Paul Lu is a Professor in the Department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Science. His research focuses on high-performance computing, parallel and distributed systems, cloud computing, and bioinformatics. He holds a B.Sc. (1991), M.Sc. (1993) in Computing Science from the University of Alberta, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto (2000). His research explores software systems, including operating systems, virtual machines, and parallel programming. Recent work emphasizes high-performance data transfers and IaaS cloud computing. He teaches courses such as MINT 706: Internet Application and Programming, covering internet protocols and client-server programming. Publications highlight contributions to network optimization, machine learning-driven protocol selection, and distributed systems. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in cloud infrastructure and wide-area networks.
Rong Zheng is a Professor in the Department of Computing and Software and a member of the School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University, Canada. She holds a Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Mobile Computing and serves as Acting Chair of the Computing and Software department from July to December 2025. She is also an Associate Member of the Electrical & Computer Engineering department. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA Master of Engineering (thesis) in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Dr. Zheng's research lies at the intersection of mobile computing, wireless networking, and machine learning, with a strong focus on applications for aging populations. She directs the NSERC Smart Mobility for the Aging Population CREATE program. Her work encompasses sensor development, wireless network design, and mobile data analytics to address real-world challenges in healthcare, mobility, and data center monitoring. She has developed innovative solutions like the MacQuest campus navigation app and has captured first prize in indoor localization competitions. Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward applying wireless sensing technologies (particularly acoustic, Wi-Fi, and mmWave) to health monitoring and mobility assessment for older adults. There's a strong emphasis on developing efficient edge computing solutions that can process data in real-time on resource-constrained devices, as exemplified by her TeamNet framework for collaborative inference on the edge. Her work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications that have social impact. Scientific Awards: Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Mobile Computing US National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2006) Joseph Ip Distinguished Engineering Fellow (2015-2018) Dr. Zheng leads the Wireless System Research Group (WiSeR) at McMaster University, which has secured significant funding including a $1.65M NSERC CREATE grant for smart mobility research for older adults. Her research has been supported by multiple funding agencies including NSERC, NSF, UH GEAR, and DURIP. She actively mentors graduate students and has developed specialized courses including CAS 772 (Mobile Data Analytics) and CAS 781 (Mobility in the Aging Population). The WiSeR group conducts impactful research on communication, networking, and data analytics issues in Cyber Physical Systems, with applications spanning healthcare, smart infrastructure, and data center monitoring. Their work on data center infrastructure monitoring networks has been featured in EurekAlert and Data Center Dynamics, and they've made significant contributions to indoor localization technology.
David Vocadlo is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University (SFU), holding the Canada Research Chair in Chemical Biology. His research focuses on Chemical Glycobiology, investigating carbohydrate-processing enzymes and developing chemical tools to study glycan roles in health and disease. His lab explores O-GlcNAc signaling, neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), and enzyme inhibitors for therapeutic applications. Education: PhD from University of British Columbia (UBC), followed by a CIHR postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley. Key roles include E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellow and Royal Society Fellow. Research highlights include O-GlcNAcase inhibitors for neuroprotection, glycan structure-function relationships, and enzyme activity imaging tools. Collaborates globally with experts in glycobiology and employs cutting-edge techniques like chemical synthesis, mass spectrometry, and live-cell imaging. Awards: Distinguished Professor title, Canada Research Chair, Royal Society Fellowship. Active in training researchers through SFU’s graduate programs, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Lab members work on topics ranging from enzyme mechanisms to disease modeling.
Wenhu Chen is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo's Computer Science Department and a CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute. He also holds a part-time role as a Senior Research Scientist at Google DeepMind (20% allocation). His research focuses on natural language processing, deep learning, and multimodal reasoning, with contributions to models like MAmmoTH, OpenCoderInterpreter, and VISTA. He received awards including the Canada CIFAR AI Chair (2022) and the UCSB CS Outstanding Dissertation Award (2021). Education: PhD in Computer Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara (under William Wang and Xifeng Yan). Research interests include complex reasoning, controllable GenAI, and multimodal benchmarks like MEGABench and MMMU. Grants include CIFAR AI Chair Funding (2022-2027), NSERC Discovery Fund (2023-2028), and multiple NRC Canada grants. He directs the TIGER Lab, advancing generative models in text, images, videos, and music. Recent talks include presentations on multimodal reasoning at Apple and NeurIPS workshops.
