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Mark Schmidt is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Science. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Large-Scale Machine Learning and is a Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute. His research spans multiple centers including CAIDA (Centre for Artificial Intelligence Decision-making and Action), the Data Science Institute, and the Machine Intelligence Learning Discovery (MILD) group. Dr. Schmidt's educational background includes a Ph.D. from UBC (2005-2010), an M.Sc. from the University of Alberta (2003-2005), and a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta (2000-2003). His academic career progressed from Postdoc positions at Simon Fraser University, Ecole Normale Superieure, and UBC to Assistant Professor (2014-2019), Associate Professor (2019-2024), and current Professor (2024-present) at UBC. His research focuses on machine learning optimization, with particular emphasis on improving numerical algorithms for large-scale machine learning applications. His work bridges theoretical optimization and practical applications across computer vision, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning. He has developed numerous optimization techniques including variants of stochastic gradient methods, coordinate descent algorithms, and natural gradient approaches. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on optimization for over-parameterized models, particularly transformers and large language models. His work addresses critical challenges in step-size selection, convergence guarantees, and efficient implementation of optimization algorithms. His research has significant implications for training deep neural networks more effectively and understanding why certain optimization methods outperform others in practice. Among his notable awards are the Dorothy Killam Fellowship (2025), Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship (2024), Sloan Research Fellowship (2017), and multiple UBC teaching awards. He has also received the Lagrange Prize in Continuous Optimization and Best Paper Award at AISTATS 2021. Dr. Schmidt actively supervises numerous graduate students, with over 40 PhD and Master's students listed as current or alumni members of his research group. His laboratory maintains strong connections with industry partners, with many alumni securing positions at leading AI companies including Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.

• Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Mathematical Optimization
• +6 more

Dr. Hassan Qudrat-Ullah is a Professor at the School of Administrative Studies, York University, and Coordinator of the Certificate in Logistics Management. He holds a PhD in Decision Sciences from NUS Business School and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on dynamic decision making, system dynamics modeling, energy planning, and interactive learning environments. He teaches courses on quantitative methods, logistics, and decision analysis, informed by global industry experience across 20+ countries. Research interests include sustainability, climate change, systems thinking, and educational applications of decision sciences. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Complexity in Applied Science and Technology and is a member of IEEE, DSI, and the International System Dynamics Society. His work has been published in Energy , Decision Support Systems , and others. Key projects include studies on 'structured-debriefing in dynamic decision making' and renewable energy policies in Africa. His recent articles (2023–2025) address AI integration in energy governance, system dynamics for supply chain resilience, and education for sustainability. Hassan advocates for systems thinking in K-12 education and enjoys traveling (visited 129 countries) and bird-watching.

• Sustainability
• Global/Climate Change
• System Dynamics
• +3 more

Alan Ritter is an Associate Professor at the School of Interactive Computing , Georgia Institute of Technology, with additional affiliation to the Machine Learning Center . His research focuses on Natural Language Processing , particularly robust models across domains/languages with fewer labels and efficient resource use, plus data-driven dialogue agents for open-topic conversations. Research Interests : Robust NLP models, cross-lingual transfer, resource-efficient learning, dialogue systems, cultural bias measurement, and privacy-aware language models Students : Mentors Ph.D. students in Georgia Tech's ML and CS programs, including Junmo Kang, Yang Chen, and Duong Minh Le. Alumni include Fan Bai (Ph.D. 2023), Yang Chen (Ph.D. 2024), and Andrew Li (M.S. 2024). Awards : NSF CAREER Award, Amazon Research Award, ACL 2024 Best Social Impact Paper, IUI 2009 Best Student Paper. Recent Work : Studies training budget allocation between supervised and preference-based finetuning, cross-lingual information extraction, cultural bias in LLMs, and privacy risk mitigation in social media disclosures. Service : Served as Program Chair for NAACL 2025, Area Chair for multiple top-tier conferences (COLM, EMNLP, ACL, EACL, AAAI). Email : alan.ritter@cc.gatech.edu

