Bernard Evans

Research Interests

Educational Technology and Computing Neurosciences Software Engineering Computational neuroscience (incl. mathematical neuroscience and theoretical neuroscience) Computer Vision

Mr Bernard Evans

Lecturer

School of Computer Science and Information Technology

College of Engineering and Information Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Bernard Evans, Engineer/Neuroscientist Adelaide, Australia Higher Education2023 - Present University of Adelaide, Lecturer (School of Computer Science)2019 - 2023 University of Adelaide, Post-doctoral Researcher2015 - 2018 University of Adelaide, Doctorate of Philosophy2011 - 2014 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Sciences2001 - 2004 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Systems).Research Interests:Educational Technology, Computation Neuroscience, Behavioural Ecology, Computer Vision, Explainability in Neural NetworksPrevious:Software Engineer at:QinetiQ, BAE Systems, RLM Management

I am a full time lecturer in Computer Science. My main areas of research focus are:

1) Electrophysiological Recording and Computational Modelling of Dragonfly (Hemicordulia) visual neurons.

As an adept electrophysiologist, I have investigated (and continue to investigate) visual neurons found the in the third optic neuropil of the dragonfly brain. Of these neurons I have two main focuses, firstly widefield neurons which respond to coherent motion across the dragonfly's eye and secondly target neurons which respond to small objects (1-3 degrees) moving within the dragonfly's field of view. My particular interest is in how these neurons encode information in complex scenes including background clutter and motion.

2) Deep Learning Networks

I investigate the application of deep learning networks combined with algorithms inspired from research in insect brains to produce systems which are able to successfully track small objects using very little computational power.

3) Computational Modelling

I develop computational models based on insect physiology and deploy these algorithms to hardware platforms (FPGA) for surveillance applications.

 

Date Position Institution name
2024 - ongoing Lecturer University of Adelaide

Language Competency
German Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

Date Institution name Country Title
2015 - 2018 University of Adelaide Australia PhD
2011 - 2014 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Sciences
2001 - 2004 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Systems)

Year Citation
2026 Schwarz, M. B., Evans, B. J. E., O'Carroll, D. C., Fabian, J. M., & Wiederman, S. D. (2026). Dragonfly target-detecting neurons adapt to stimulus saliency. Vision Research, 238, 108713.
DOI
2024 Hussaini, M. M., Evans, B. J. E., O'Carroll, D. C., & Wiederman, S. D. (2024). Temperature modulates the tuning properties of small target motion detector neurons in the dragonfly visual system. Current Biology, 34(18), 4332-4337.
DOI Scopus3 WoS4 Europe PMC1
2024 Schwarz, M. B., O'Carroll, D. C., Evans, B. J. E., Fabian, J. M., & Wiederman, S. D. (2024). Localized and Long-Lasting Adaptation in Dragonfly Target-Detecting Neurons. eNeuro, 11(9), ENEURO.0036-1-ENEURO.0036-14.
DOI
2022 Evans, B. J. E., O'Carroll, D. C., Fabian, J. M., & Wiederman, S. D. (2022). Dragonfly Neurons Selectively Attend to Targets Within Natural Scenes. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 16, 1-13.
DOI Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC5
2022 Lancer, B. H., Evans, B. J. E., Fabian, J. M., O'Carroll, D. C., & Wiederman, S. D. (2022). Preattentive facilitation of target trajectories in a dragonfly visual neuron. Communications Biology, 5(1), 829-1-829-13.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2020 Lancer, B. H., Evans, B. J. E., & Wiederman, S. D. (2020). The visual neuroecology of anisoptera. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 42, 14-22.
DOI Scopus10 WoS11 Europe PMC6
2019 Evans, B. J. E., O'Carroll, D. C., Fabian, J., & Wiederman, S. D. (2019). Differential tuning to visual motion allows robust encoding of optic flow in the dragonfly. The Journal of Neuroscience, 39(41), 8051-8063.
DOI Scopus15 WoS17 Europe PMC9
2019 Lancer, B. H., Evans, B. J. E., Fabian, J. M., O'Carroll, D. C., & Wiederman, S. D. (2019). A target-detecting visual neuron in the dragonfly locks-on to selectively attended targets. The Journal of Neuroscience, 39(43), 8497-8509.
DOI Scopus27 WoS29 Europe PMC14
2018 Evans, B., O'Carroll, D., Fabian, J., & Wiederman, S. (2018). Differential adaptation to visual motion allows robust encoding of optic flow in the dragonfly.
DOI
2018 Lancer, B., Evans, B. J. E., Fabian, J., O'Carroll, D., & Wiederman, S. (2018). Target-detecting neurons in the dragonfly lock on to selectively attended targets.
DOI

