About
Helga Ingimundardóttir
About
An engineer who has worked in both industry and academia — and can translate between them.
I am an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Iceland. My research sits at the intersection of machine learning and optimisation: how to learn good decision rules from data instead of hand-crafting them. Before academia I spent a decade in industry — deCODE genetics, CCP Games, Travelshift, AGR Dynamics and Valka — and that experience shapes how I teach: real data, real stakeholders, real uncertainty.
Affiliations
Speciality
- Optimization
- Mathematical modeling
- Data science
- Artificial intelligence
- Business intelligence
- Computational intelligence
Academic appointments
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2024–
Fellow of the Teaching Academy
Icelandic Teaching Academy, University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Recognised for excellence and innovation in university teaching.
The fellowship reflects a sustained commitment to active learning pedagogies, including flipped classroom design, project-based assessment, and industry-engaged curricula that connect students with real-world engineering challenges.
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2023–
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Teaching business intelligence, discrete-event simulation, operations research and information engineering — with real data from Icelandic companies.
My focus is on bridging theoretical knowledge with practical skills, emphasising the use of real-world data in collaboration with Icelandic companies. Specialising in courses such as Business Intelligence, (Discrete) Simulation, Operations Research and Information Engineering, I equip students with the tools and insights needed to excel in the industrial sector.
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2023
Postdoctoral Researcher
Industrial Engineering Department, University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Member of the IDeLM (Intelligent Decision Learning Models) research team, funded by the Icelandic Research Fund.
The IDeLM project develops intelligent decision-making models by applying machine learning and data analytics, with the goal of enhancing decision processes across domains. My responsibilities included conducting research, analysing data, developing machine learning models, and collaborating with the team.
Education
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2009–2016
Ph.D. in Computational Engineering
University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Hyperheuristics for job-shop scheduling, supervised by Prof. Tómas Philip Rúnarsson.
Automating the scheduling process for Job Shop Scheduling Problems using ordinal regression, and analysing the problem difficulty and the algorithm footprints in instance space for such optimisation problems. Awarded a doctoral grant from the University of Iceland Research Fund.
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2010–2012
Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies in Higher Education
School of Education, University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
A 30 ECTS programme in university teaching — one of the inaugural participants in 2010.
A programme spearheaded by Professor Guðrún Geirsdóttir, tailored to faculty and doctoral students teaching at the University of Iceland. Coursework across three semesters covered university-level teaching studies, course design and assessment, and reflective practice. The final class produced a grant application that was funded by the University of Iceland Teaching Fund.
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2008–2010
M.Sc. in Computational Engineering
University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Wavelet transforms for fouling detection in heat exchangers, in collaboration with the Université de Valenciennes.
Research with Prof. Sylvain Lalot at the Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis, France (now the Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France), exploring the feasibility of using wavelet transforms to detect fouling in cross-flow heat exchangers from measurements taken during normal operation. Awarded a grant from the French Embassy in Iceland to study in France.
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2005–2008
B.Sc. in Mathematics
University of Iceland · Reykjavík, Iceland
Specialisation in Computer Science.
Industry experience
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2022–2023
Head of AI Research
Travelshift · Reykjavík, Iceland
Led the AI research team optimising vacation packages for GuideToEurope.com — the travelling thief problem.
The team developed data-driven optimisation for vacation packages offered on GuideToEurope.com. The core problem was the NP-hard travelling thief problem, which combines the knapsack problem with the travelling salesman problem. I also contributed to related patent applications.
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2021–2022
Data Scientist
CCP Games · Reykjavík, Iceland
Led development of a real-time recommendation engine for new EVE Online characters.
Built real-time time-series features from proto-events on Kafka streams using the TimescaleDB extension for PostgreSQL, and developed ad-hoc metrics to measure content quality and engagement for the new recommendation models.
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2016–2021
Research Scientist
deCODE genetics · Reykjavík, Iceland
Founding member of the Oxford Nanopore team; ran the long-read pipeline that processed 6 petabytes in three years.
Responsible for implementing and maintaining the long-range sequencing analysis pipeline. Collaborated with the lab on protocols and with IT on cluster and disk architecture to process a large volume of data (6 PB over three years) while ensuring data integrity. Also co-authored research papers with the ONT team and operationalised research findings for production use.