• Natural Language Processing
• Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• +4 more

Geoffrey E. Hinton is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto. He is renowned for his foundational contributions to machine learning, particularly in the development of deep learning and neural networks. His research focuses on understanding learning processes in both artificial and biological systems, with key contributions including Boltzmann machines, backpropagation, and deep belief networks. He teaches advanced machine learning courses such as CSC2535, emphasizing topics like graphical models, variational inference, and deep learning architectures. His work has been published extensively in top journals and conferences, with recent papers exploring forward-forward algorithms, analog diffusion models, and scalable neural network training methods. Hinton has advised numerous PhD and master's students and collaborates with institutions like Vector Institute. He is a central figure in the global AI community, regularly presenting at conferences (e.g., 2023 talks on CBS 60 Minutes, BBC, and PBS). His lab focuses on advancing machine learning theory and applications, addressing challenges in vision, language, and generative models.

• Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Neural Networks
• +3 more

Robert Rohling is a Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Applied Science, affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and holding a joint appointment with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. As Director of the Institute of Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS), his research focuses on biomedical engineering, medical imaging, robotics, and computational methods. B.A.Sc. (UBC) M.Eng. (McGill) Ph.D. (Cambridge) Rohling's work spans three primary research areas: medical imaging (3D ultrasound, spatial compounding, elasticity reconstruction), medical information systems (radiologist navigation tools for large image datasets), and robotic calibration for surgical applications. His multidisciplinary approach integrates mechanical and electrical engineering principles with clinical needs. Rohling's publications (2020-2022) reveal trends in advanced ultrasound techniques (e.g., shear wave vibro-elastography), AI-driven image processing (cycleGAN translation), and computational optimization for diagnostic accuracy. Keywords across his work include Medical Imaging, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics, and Computational Modeling. As director of the Robotics and Control Laboratory , Rohling leads interdisciplinary collaborations with industry and clinical partners to address practical challenges in medical diagnostics and surgical robotics. His research emphasizes translating engineering innovations into clinical practice.

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Medical Information Systems
• +3 more

Professor Ihab Ilyas is a leading figure in data management and machine learning at the Cheriton School of Computer Science , University of Waterloo , where he holds the Thomson Reuters Research Chair in Data Quality . He is currently on leave from the university, serving as a Distinguished Engineer, Proactive Intelligence at Apple Inc . His research focuses on data cleaning , large-scale data integration , knowledge graphs , and machine learning applications in data quality . He has pioneered systems like HoloClean and Saga , with commercial impacts through co-founded startups Inductiv (acquired by Apple) and Tamr . PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University Co-founder of Inductiv (acquired by Apple) Co-founder of Tamr Research Interests include: Probabilistic and uncertain data management Machine learning for data quality and enrichment Big data systems and information extraction Knowledge graph construction and optimization Scientific Awards and Recognitions include: Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2024) C.C. Gotlieb Computer Award (2024) IEEE Fellow (2021) ACM Fellow (2020) Cheriton Faculty Fellowship (2013-2016) Ontario Early Researcher Award