James Bremer is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and holds a cross-appointment in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus. His research focuses on developing efficient numerical algorithms for solving elliptic boundary value problems, integral equations, and special function transforms.
Linyi Li is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University (SFU), leading the Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (TAI) Lab. His research focuses on certifiably trustworthy deep learning systems, combining machine learning and computer security. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and a B.Eng. from Tsinghua University. Affiliations: Simon Fraser University, TAI Lab Education: PhD in Computer Science, UIUC, 2023 B.Eng (Cum Laude), Tsinghua University, 2018 His research interests include deep learning , trustworthy machine learning , large language models , and software engineering . He emphasizes rigorous certification of robustness, fairness, and numerical reliability in AI systems. Recent work includes the InfiBench benchmark for evaluating code LLMs and advancements in neural network verification. Recent Research Trends: His publications span certified robustness, fairness guarantees, and scalable verification techniques for deep learning models. He also explores scientific evaluation of foundation models and adversarial defense mechanisms. Awards: Rising Stars in Data Science AdvML Rising Star Award Wing Kai Cheng Fellowship Finalist: Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (2022) Winner: VNN-COMP'23 Competition (Team α, β-CROWN) Advising & Grants: As a PI, he oversees the TAI Lab's research. Though no specific grants are listed, his work is funded through competitive awards and university resources. Labs/Teams: Leads the TAI Lab at SFU, focusing on foundational and applied research in trustworthy AI.
Sharan Vaswani is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University (SFU). His research focuses on designing algorithms for sequential decision-making under uncertainty, stochastic optimization, and their interplay with machine learning generalization. He holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia (2019) and postdoctoral experiences at the University of Alberta and Mila. His academic journey includes MSc (UBC, 2015) and BTech (BITS Pilani, 2012) degrees. Education: PhD (UBC, 2019), MSc (UBC, 2015), BTech (BITS Pilani, 2012) Postdoctoral Work: University of Alberta (2020-2021), Mila (2019-2020) Teaching includes courses on Probability and Computing (CMPT 210), Optimization for Machine Learning (CMPT 409/981), and Theoretical Foundations of Reinforcement Learning (CMPT 419/983). His research group focuses on developing scalable optimization algorithms with theoretical guarantees. He advises multiple PhD and MSc students, contributing to areas like constrained MDPs, adaptive learning rates, and reinforcement learning theory. Research Highlights: Contributions to bandit algorithms, stochastic gradient methods, and reinforcement learning theory. Notable work includes global convergence analysis of policy gradients and variance-reduced optimization frameworks.
Arash Arami is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, cross-appointed in Systems Design Engineering. He directs the Neuromechanics and Assistive Robotics Laboratory and maintains affiliations with Waterloo Robohub, the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Waterloo AI institute, and KITE institute at Toronto Rehab Institute. He earned his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from EPFL (2014), Master of Science from University of Tehran (2009), and Bachelor of Science from University of Tabriz (2006), all in Control Engineering. His research in Assistive Robotics and Rehabilitation Engineering integrates Machine Learning with Neuromechanics to develop intelligent systems for human movement analysis. Key focus areas include exoskeleton control algorithms, wearable sensor systems, and neural control modeling for rehabilitation applications. Recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary work spanning robotics, biomedical engineering, and materials science, with emphasis on real-time human locomotion prediction, exoskeleton-human interaction, and data-driven health monitoring solutions. Dr. Arami serves as Chair of the NSERC Scholarship Committee (2021-2023) and mentors graduate students through the Mechatronics Exchange Study program. His teaching includes core courses in control systems, robot manipulators, and biomechanical engineering. The Neuromechanics and Assistive Robotics Laboratory fosters collaborations with clinical partners at Toronto Rehab Institute, focusing on translating robotic innovations into practical rehabilitation tools through interdisciplinary teamwork.
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.
Dr. Jillianne Code is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, directing the ALIVE Research Lab. Her work focuses on learner agency, educational technologies, and social media's impact on student success. Specializes in immersive virtual environments for assessment Researches self-regulated learning and formative feedback Investigates health education through digital interventions Her recent publications examine pandemic-era educational transitions, digital literacy in teacher training, and cognitive tools in virtual reality. She has received Outstanding Paper Awards for her work on immersive assessment. Dr. Code leads research projects on learning analytics, student engagement in digital spaces, and technology education sustainability. Her work bridges educational theory with practical interventions through digital badges, mobile health applications, and 3D learning environments.
