Find Academic Supervisors

Colin Raffel , currently an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and Associate Research Director at the Vector Institute , is a leading researcher in machine learning and natural language processing . His career spans roles at Hugging Face (Faculty Researcher), Google Brain (Senior Research Scientist), and UNC Chapel Hill (Assistant Professor). Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering (Columbia), MA in Music/Science (Stanford), BA in Mathematics (Oberlin) Key affiliations: Google Brain (2016-2020), Hugging Face (2021-present), Vector Institute (2023-present) His research focuses on language model development , attention mechanisms , efficient machine learning , and music information retrieval . Recent work explores model merging , parameter-efficient fine-tuning , and data-constrained language models . Teaching : Has instructed courses at University of Toronto and UNC Chapel Hill on Neural Networks , Deep Learning , and Information Theory . Academic service includes organizing ICLR workshops and serving as Senior Area Chair for NeurIPS and EMNLP . Notable awards : NSF CAREER (2022), Caspar Bowden Award (2023), NeurIPS Outstanding Paper (2023) Key contributions : Core developer of WT5 , Git-Theta , and mir_eval software

• Machine Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• Music Information Retrieval
• +12 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

Alexandre Bouchard-Côté is a Professor of Statistics at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Department of Statistics within the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on computational statistics, Bayesian methods, and Monte Carlo techniques, with applications in evolutionary biology, cancer genomics, and computational linguistics. Education : PhD in Computer Science (with Designated Emphasis in Statistics) from UC Berkeley (2010), BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science from McGill University (2005). Affiliations : Director of the Blang probabilistic programming project and leader of the Bouncy Particle Sampler research group. Research Interests : Bouchard-Côté develops scalable Bayesian computational methods, including non-reversible Monte Carlo algorithms like the Bouncy Particle Sampler, and applies these to problems in cancer phylogenetics, evolutionary dynamics, and historical linguistics. His work emphasizes bridging theoretical foundations with practical tools for data science. Publications Trends : Recent work spans distributed sampling frameworks (e.g., Pigeons.jl), variational phylogenetic inference, and cancer clonal evolution modeling. His articles often address algorithmic scalability and interdisciplinary applications in biology and astronomy. Awards : CRM-SSC Prize in Statistics (2024) PIMS-UBC Mathematical Sciences Young Faculty Award (2018) Tweedie New Researcher Award (2016) Advising & Grants : Supervises graduate students (e.g., Son Luu, Nikola Surjanovic) and leads funded projects on distributed MCMC and cancer genomics. Collaborates with institutions like the Simons Foundation and the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI). Labs/Teams : Core member of the UBC Statistical Machine Learning group, contributing to open-source tools like Blang and the Bouncy Particle Sampler implementation.

• Computational Statistics
• Bayesian Inference
• Monte Carlo Methods
• +4 more

Dr. Zhenman Fang is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering Science , Simon Fraser University (SFU) , where he founded and directs the HiAccel Lab . He also holds an associate membership in the School of Computing Science at SFU. His research focuses on customizable computing with software-defined hardware acceleration , addressing performance, energy-efficiency, and reliability in post-Moore’s law computing across domains like machine learning , big data analytics , quantum chemistry , and precision medicine . Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science from Fudan University (2014), with a visit to University of Minnesota during his studies. Postdoctoral Work: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (2014-2017). Industry Experience: Staff Software Engineer at Xilinx (2017-2019). Dr. Fang’s research spans the entire computing stack , including application characterization , accelerator-rich architecture design , and programming/tool support . He has developed frameworks like HiSpMV , SyncNN , and SQL2FPGA , emphasizing FPGA acceleration for vision transformers , quantum chemistry , and spiking neural networks . His work has been recognized with 3 best paper awards (FPL 2024, TCAD 2019, MEMSYS 2017) and 3 best paper nominees (FCCM 2025, HPCA 2017, ISPASS 2018). Recent publications highlight trends in low-precision machine learning ( ShiftQuant , ESRU ), quantum chemistry acceleration ( SERI ), and vision transformer optimization ( Quasar-ViT ). His HiAccel Lab actively mentors PhD and MASc students , with notable graduates like Alec Lu (PhD 2024, now at Meta) and Philip Stachura (MASc, now with BC Graduate Scholarship). Scientific Awards: Inaugural SFU Research Excellence Award - Horizon Award (2025) FPL 2024 Stamatis Vassiliadis Best Paper NSERC Alliance Award (2020) CFI JELF Award (2019) Xilinx University Program Award (2019) IEEE Senior Member (2023) Grants: NSERC Discovery Grant (2019) CFI JELF Funding (2019) Huawei and Xilinx sponsorships Dr. Fang leads open-source initiatives like SyncNN , PASTA , and SQL2FPGA , and serves as General Chair for ASAP 2025 and Program Co-Chair for RAW 2025 . His lab collaborates globally with institutions such as UCLA , Northeastern University , and Xidian University .