Year Citation
2023 Pratt, H. C., Evans, B. J. E., Reid, I. D., & Wiederman, S. D. (2023). Ball Detection for a Lightweight Mobile Platform. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Image Computing: Techniques and Applications (DICTA 2023) (pp. 89-96). Online: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
DOI
2020 Pratt, H., Evans, B., Rowntree, T., Reid, I., & Wiederman, S. (2020). Recurrent Motion Neural Network for Low Resolution Drone Detection. In Proceedings of the Digital Image Computing: Techniques and Applications (DICTA 2020) (pp. 1-7). online: IEEE.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2016 Evans, B., O'Carroll, D., & Wiederman, S. (2016). Salience invariance with divisive normalization in higher-order insect neurons. In A. Beghdadi, S. Bourennane, A. Bouzerdoum, M. Pedersen, L. Oudre, & R. Jiang (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2016 6th European Workshop on Visual Information Processing (pp. 1-6). Marseille, France: IEEE.
DOI Scopus3
2015 Weerasinghe, A., & Evans, B. (2015). UML-IT: an ITS to teach multiple modelling tasks. In C. Conati, N. Heffernan, A. Mitrovic, & M. Verdejo (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence in Education Vol. 9112 (pp. 816-819). Madrid, Spain: Springer.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2015 Evans, B., Parslow, B., O'Carroll, D., & Wiederman, S. (2015). Quantifying asynchrony of multiple cameras using aliased optical devices. In R. Jennane (Ed.), Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Image Processing, Theory, Tools and Applications (pp. 567-572). Orleans, France: IEEE.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2
2015 Parslow, B., Evans, B., O'Carroll, D., & Wiederman, S. (2015). Multi-focal video fusion with a beam splitter prism. In R. Jennane (Ed.), 5th International Conference on Image Processing, Theory, Tools and Applications 2015, IPTA 2015 (pp. 556-560). Orleans, France: IEEE.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1

Year Citation
- Evans, B. (n.d.). Lancer_et_al_2022_Communications_Biology_Public_data.zip.
DOI

Year Citation
- Hussaini, M., Evans, B., & Wiederman, S. (n.d.). Data analysis scripts for 'Higher temperatures improve visual sensitivity and broadens tuning to faster velocities in dragonfly target-detecting neurons' [Computer Software].
DOI

Year Citation
2024 Arudkar, A. G., & Evans, B. J. E. (2024). CRIS: Collaborative Refinement Integrated with Segmentation for Polyp
Segmentation.

2021 Research Infrastructure Funding Awards, $44,953

Infrastructure for laboratory upgrade

2020 Research Committee Funding Scheme, $1000

Research Services Support Fees

3MT Travel Grants, $3000 Travel Grant

I am a full time lecturer in Computer Science and have lectured in the following subjects:

  • Mining Big Data (Masters)
  • Big Data Analysis and Project (Masters)
  • Concepts in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (Masters)
  • Applied Machine Learning (Level 4)
  • Search Based Software Engineering (Level 4)
  • Using Machine Learning Tools (Level 3)
  • Introduction to Statistical Machine Learning (Level 3)
  • Artificial Intelligence (Level 3)
  • Advanced Topics in Computer Science (Level 3)
  • Operating Systems (Level 3)
  • Algorithm and Data Structure Analysis (Level 2)
  • Problem Solving and Software Development (Level 2)
  • Systems Programming (Level 2)
  • Topics in Computer Science (Level 2)
  • Algorithm Design and Data Structures (Level 1)
  • Introduction to Software Engineering (Level 1)

I have also been a guest lecturer for:

  • Cellular and Systems Neurobiology (Level 3)
  • The Neuroscience of Human Behaviour (Level 2)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor Using Explainable Machine Learning to Explore Risk Signatures for Parkinson's Disease in Integrated Medical Imaging and Clinical Data Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ankush Gajanan Arudkar
2024 Co-Supervisor Using Explainable Machine Learning to Explore Risk Signatures for Parkinson's Disease in Integrated Medical Imaging and Clinical Data Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ankush Gajanan Arudkar
2022 Co-Supervisor An anatomical and physiological investigation of odonate vision. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Katie Marie Skeen
2022 Co-Supervisor The Effect of Temperature on the Electrophysiological Properties of Dragonfly Small Target Motion Detecting Neurons Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Mahdi Hussaini
2022 Co-Supervisor The Effect of Temperature on the Electrophysiological Properties of Dragonfly Small Target Motion Detecting Neurons Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Mahdi Hussaini

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Lightweight and Motion Guided Neural Network Algorithms for Onboard Drone Detection and Flight Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Hamish Christopher Pratt

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