• Data Management
• Data Cleaning
• Machine Learning for Data Quality
• +6 more

Maja J Matarić is the Chan Soon-Shiong Chaired and Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering, with courtesy appointments in Neuroscience and Pediatrics. She serves as founding director of the USC Robotics and Autonomous Systems Center, co-director of the USC Robotics Research Lab, and Principal Scientist at Google DeepMind. Previously, she held leadership roles as USC's interim Vice President of Research (2020-2021) and Vice Dean for Research (2006-2019). Her educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from MIT (1994) MS in Computer Science from MIT (1990) BS in Computer Science from University of Kansas (1987) Matarić pioneers Socially Assistive Robotics (SAR) , a field her lab named, focusing on human-robot interaction that provides assistance through social rather than physical support. Her research targets critical health and wellness challenges including post-stroke rehabilitation, autism spectrum disorder therapy, cognitive exercises for Alzheimer's patients, ADHD academic support, and mental health interventions. She develops systems modeling user engagement, personality, and motivation, with extensive real-world deployments in schools, rehabilitation centers, and homes. Analysis of her recent publications reveals dominant themes in cognitive health robotics (2025 CHI paper on LLM-powered elder care), pediatric assistive technology (2025 IDC speech therapy review), and adaptive preference modeling (2025 HRI contrastive learning work). Her research consistently bridges machine learning with human-centered design for vulnerable populations. Major scientific recognition includes: ACM Athena Lecturer Award (2024) ACM Eugene L. Lawler Humanitarian Award (2024) ACM Fellow (2020) Presidential Mentoring Award (2011) Multiple society fellowships (AAAS, IEEE, AAAI) As a dedicated mentor, Matarić has championed underrepresented groups through CRA-W, placing numerous women in faculty positions. She leads USC Viterbi's K-12 STEM Outreach Program serving low-income Los Angeles schools and authored The Robotics Prime for student education. Her research has secured significant funding enabling real-world technology transfer, with documented impact in rehabilitation centers and homes through deployable SAR systems. Her Robotics Research Lab at USC drives innovation in embodied AI, with current projects spanning LLM-integrated elder care robots, ADHD academic companions, and autism therapy systems. The lab emphasizes co-design with end-users and rigorous real-world validation across diverse populations.

• Socially Assistive Robotics
• Human-Robot Interaction
• Assistive Technology
• +7 more

Alexei A. Efros is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) at UC Berkeley, where he holds the Howard Friesen Professorship and is affiliated with the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab. He previously served on the faculty at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford. His research spans data-driven computer vision, self-supervised learning, computational photography, and applications to computer graphics and robotics. His research interests include: Data-Driven Computer Vision Self-Supervised and Unsupervised Learning Generative Models and Image Synthesis Visual Representation Learning Applications in Robotics and Human-Computer Interaction Intersections with Human Vision and the Humanities The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward self-supervised learning, visual reasoning, and generative modeling, particularly diffusion models and 3D scene understanding. His work increasingly bridges computer vision with language, robotics, and cognitive science, emphasizing interpretability and real-world applicability. There is a clear focus on leveraging unlabeled data and developing methods for robust, generalizable AI systems. His scientific awards and recognitions include: Berkeley Fellowship Google Fellowship Soros Fellowship NSF Fellowship SIGGRAPH Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award Facebook Fellowship Adobe Fellowship CMU School of Computer Science Distinguished Dissertation Award ACM Doctoral Dissertation Honorable Mention Alexei Efros has advised numerous PhD students and postdocs, many of whom have gone on to faculty positions at top institutions including CMU, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, NYU, and Georgia Tech. His lab has received research funding from major tech companies and federal agencies, though specific grants are not detailed in the text. He teaches core computer vision and machine learning courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels at UC Berkeley. His research group is highly active, with ongoing projects in 3D perception, generative modeling, and vision-language systems. He leads a vibrant research lab at UC Berkeley, part of the BAIR consortium, collaborating with leading researchers such as Jitendra Malik, Trevor Darrell, Pieter Abbeel, and Angjoo Kanazawa. His lab fosters strong interdisciplinary connections with institutions worldwide, including Oxford, INRIA, and École Normale Supérieure.

• Computer Vision
• Self-Supervised Learning
• Computational Photography
• +7 more

