as a valued part of the technology, entrepreneurship, and STEM outreach communities, with collaborations with academia, government, and the private sector across Northern Ireland

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Portsdown West, UK

Analyst (2013)

Coordinated research between Information Management and Naval Systems departments to synthesize a coordinated, data driven approach towards maritime autonomy and its potential applications.

Culminated in significant contribution to a Five-Eyes Autonomy Exchange project.

Education

University of Liverpool, UK

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (2011 - 2016)

“An Investigation into Trust and Reputation Frameworks for Collaborative Teams of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles”

Working in the area of trust and security in telecommunications and autonomous networks for marine environments as part of a joint UK-FR PhD programme.

The programme was agreed at the 2010 Anglo-French Summit as one of the ten priorities in 2011 for the Anglo French Defence Research Group (AFDRG).

Included collaborations with:

Queen’s University Belfast, UK

MEng Electronics and Software Engineering (2006-2011)

MEng Project: “High-Speed bit-loading algorithms for Dynamic Spectrum Management in ADSL”

This five-year Extended Engineering course was designed to produce well-qualified engineers with a strong foundation in engineering knowledge, business practices, and management skills.

Focused on High Performance Computing and Digital Communications. Served as Student Representative throughout my time at Queen’s, culminating in a chairmanship during my final year, and participated in the IET’s Younger Members Committee.

Professional Associations and Accreditations

Core Proficiencies

Data Architecture, Data Science, LLMOps, MLOps, Data Governance, Workforce Management, Client Facing Presentations, Advocacy and Thought Leadership, Developer Enablement, Compliance and Security, Cross functional collaboration, AI/ML, PyData Stack, Cross-Cloud and On-Prem