• Customizable Computing
• Heterogeneous Computing
• FPGA Acceleration
• +8 more

Finlay Maguire is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed in the Faculty of Computer Science and the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology at Dalhousie University. He leads the Maguire Lab, which develops data-driven methods to address health and social crises through genomic epidemiology and interdisciplinary health data science. He is also affiliated with the Shared Hospital Laboratory, Sunnybrook Research Institute, and multiple national and international public health consortia including PHA4GE, CanCOGeN, and IRIDA. PhD: University College London / Natural History Museum (2016) MA: University of Oxford (2011) Donald Hill Family Fellowship, Dalhousie University (2021) Dr. Maguire's research focuses on two main areas: genomic epidemiology of infectious diseases and interdisciplinary health data science collaborations . His work in genomic epidemiology includes developing bioinformatics and machine learning tools to study antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and SARS-CoV-2 dynamics, often in collaboration with public health agencies. His broader health data science work addresses issues such as online radicalization, healthcare access for refugees, and autism-related language use, combining computational methods with social science. His recent publications (2023–2025) reflect a strong trend in pathogen genomics , AMR , zoonotic spillover , and computational social science . He has published on novel coronaviruses in bats, SARS-CoV-2 animal models, invasive Group A Streptococcus, and sociological analyses of incel communities. Much of this work involves tool development (e.g., ArgNorm, Pathoplexus) and data standardization (e.g., PHA4GE metadata standards). Finalist, 2024 Discovery Awards (Emerging Professional) 2023 President’s Research Excellence Award for an Emerging Investigator, Dalhousie Finalist, 2023 Discovery Awards (Emerging Professional) Funding from CIHR, NSERC, Genome Canada, SSHRC, BMGF Dr. Maguire actively mentors graduate students and postdocs, including PhD candidates in Computer Science and MSc students in Community Health & Epidemiology. He has secured major training grants such as the CIHR Health Research Training Platform and the Canadian One Health Training Program for Emerging Zoonoses. He also contributes to capacity-building initiatives like MicroResearch in Ghana and Kenya. The Maguire Lab is embedded in a rich network of collaborations, including the CARD database, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The lab emphasizes open science, reproducible research, and interdisciplinary training, as seen in the development of open-source tools and participation in international consortia.

• Genomic Epidemiology
• Health Data Science
• Bioinformatics
• +7 more

Dr. Frank Rudzicz is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University. His research lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and healthcare, with a focus on developing machine learning systems that improve clinical decision-making, patient outcomes, and accessibility in medicine. He holds a BSc from Concordia University (2004), an MEng from McGill University (2006), and a PhD from the University of Toronto (2011). His research interests include Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Healthcare, Speech Technologies, Explainable AI, and Fairness in ML. Dr. Rudzicz's recent publications span a wide range of topics, including Alzheimer's detection through speech analysis, surgical outcome prediction, mental health monitoring, privacy in AI, and the application of large language models in clinical settings. His work consistently emphasizes ethical AI, patient privacy, and real-world clinical integration. He has received several awards, including a Best Paper award at EMNLP 2020, a Best Student Paper award at ICASSP 2021, and the ISCA Best Student Paper award in 2013. His research has been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Scientific Reports , JAMA Network Open , IEEE Access , and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience , as well as leading conferences including NeurIPS, ACL, ICML, and Interspeech. Dr. Rudzicz supervises a dynamic research group working on AI for health, with active projects in voice-based diagnostics, ambient clinical documentation, explainable AI for surgery, and wearable-based monitoring for chronic diseases. He collaborates widely across disciplines, including with clinicians, neuroscientists, ethicists, and public health experts. He is also involved in major initiatives such as the Genetics Navigator study and Bridge2AI-Voice, aiming to build ethically sourced, diverse biomedical datasets. His lab actively explores the societal implications of AI in healthcare, including fairness, trust, and resistance to malicious fine-tuning.