Jackie Chit Kit Cheung is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at McGill University, where he co-directs the Reasoning and Learning Lab. He holds the Canada CIFAR AI Chair and serves as an Associate Scientific Co-Director at the Mila Quebec AI Institute. He is also a consulting researcher at Microsoft Research Montreal. Academic Background: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Toronto (2010–2014) M.Sc. in Computer Science, University of Toronto (2008–2010) B.Sc. (Honours) in Computer Science, minors in Linguistics and German, University of British Columbia (2004–2008) Research Interests: Jackie Cheung's research lies at the intersection of natural language processing, machine learning, and cognitive science. He focuses on natural language generation , automatic summarization , commonsense and pragmatic reasoning , and the evaluation of NLP systems . His work aims to build language models that reflect real-world structure and reasoning, with applications in health, education, and language revitalization. He is particularly interested in how implicit meaning is processed in context, a core concern in linguistic pragmatics. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2024–2025) show a strong emphasis on evaluation methodologies (e.g., COSMIC, ECBD), hallucination and factuality in language models, coreference and reasoning , and long-context modeling . He frequently collaborates across institutions and integrates insights from linguistics and psychology into NLP system design and analysis. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award, ACL 2018 Outstanding Paper Award, NAACL 2018 Student Research Workshop SAC Award, ACL 2024 (for COSMIC) Best Poster Award, CMDO AI-Health Symposium 2024 Advising and Grants: He advises a large and diverse group of graduate students, including PhD and Master’s candidates, often in co-supervision with other faculty. His group has received support from major AI and health research initiatives, including CIFAR and Mila. He has trained alumni who have gone on to faculty and industry research positions. He has served in leadership roles in top NLP conferences, including as Senior Area Chair, Workshop Chair, and Program Chair of Canadian AI 2018. Labs and Teams: He co-directs the Reasoning and Learning Lab at McGill and is deeply involved with Mila – Quebec AI Institute . He founded the NLP Reading Group at McGill, which brings together researchers from computer science, linguistics, and information studies to discuss theoretical and applied NLP topics.

• Natural Language Processing
• Natural Language Generation
• Automatic Summarization
• +12 more

Anamaria Crisan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, affiliated with the Insight Lab. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary work at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Data Visualization, and Applied AI/ML. She explores human-centered approaches to AI/ML systems, visualization design for decision-making, and healthcare data science applications. Dr. Crisan holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia (2019), an MSc in Bioinformatics (2010), and a BComp in Biomedical Computing from Queen’s University (2008). Her educational background bridges computer science, biology, and healthcare informatics. Her research interests include responsible AI/ML systems, interactive visualization for data-driven decisions, and leveraging visualization in healthcare to improve outcomes. She emphasizes transparency, trustworthiness, and human alignment in AI technologies. Her work spans diverse applications such as genomic epidemiology, dashboard design, and ethical AI evaluation. Notable contributions include studies on human-AI collaboration, visualization linters, and scalable dashboard census methodologies. She has published widely in top-tier venues like IEEE VIS and ACM CHI. Dr. Crisan’s lab (UW Insight Lab) focuses on human-centered approaches to automating data science and improving visualization practices in critical domains like healthcare and public health.

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Data Visualization
• Applied AI/ML
• +3 more

Sriram Subramaniam is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and holds the Gobind Khorana Canada Excellence Research Chair in Precision Cancer Drug Design. His research leverages cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to advance structural biology and drug design, focusing on protein dynamics and therapeutic target identification. Education: PhD in Physical Chemistry (1987) from Stanford University; MSc in Chemistry (1981) from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Subramaniam's interdisciplinary work combines cryo-EM with computational tools and molecular biology to study protein structures at atomic resolution. His lab has pioneered cryo-EM applications in precision medicine, including mapping small molecule drugs on patient-specific cancer mutants. Recent publications (2024-2022) highlight his contributions to understanding SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion, structural mechanisms of ATPases, and AI integration in structural biology. His research spans viral entry mechanisms, CRISPR systems, and neurodegenerative disease pathways. Scientific Awards: Gobind Khorana Canada Excellence Research Chair NIH Director’s Award for Scientific Excellence Fellow of the Biophysical Society Breakthrough Prize nomination Based at the Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, Subramaniam leads the Program in Cryo-EM Guided Drug Design, contributing to over 177 peer-reviewed publications with a career h-index of 58 and citations exceeding 12,340.

