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
Yang P. Liu is an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University 's Department of Computer Science . He received his PhD from Stanford University under the supervision of Aaron Sidford and previously studied at MIT . Fields of Interest : Graph Algorithms, Optimization, High-Dimensional Geometry, Additive Combinatorics, Theoretical Computer Science. His research focuses on algorithmic design and analysis for graph problems, optimization, and combinatorics, with applications in machine learning and complexity theory. Recent work includes advancements in parallel repetition games , combinatorial lines , and dynamic graph algorithms . In 2024, his research spanned FOCS , STOC , and RANDOM conferences, addressing problems in k-CSPs , min-cost flow , and hypergraph sparsification . Earlier contributions (2023) included deterministic flow algorithms and spectral hypergraph techniques. Scientific Awards : NDSEG Fellowship (2018-2021), Google PhD Fellowship (2022-2023), FOCS Best Paper (2022), STOC Best Student Paper (2022), FOCS Best Student Paper (2021). He teaches CS 15-759 , a graduate course on convex optimization theory and applications, covering gradient descent, interior point methods, and algorithmic sparsification techniques.
Professor Lisa Strohschein holds dual roles as a Professor in the Sociology Department and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Arts. Her research focuses on family dynamics and health inequalities, employing longitudinal methodologies to analyze large datasets. She teaches courses on health sociology, mental illness, and socialization, emphasizing sociological perspectives on health distribution and care systems. Her research interests include the interplay between socioeconomic factors and mental health, gender disparities in marital outcomes, and generational shifts in parenting practices. She has published extensively on topics like teen pregnancy correlates, poverty dynamics, and the mental health implications of family structures. Strohschein has received the 2019-20 Killam Annual Professorship and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Studies in Population, a peer-reviewed journal focusing on demographic research. She also contributes to policy through roles like membership in Statistics Canada's Demographic Statistics Advisory Committee and past presidency of the Canadian Population Society. Her scholarly work bridges theoretical frameworks (life course, stress process theory) with methodological rigor, often using growth curve models and competing risks analysis. Current research trends emphasize cross-national comparisons and applied policy relevance, particularly in understanding how family transitions impact health across the life course.
Kuldeep S. Meel is the Stephen Fleming Early-Career Associate Professor at the School of Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto (on leave). He previously held a NUS Presidential Young Professorship at the National University of Singapore. His research focuses on automated reasoning, aiming to enable computing systems to handle uncertain real-world environments through scalable techniques integrating randomized algorithms, statistical inference, formal methods, distribution testing, and software engineering. Core research areas: Automated Reasoning, Formal Methods, Approximate Model Counting, Probabilistic Inference, Constraint Solving His research group has achieved significant recognition in both individual awards and publications. Key trends in his recent work include advancing model counting algorithms, developing frameworks for probabilistic explanations, and improving scalability in formal verification and constraint satisfaction. His tools have consistently ranked top in international competitions, demonstrating practical impact in automated reasoning. 2019 NRF Fellowship for AI 2022 ACP Early Career Researcher Award 2020 IEEE Intelligent Systems AI's 10 to Watch Top placements in Model Counting, SAT, and CAV competitions He mentors a diverse group of PhD and Master's students and collaborates with institutions worldwide. His group's publications span premier conferences in AI, formal methods, and design automation, reflecting interdisciplinary contributions to theoretical and applied computer science.
Dr. Joey Paquet is a Tenured Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He holds a PhD and specializes in research areas including Design and Implementation of Programming Languages, Context-Driven Computing, and Demand-Driven Computing. His work focuses on advancing programming paradigms and their applications in cybersecurity, distributed systems, and autonomic computing. Dr. Paquet is actively involved in thesis supervision across Computer Science and Software Engineering programs at both master's and doctoral levels. Research interests are centered around programming language design, particularly in demand-driven and context-aware systems. His contributions include frameworks like GIPSY and OpenISS, enabling scalable data processing and forensic computing. Recent work explores autonomic intent-driven networking, real-time gesture recognition, and IoT forensics. These efforts highlight his expertise in both theoretical constructs and practical implementations. His advising role supports students in MCompSc, MASc, and PhD programs. While specific grants are not detailed, his projects often involve interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Paquet is affiliated with platforms like LinkedIn and ResearchGate, reflecting an active academic presence. Key technical contributions include pioneering work on forensic computing backends, intent expression languages, and multimodal interaction systems. His research addresses challenges in cybersecurity, distributed systems, and service composition, with a focus on resilience and scalability.