• Natural Language Processing
• Machine Learning
• Healthcare
• +12 more

Renée J. Miller is Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Intelligence at the University of Waterloo. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and ACM, her research transforms how organizations manage and derive value from heterogeneous data sources. Professor Miller pioneered foundational work in schema mapping and data exchange recognized by the ICDT Test-of-Time Award. Her current research develops frameworks for semantic data discovery in data lakes, including the SANTOS system for relationship-based table search and Gen-T for table reclamation. She leads international collaborations advancing data management practices through tools like iBench for metadata generation and DIALITE for open data integration. Her CERC position establishes Canada's leadership in next-generation data intelligence systems.

• Data Integration
• Data Lakes
• Schema Mapping
• +2 more

Dr. Steven H. H. Ding is an Assistant Professor at McGill University's School of Information Studies, specializing in cybersecurity, machine learning, and data mining. His research focuses on AI-driven solutions for malware detection, software vulnerability analysis, and reverse engineering. He holds a PhD from McGill University and has been supported by BlackBerry Cylance and DRDC. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in military systems and avionics cybersecurity. Dr. Ding earned his PhD in 2019 with notable awards including the FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship and McGill's Dean’s Graduate Award. His educational background includes degrees from McGill, Concordia University, and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. His research interests span cybersecurity domains such as zero-day malware identification, code obfuscation countermeasures, authorship verification for digital forensics, and AI applications in avionics anomaly detection. He actively contributes to open-source tools like the Kam1n0 MapReduce-based assembly clone search system. Recent work emphasizes adversarial machine learning for evasive malware generation, transformer-based anomaly detection in avionics, and automated SBOM generation for firmware analysis. His publications reflect a focus on real-world cybersecurity challenges in both civilian and defense sectors. Dr. Ding leads the L1NNA Lab and collaborates with industry partners on cutting-edge projects. His contributions include novel techniques for phishing detection leveraging large language models and innovative approaches to reverse engineering software composition in JavaScript applications.

• Cybersecurity
• Machine Learning
• Data Mining
• +7 more

Geoff Pleiss is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with CAIDA's AIM-SI cluster. He is also a Canada CIFAR AI Chair and faculty member at the Vector Institute. His research bridges deep learning and probabilistic modeling, focusing on uncertainty quantification, Bayesian optimization, Gaussian processes, and ensemble methods. Pleiss earned his PhD in Computer Science from Cornell University (2020), followed by a postdoc at Columbia University. He holds multiple awards, including the AISTATS Top Reviewer and NeurIPS recognitions. His work emphasizes scalable algorithms and open-source contributions, such as the GPyTorch library. Pleiss advises students in Computer Science and Statistics, including Donney Fan (PhD), Tim G. Zhou (MSc), and others. He teaches advanced courses like STAT 547U (Deep Learning Theory) and STAT 520P (Bayesian Optimization). Grants include NSERC Discovery and New Frontiers in Research funding. Pleiss collaborates on interdisciplinary projects, such as astrophysical discovery via machine learning, and actively participates in academic service and outreach. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Cornell University (2020) MSc in Computer Science, Cornell University (2018) BSc in Engineering (Computing with Applied Mathematics), Olin College (2013) Key Research Themes: Uncertainty-aware decision-making with neural networks Scalable Gaussian processes and Bayesian optimization Ensemble methods and their theoretical limitations Recent Grants: NSERC Discovery Grant (2024) New Frontiers in Research Fund (2025, co-PI) His publications span foundational theory to applied machine learning, with over 14,500 citations. He actively mentors students through research internships and advises on open-source software development. Pleiss frequently presents at top conferences and collaborates with industry partners like Microsoft and ASAPP.