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2015–2016
SQL Consultant
AGR Dynamics · Reykjavík, Iceland
Implemented AGR 5, a web-based supply chain management system, into client ERP systems.
AGR 5 lets users visualise sales history and generate order proposals using statistical forecasting. The work involved implementation, database maintenance and custom SQL solutions tailored to individual customers.
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2013–2015
Computational Engineer, Research and Development
Valka (now part of JBT Marel) · Kópavogur, Iceland
Designed an intelligent fish portioning algorithm from X-ray imagery and generalised bone detection across species.
Valka is a leading provider of equipment and automation for fish processing. Alongside the portioning and bone-detection algorithms, I contributed to three-dimensional visualisation of fish bones and carried out efficiency testing and reporting.
Talks and outreach
Invited talks
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2025
Invited talk: HiDef Textiles: Reviving Tradition with Innovation
Reykjavík DataBeers, 25 January 2025
Empowering creativity and sustainability in textile production through digital transformation — Icelandic knitting tradition meets modern tooling.
The talk showed how the HiDef Textiles project modernises textile production by combining traditional Icelandic knitting techniques with digital design tooling. Data and slides are on GitHub.
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2024
Invited talk: Software development and people
The Icelandic Computer Society (SKÝ)
On transparency and communication between teams in software development, drawn from experience across industries.
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2023
Invited talk: Pushing Boundaries: A Data-Driven Dive into The Legend of the Ice People
Advania Autumn Conference, Harpa, Reykjavík
Where literature meets data science: insights from the Icelandic book releases and Storytel audiobooks.
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2023
Invited talk: The Legend of the Cat People
6th Reykjavík Data Beers, Orkuveita Reykjavíkur
An engineering perspective on Margit Sandemo 1980s sensation (with cat memes). All data and code on GitHub.
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2022
Panellist: The impact of language technology and AI on Icelandic
3rd European Language Resource Coordination (ELRC) workshop in Iceland
A discussion with developers, integrators and users on the status and future of language technology in Iceland.
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2010
Invited speaker: Politechnika Śląska, Gliwice
Erasmus+ Teaching Staff Mobility Programme
Invited by Prof. Waldemar Grzechca; presented my doctoral research to the Faculty of Automation, Electronics and Computer Science.
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2009
Invited speaker: Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis
ENSIAME (now the Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France)
Presented my Masters research to the faculty, as part of the collaboration with Sylvain Lalot.
Nothing to show at this detail level.
Conference presentations
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2016
Founding workshop: Association of Women in Science (SKVÍS)
SKVÍS
Took part in the founding workshop, developing strategies to increase the visibility of women experts in the media.
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2016
Doctoral defence: ALICE: Analysis & Learning Iterative Consecutive Executions
University of Iceland, 30 June 2016
Opponents: Prof. Edmund Burke and Prof. Kate Smith-Miles.
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Media
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2024
Newspaper interview: An autonomous knitting machine in the making
Morgunblaðið, Reykjavík
Coverage of three students making a 1990s knitting machine run autonomously — part of HiDef Textiles.
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2017–2020
Podcast host: ÍSKISUR
Alvarpið & Storytel
Read all 47 books of Margit Sandemo Legend of the Ice People with two friends — and curated the internet-cat segment.
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2016–2017
Recurring podcast guest: Tæknivarpið
Hlaðvarp Kjarnans
Discussing the latest technology, from iPhones and Star Wars to gender representation in IT.
Nothing to show at this detail level.
Service and committees
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2015, 2023–
Advisory board member, Technology Development Fund
Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís)
Advisory board assessing grant applications for technological development and innovation in Iceland.
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2018–2021
Board member of the company union
deCODE genetics
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2016
Treasurer of the company union
AGR Dynamics
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2014–2015
Treasurer of the company union
Valka
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2011–2012
Science Committee member
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland
Graduate student representative on the committee that promoted research activity and cross-disciplinary discussion.
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2011
Founding member of Arkimedes
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland
The society for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers at the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences.
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2009–2011
Co-founder and Treasurer of Heron
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland
Merged defunct student organisations into one body representing postgraduate students, and managed its finances.
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2009–2010
Treasurer of BEST Reykjavík
Board of European Students of Technology (BEST)
Represented BEST Reykjavík at the General Assembly and organised two academic courses hosting 20 European students.
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2006–2007
President of Stigull
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland
The undergraduate student organisation for Mathematics and Physics.