Chaitanya Swamy is a Professor and University Research Chair in the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization at the University of Waterloo, Canada. His primary affiliation is within the Faculty of Mathematics, and he holds positions in both the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization and the School of Computer Science. He obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University under the supervision of David Shmoys, followed by postdoctoral research at Caltech's Center for the Mathematics of Information. Swamy’s research focuses on algorithms, particularly in combinatorial optimization, approximation algorithms, algorithmic game theory, stochastic optimization, network design, scheduling, and online algorithms. His work spans theoretical contributions and practical applications, including algorithm design for facility location, network routing, and mechanism design. He has contributed to foundational results in approximation algorithms, such as the development of primal-dual methods and LP-rounding techniques. Swamy has held significant editorial roles, including as an associate editor for Discrete Optimization and SIAM Journal on Computing . He has organized major conferences like CanaDAM 2021 and sessions at ISMP 2018. His teaching record includes courses on combinatorial optimization, scheduling, and algorithmic game theory. He has advised numerous Ph.D. and Master’s students, many of whom have gone on to prestigious academic and industry positions. Swamy’s research has been recognized through awards for his students, including the University of Waterloo Alumni Gold Medal. He actively contributes to the academic community through committee work for conferences like STOC, APPROX, and SODA, and his publications reflect a deep engagement with both theoretical and applied aspects of algorithms and optimization.
Abbas Milani is a tenured Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus, where he holds the Tier 1 Principal's Research Chair in Sustainable & Smart Manufacturing and serves as Director of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI). He also serves as Technical Director of the Composites Research Network (CRN), Lead of the Canadian-International Biocomposites Research Network, and leads multiple major initiatives including the UBC-Pacific Economic Development Canada-Advancing Circular Economy (ACE) program and the UBC-NRC IRAP National Circular Economy CtO Program. Dr. Milani's primary research focuses on advanced modeling, simulation, and multi-criteria design optimization of composite and biocomposite materials, structures, and manufacturing processes. His expertise spans Textile Composites/Biocomposites, Materials Constitutive Relations, Finite Element Modeling, Robust Inverse Methods, Material Selection for End-of-Life Design Strategies, Multiple Criteria Decision Making, and Industry 5.0 applications. His interdisciplinary research bridges mechanical engineering, sustainable materials science, and smart manufacturing technologies. Analysis of his recent publication record reveals a strong emphasis on sustainable materials development, with particular focus on biocomposites, life cycle assessment methodologies, and optimization of manufacturing processes. His work integrates computational modeling with experimental validation across diverse application areas including medical devices, sustainable packaging, and circular economy strategies. The publications demonstrate increasing integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches with traditional engineering methods. 2015 UBC Okanagan Researcher of the Year Award Killam Faculty Research Award (2016) Inducted into Royal Society of Canada - College of New Scholars (2020) Gold Medal Service Contribution Award by Academics World Reviewer Contribution Award by ASM International Multiple teaching excellence awards from UBC Dr. Milani has successfully mentored over 100 students and postdoctoral fellows who have secured positions in both industry and academia. His research program has been supported by more than $15 million in funding from government and industrial organizations. He leads the NSERC CREATE in Immersive Technologies (CITech) program and co-leads the Advanced Materials and Fabrication Core Competency within the Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) program, demonstrating his commitment to training the next generation of engineers and advancing applied research.
Caroline Lemieux is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia (UBC), with research focused on advancing software correctness, security, and performance through innovative testing and synthesis techniques. Her work bridges Programming Languages and Software Engineering , particularly in fuzz testing, specification mining, and program synthesis. PhD from University of California, Berkeley (2021), advised by Koushik Sen Postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research, NYC (2021-2022) Key contributions: FuzzFactory , CodaMOSA , Arvada , and Gauss Her research integrates machine learning with traditional testing methods, exemplified by projects like RLCheck (reinforcement learning for test generation) and AutoPandas (neural synthesis for dataframes). Recent publications analyze generator-based fuzzing challenges and propose hybrid strategies combining coverage feedback with AI-driven insights. Scientific Awards : ACM/SIGSOFT Best Paper Award (ESEC/FSE 2019) ACM/SIGSOFT Tool Demonstration Award (ISSTA 2019) ACM/SIGSOFT Distinguished Artifact Award (ISSTA 2019) NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship-Doctoral (PGS D) UBC Governor General's Silver Medal (2016) Teaching roles include: 2025W2: CPSC 539L - Topics in Programming Languages 2024W2: CPSC 410 - Advanced Software Engineering 2023W2: CPSC 410 (with Alex Summers) She supervises graduate and undergraduate researchers working on projects like ExploTest (automated unit test generation) and GRIMOIRE (grammar extraction from pseudo-rules). Her research team collaborates with institutions including Microsoft Research, Google, and academic partners in systems security and AI-driven testing.