• Machine Learning
• Probabilistic Modeling
• Deep Learning
• +4 more

K. Rajibul Islam is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, affiliated with the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He holds a joint appointment with the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and co-founded Open Quantum Design and Lightflow Optics Inc. His research focuses on quantum information processing, quantum simulation, and trapped ion systems, with applications in quantum computing and entanglement studies. Education: Ph.D. in Physics (2012, University of Maryland), M.Sc. in Physics (2007, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), B.Sc. in Physics (2005, Jadavpur University). Postdoctoral research at Harvard University (2012–2015) and MIT (2015–2016). Research Interests : Quantum simulation of spin models, quantum computing with trapped ions, entanglement measurement, frustrated spin systems, and quantum materials. His lab, QITI (Quantum Information with Trapped Ions), develops scalable quantum simulators and open-access quantum computers like 'QuantumIon.' Awards : Fellow of the American Physical Society (2024), VAIBHAV Fellowship (2024), Excellence in Teaching Award (2024), Early Researcher Award (2019), and Distinguished PhD Dissertation Award (2012–13). Teaching : Courses include PHYS 701 (Graduate Quantum Physics), PHYS 234 (Quantum Physics I), PHYS 393 (Physical Optics), and PHYS 256 (Geometrical and Physical Optics). He emphasizes outreach via initiatives like Bigyan.org.in , a Bengali-language science platform. Lab and Collaborations : Active in developing trapped-ion quantum hardware, including ion trap designs, optical addressing systems, and holographic control methods. Collaborates on quantum algorithms, machine learning for quantum systems, and experimental quantum thermodynamics.

• Quantum Information Processing
• Trapped Ion Quantum Simulation
• Quantum Computing
• +4 more

Jason Foster is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Toronto, specializing in Engineering Education and Philosophy of Engineering . His work bridges rigorous academic inquiry with practical applications in engineering pedagogy. His research focuses on Research Through Design , aiming to redefine how design and education intersect. Key projects include analyzing the utility of design tools in small enterprises, developing coherent engineering requirements models, and creating open-source lab equipment for budget-constrained institutions. Recent publications highlight trends in engineering education, such as integrating multidisciplinary design, flexible project planning, and addressing intersubjective grading dynamics. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainable development, and systems thinking in curricula. He supervises graduate students through a junior colleague/collaborator model, prioritizing adaptability and critical engagement. No awards or formal honors are mentioned in the provided texts.

• Engineering Education
• Philosophy of Engineering
• Engineering Design
• +3 more

Yongjoo Park is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Grainger College of Engineering. He leads research in data-intensive AI systems as a member of the Data and Information Systems (DAIS) lab, focusing on novel data systems that bridge database theory and practical AI applications. His work emphasizes open-source contributions through GitHub and direct societal impact. Research interests center on systems for data-intensive AI , particularly efficient Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems for exploratory AI, data science versioning, and in-storage computing. Key projects include Kishu (the world's first undoable Jupyter notebook with time-travel capabilities), CARE (a causal-relational system for structured/unstructured data), and AirDB/AirIndex (serverless transactions and automatic index optimization). His group develops tools enabling scalable, optimized AI workflows from storage layers to LLM inference. Recent publications reveal a strong focus on interactive data systems (85% of recent work), with significant contributions to notebook environments (Kishu), vector databases (ISCA'25), and RAG optimization. Awards highlight technical innovation, including SIGMOD 2025 Best Demo Award and NSF CAREER funding. His open-source philosophy drives GitHub releases of all major systems. SIGMOD 2025 Best Demo Award (Kishu) NSF CAREER Award (Novel data science systems) SIGMOD'23 Best Artifact Award Honorable Mention (DeepOLA) IBM-Illinois Project Selection (VectorDB/RAG) Mentorship spans 12 current PhD/MS students and 6 graduated advisees, including Supawit Chockchowwat (now Postdoc at Google, future Assistant Professor at CMKL University). He teaches advanced courses like CS511 (Advanced Data Management) and recruits 1-2 new PhD students annually, prioritizing data systems research. His lab emphasizes diversity, individual respect, and concrete outcomes in a collaborative workspace.