• cryo-electron microscopy
• structural biology
• drug-design
• +4 more

Aishwarya Agrawal is an Assistant Professor at Université de Montréal in the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research (DIRO), affiliated with Mila – Quebec Institute of Artificial Intelligence and a Canada CIFAR AI Chair. She also serves as a research scientist at Google DeepMind, spending one day weekly there. Education: B.E. in Electrical Engineering (IIT Gandhinagar, 2014), Ph.D. in Computer Science (Georgia Tech, 2019). Her research focuses on multimodal learning , deep learning , natural language processing , and computer vision , particularly in developing AI systems that 'see' and 'communicate' effectively. Grants & Awards: Canada CIFAR AI Chair, 2020 Sigma Xi Best PhD Thesis Award, NVIDIA Fellowship (2018–2019), and multiple fellowships from Google and Facebook. She leads projects like Advancing Multimodal Vision-Language Learning (CRSNG-funded) and StarDoc: Document Structure Extraction (MITACS). Research Contributions: Pioneered benchmarks like CulturalVQA and UI-Vision , and frameworks such as PROGRESS for efficient VLM training. Her work emphasizes cross-modal alignment, robust evaluation, and cultural understanding in AI systems. Labs/Teams: Active in Mila’s core academic group and collaborates with Google DeepMind on multimodal and vision-language research. Supervises a dynamic team of PhD and master’s students in Montreal.

• Multimodal learning
• Deep learning
• Natural language processing
• +3 more

Pascal Poupart is a Professor and Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, affiliated with the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. He leads research in reinforcement learning, probabilistic models, and federated learning systems. Research spans: Bayesian optimization efficiency improvements Inverse constraint learning from demonstrations Uncertainty quantification in neural networks Federated learning architectures Recent publications show 70% focus on reinforcement learning applications, with new methods developed for confident inverse constraint learning and preference-based generation. Manages the AI research group developing algorithms for material design and conversational agents.

• Reinforcement Learning
• Probabilistic Models
• Natural Language Processing
• +3 more

Dr. Anwar Haque is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Western University, Canada, and a Faculty of Science Distinguished Research Professor. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo. Prior to academia, he was Associate Director at Bell Canada. His research focuses on 5G networks, IoT, cybersecurity, AI, and autonomous systems, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and $15M in collaborative grants. Dr. Haque leads the Western Information & Networking Group (WING) Lab and is the founder/CEO of Bamboo Innovations Inc., a tech startup developing socially responsible smart technologies. Leadership roles include industry expert-in-residence in the Faculty of Science, Undergraduate Chair of the Computer Science Department, and member of Western’s Senate. He has delivered over 30 keynote talks and media features include BBC Earth and The Globe and Mail. Awards include the IEEE CCECE Leadership Award and multiple grants from NSERC, MITACS, and Bell Canada. His work spans network reliability, smart grids, and cybersecurity, with industry partnerships like the Bell-Western 5G Research Centre.

• Network Security
• 5G and Beyond Networks
• IoT
• +9 more

Sheila McIlraith is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto, holding the Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute and serving as Associate Director and Research Lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Her research spans AI safety, ethics, reinforcement learning, and knowledge representation, with a focus on human-compatible AI and long-term societal impacts. Her career includes six years as a Research Scientist at Stanford University and a year at Xerox PARC. McIlraith’s work has been recognized through ACM and AAAI fellowships, as well as prestigious awards like the SWSA 10-Year Award (2011) and the CAIAC Lifetime Achievement Award (2024). Research Interests: AI Safety and Alignment Human-Compatible AI Reinforcement Learning with Ethical Constraints Semantic Web Services Cognitive Robotics and Diagnostic Systems Probabilistic and Logical Reasoning Recent Contributions: Her work emphasizes ethical AI integration, such as the Embedded Ethics Education Initiative (E3I), and addresses challenges in long-term AI risks, multi-agent systems, and interpretable decision-making frameworks. Awards and Honors: ACM Fellow AAAI Fellow 2023 IJCAI-JAIR Best Paper Prize 2024 CAIAC Lifetime Achievement Award Labs and Teams: McIlraith leads initiatives at the Schwartz Reisman Institute and contributes to the Vector Institute, focusing on societal and ethical dimensions of AI technology.

• Artificial Intelligence
• AI Safety
• AI Alignment
• +9 more