Tim Huh is a Professor and Chair of the Operations and Logistics Division at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration. He specializes in inventory control, supply chain management, and operations research, with a focus on dynamic decision-making under uncertainty. B.A., B.Math, M.Math from University of Waterloo M.A. from Regent College M.S., Ph.D. from Cornell University His research spans theoretical and applied topics including renewable energy systems, healthcare operations, and digital learning analytics. Recent work explores wind power storage optimization, asynchronous video usage in education, and multi-echelon inventory solutions. Scientific recognition includes the Canada Research Chair in Operations Excellence and Business Analytics He teaches core business analytics and operations management courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels, emphasizing quantitative decision-making and process fundamentals.
Jelle Hellings is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computing and Software at McMaster University , Canada. His research focuses on high-performance large-scale data management systems with a strong theoretical and algorithmic component, including resilient systems (blockchains) , graph databases , and external-memory algorithms . He previously worked as a Postdoc Scholar at the University of California, Davis and earned his PhD from Hasselt University in Belgium. Education: Doctor of Sciences in Computer Science (2018), Hasselt University Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering (2011), Eindhoven University of Technology His research interests include scalable resilient systems with Byzantine fault tolerance, database theory, graph query languages, constraints on graph data, and external-memory algorithms for large graph datasets. He has authored numerous high-impact publications on blockchain-based resilient systems, query optimization in graph databases, and theoretical advancements in relation algebra expressiveness. Hellings actively contributes to academic service through program committee memberships and tutorial organization, and he currently teaches courses on future resilient databases and foundational computer science topics.
Gordon Geoffrey J. is a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, specializing in Machine Learning , Artificial Intelligence , and Computer Science . His research spans Reinforcement Learning , Domain Adaptation , Graph-based Planning , and Relational Learning , with significant contributions to Adversarial Learning , Deep Learning Dynamics , and Mobile Sensor Networks . He has pioneered algorithms like ARA* and Anytime Dynamic A* for efficient planning under constraints. Key research areas: Transfer Learning , Bayesian Knowledge Tracing , Multi-agent Systems , Database Optimization His work has been cited thousands of times across foundational topics in AI and robotics, demonstrating sustained impact in algorithm design and applications to complex systems.
Soo Jeon is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, part of the Faculty of Engineering. He holds a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley (2007) and prior degrees from Seoul National University. His research focuses on mechatronics, dynamic systems, and control, with applications in robotics, autonomous systems, and precision motion control. He has held roles as Assistant Professor (2009–2015), Associate Professor (2015–2024), and Full Professor (2024–present). Professor Jeon’s expertise includes intelligent sensing and control for mechatronic systems, nonlinear dynamics, and autonomous systems. He has received notable awards such as the 2022 Engineer of the Year Award (AKCSE/KOFST), 2015 NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement, and 2010 ASME Rudolf Kalman Best Paper Award. He serves as an Associate Editor for several journals, including the ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems and IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. His research interests span robotics, control systems, and automation, with recent work on autonomous navigation, tactile exploration, and model predictive control. He supervises graduate students in MASc and PhD programs and teaches courses like ME 649 (Control of Machines and Processes) and ME 360 (Introduction to Control Systems). Jeon holds patents in areas like low-power magnetic locks and remote plasma source seasoning. His lab, the Waterloo Mechanical Systems & Control Laboratory (WMSCL), focuses on advanced mechatronics and robotics projects, including collaborations with international institutions such as the Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM).