• Data Systems for AI
• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
• Database Systems
• +4 more

Samer Faraj is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Technology, Innovation & Organizing at McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management. He leads the Research Group on Complex Collaboration and directs the PhD program. His research focuses on healthcare collaboration, innovation, and the impact of emerging technologies on organizations. He holds affiliations with the Department of Social Studies of Medicine and has been a visiting professor at institutions like HEC-Paris and Cambridge University. Faraj earned a BSc from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1980), an SM in Technology & Policy from MIT (1986), and a PhD in Management from Boston University (1998). His work has been funded by SSHRC, NSF, IBM, and the Quebec government, totaling over CAD $7.4M in grants. His research interests span healthcare collaboration, organizational change, and digital innovation. Notable contributions include studies on robotic surgery coordination, AI's role in organizing, and open-source health IT systems. He has authored over 130 peer-reviewed articles and serves on editorial boards for Organization Science and Information and Organization . Faraj has received prestigious awards like the FNEGE 2018 Prix Académique, AOM Best Paper Awards, and the 2013 Desautels Best Doctoral Advisor Award. His work is highly cited, with 23K+ Google Scholar citations. He advises numerous PhD students and leads interdisciplinary research initiatives, including a focus on postgenomics ecosystems and open science consortia. Current projects include the governance of open science, digital infrastructure development, and AI's implications for strategy and organization. His work bridges academic inquiry with real-world applications, emphasizing the societal and organizational impacts of technological change.

• Health Management
• Healthcare Collaboration
• Innovation Management
• +6 more

Tianzheng Wang is an Associate Professor and Director of the Dual-Degree and Partnerships Programs at the School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University. His research focuses on database systems, transaction processing, parallel and distributed computing, and embedded systems. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toronto (2017) and a BSc in Computing from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2012). Research Interests: Database systems optimized for modern hardware, parallel programming, synchronization, and distributed architectures. His work emphasizes high-performance transaction processing and efficient indexing techniques, with applications in cloud and embedded systems. Awards: ACM SIGMOD Best Paper Award (2025), IEEE TCSC Early Career Award (2019), and multiple distinguished reviewing recognitions (SIGMOD/VLDB 2021-2024). His research has been integrated into systems like Amazon Redshift and DragonflyDB. Teaching: Leads courses such as CMPT 454 (Database Systems II), CMPT 300 (Operating Systems), and special topics in databases. Actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students in research projects. Labs & Collaborations: Heads the Data-Intensive Systems Lab, part of SFU's Data Science and Systems groups. Collaborates on tools like PiBench for persistent memory benchmarking and contributes to open-source projects like CoroBase and Tabular.

• Database Systems
• Operating Systems
• Parallel Programming
• +5 more

Marco Pedersoli serves as an Assistant Professor at École de technologie supérieure (ETS) in Montreal since February 2017, where he leads research in computer vision and machine learning. His work focuses on reducing computational costs and annotation requirements for deploying vision algorithms on embedded devices, positioning ETS at the forefront of Montreal's AI ecosystem. His academic journey includes: Ph.D. from Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) under Jordi Gonzàlez and Juan José Villanueva Post-doctoral research at INRIA Grenoble with Cordelia Schmid and Jakob Verbeek (2015-2016) Research at KU Leuven with Tinne Tuytelaars (2012-2015) Dr. Pedersoli's research tackles deep learning bottlenecks through weakly-supervised methodologies and computational efficiency innovations . His three core projects address: Reduced Supervision : Developing weakly/semi-supervised learning for images, video, audio and text Exploration Learning : Optimizing data selection in unstructured environments Efficient Computation : Accelerating deep learning training and inference These efforts enable vision algorithms to run on resource-constrained portable devices. Publication trends (2014-2022) reveal consistent focus on weak supervision (60% of works) and computational efficiency (30%), with recent expansion into medical imaging and multimodal emotion recognition. Key venues include CVPR, ICCV, NeurIPS and ECCV. His accolades include: Best Paper Award at ICIAR 2019 NVIDIA Titan X Pascal hardware donation Dr. Pedersoli actively mentors 18 graduate students across PhD and MSc programs, with notable placements at Huawei and Radio Canada. His lab secures competitive tax-free funding for projects with international collaborations, including Element AI and European institutions. Current openings emphasize Python/C++ proficiency and deep learning expertise. He leads a dynamic research group at ETS developing open-source tools for Roi-Pooling, weakly-supervised detection, and 3D object recognition, maintaining active GitHub repositories with community contributions. Recent WACV 2023 acceptances demonstrate ongoing productivity following medical leave.

• Computer Vision
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• +4 more