Ahmad Al-Dabbagh is an Assistant Professor in Manufacturing Engineering and holds a Principal's Research Chair in Control Systems (Tier 2) with the School of Engineering at The University of British Columbia. As a Senior Member of IEEE and ISA, he contributes significantly to the field of resilient automation and control systems through research, teaching, and professional service. His academic journey includes postdoctoral fellowships at Imperial College London, the University of Toronto, and the University of Alberta, where he also earned his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Al-Dabbagh's research focuses on designing resilient automation and control systems by addressing critical challenges in fault diagnosis, cyber security, and alarm management. His work spans theoretical foundations and practical applications in industrial control systems, with particular emphasis on detection and isolation of faults and cyber attacks, control reconfiguration, event-triggered control, remote state estimation, and alarm systems design. His research interests also extend to causality analysis, prediction methods, and root cause analysis for industrial processes. His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to control systems security and reliability, with recent work focusing on sophisticated methods for detecting false data injection attacks, analyzing alarm correlations using advanced machine learning techniques, and developing recommender systems for human operators in industrial environments. The trajectory of his research shows an evolution from foundational control theory toward increasingly complex applications in cyber-physical security and human-system interaction in industrial settings. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS – D3) Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship Governor General's Academic Medal (Gold) As a graduate student supervisor, Dr. Al-Dabbagh mentors the next generation of control systems engineers while maintaining an active research program. He serves as an Associate Editor on the IEEE Control Systems Society Conference Editorial Board and is a licensed Professional Engineer in British Columbia and Ontario. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as System Identification, Digital Enterprise, Systems and Control, and Internet of Things, reflecting the breadth of his expertise. Dr. Al-Dabbagh leads the Okanagan Laboratory for Control Systems Research, where his team develops innovative approaches to enhance the security and reliability of industrial automation systems. The laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research that bridges theoretical control engineering with practical industrial applications, particularly in the energy, manufacturing, and process industries.
Dominic Liao-McPherson serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia. His research bridges algorithmic control, optimization theory, and computational engineering with practical applications across robotics, energy systems, and aerospace domains. His academic background includes a BASc from the University of Toronto, PhD from the University of Michigan, and postdoctoral training at ETH Zürich: BASc (University of Toronto) PhD (University of Michigan) Postdoc (ETH Zürich) Dr. Liao-McPherson's research centers on developing real-time computational decision-making algorithms for physical systems. His work spans predictive and constrained control (including model predictive control and reference governors), real-time embedded optimization, and game-theoretic coordination mechanisms for multi-agent systems. Key application areas include energy grids, autonomous vehicles, additive manufacturing, and aerospace systems, with past projects covering spacecraft landing, engine emissions control, and aircraft upset recovery. His methodology emphasizes rigorous stability analysis, constraint satisfaction, and practical implementation on resource-constrained hardware. Analysis of his 2020-2022 publications reveals a strong focus on advancing optimization-based control frameworks. His work consistently addresses stability guarantees and constraint handling in real-time systems, with increasing emphasis on distributed algorithms for multi-agent coordination. The research demonstrates a clear trajectory from theoretical algorithm development (e.g., FBstab solver) toward experimental validation in complex engineering systems like diesel engines and autonomous networks. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. Regarding academic advising and research funding, the source text contains no information about current students, grant awards, or sponsored research projects. He directs the Algorithmic Optimization and Control Lab (AOCL) at UBC, as evidenced by his research website (aocl.mech.ubc.ca). The lab specializes in developing computationally efficient control algorithms for embedded systems, with particular expertise in handling physical constraints and coordination challenges in multi-agent environments across energy, manufacturing, and robotics applications.
Olivia Di Matteo serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering within UBC's Faculty of Applied Science, leading the Quantum Software and Algorithms Research (QSAR) group since her January 2022 appointment. Her academic foundation includes a BSc from Lakehead University and MSc/PhD in Physics (Quantum Information) from the University of Waterloo, completed in 2019. Dr. Di Matteo's research centers on quantum software engineering , with pioneering work in quantum compilation , circuit optimization , and debugging tools . She champions open-source quantum frameworks and develops accessible educational resources to democratize quantum computing. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2021-2025) reveals dominant trends in quantum programming infrastructure, particularly circuit analysis (33%), bug classification (20%), and qubit network optimization (15%), with strong emphasis on practical software tooling over theoretical physics. No scientific awards were documented in the source materials. She advises graduate students in the QSAR group while contributing to open-source quantum ecosystems through projects like PennyLane and The Ionizer transpiler, and teaches courses including CPEN 400Q (Gate-model quantum computing) and ELEC 221 (Signals and Systems). The QSAR group operates at the intersection of quantum software development and education, focusing on making quantum programming accessible through visual tools, real-time debugging environments, and hardware-agnostic compilation techniques.