Renée J. Miller is a Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Intelligence at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on data integration, data management, and open data systems. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Cognitive Science from MIT. Her work addresses challenges in data preparation, integration, and curation, aiming to reduce the burden on data scientists. She co-authored foundational papers on data exchange and schema mapping, earning the ICDT Test-of-Time Award (2013) and the Alonzo Church Award (2020). Miller has led major initiatives like the NSERC Business Intelligence Network and the International Very Large Data Base Foundation. Her grants include NSERC Accelerator Awards and funding from IBM, SAP, and Microsoft. Notable students include Ariel Fuxman (SIGMOD Dissertation Award winner) and Oktie Hassanzadeh (IBM PhD Fellow). Her research group, the Miller Lab, develops tools like Clio for schema mapping and systems for data lake exploration (RONIN, JOSIE).
Furkan Alaca is an Assistant Professor at Queen's University's School of Computing, part of the Faculty of Arts and Science. His research focuses on user authentication systems, addressing security and usability challenges. He holds a Ph.D. (2018) in Computer Science from Carleton University, an M.A.Sc. (2012) in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a B.Eng. (2010) in Communications Engineering, all from Carleton University. His academic career includes teaching roles at Queen's University and the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he taught courses such as Cryptography, Cybersecurity, and Discrete Mathematics. He is affiliated with Queen's Security Research Group and Computer Security Research Lab. Research interests include computer and internet security, usable security, authentication mechanisms, and systems security. He has contributed to advancements in web authentication frameworks, malware analysis, and privacy-preserving technologies. His work spans conferences like IEEE and ACM, with notable publications in cybersecurity, machine learning, and network efficiency. Current teaching includes CISC 447 (Introduction to Cybersecurity) and CISC 468 (Cryptography). He has advised on courses ranging from undergraduate programming to graduate-level security topics.
Magdy M. A. Salama is a Professor and University Research Chair at the University of Waterloo's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. He holds a P.Eng. license and is a Fellow of the IEEE. His research spans Energy Systems (Power Quality, Smart Grids, Renewable Energy) and Biomedical Engineering (Medical Imaging, Sleep Analysis). He has authored/co-authored over 460 publications and supervised numerous graduate students. Education: PhD (University of Waterloo), M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Cairo University). Awards include the IEEE Fellow distinction, University Research Chair, and multiple teaching/research awards from the University of Waterloo. Research trends in his articles focus on Smart Grid resiliency, renewable integration, cyber-physical security, and biomedical applications of AI. Notable projects include voltage sag mitigation, EV fleet electrification, and blockchain-based energy trading platforms. Scientific Awards: IEEE Fellow, University Research Chair, Teaching Excellence Award (2000) Grants/Consultation: Extensive industry and institutional collaborations on power systems and biomedical tech. Labs/Teams: Active in High Voltage Lab, Smart Grids Research Group, and Medical Image Processing Lab.
Xianguo Li is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada. He holds prestigious fellowships including Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE), Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (FEIC), and Fellow of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME). His primary research focuses on thermal fluid science, energy systems, and fuel cell technology, with a strong emphasis on green energy solutions. **Education**: 1989: Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, USA 1986: Master's in Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, USA 1982: Bachelor's in Thermal Energy Engineering, Tianjin University, China **Research Interests**: His work spans fuel cells, spray dynamics, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, power generation, and renewable energy systems. He leads the Fuel Cell and Green Energy Lab, advancing innovations in energy storage, propulsion systems, and sustainable technologies. **Awards**: Outstanding Performance Award (University of Waterloo, 2007) Frank Walk Service Award (2001) Best Paper Award (2003) Recipient of the Simpson Fellowship (1988) **Advising & Grants**: He supervises graduate students and research associates in projects funded by NSERC, Auto 21, CFI, and industry partners. His lab collaborates on fuel cell durability, thermal management, and green energy policy initiatives. **Editorial Roles**: Founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Green Energy , Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Thermal Engineering , and serves on dozens of editorial boards. He chairs major conferences like the International Green Energy Conference and the World Fuel Cell Conference series.
Prof. Norbert Lütkenhaus is a Professor and Executive Director of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo, cross-appointed to the Department of Applied Mathematics. He holds affiliations with Perimeter Institute and the Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research. His research focuses on quantum communication theory, particularly quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum repeaters. He has pioneered methods to bridge abstract quantum protocols with practical optical implementations, emphasizing secure key rate calculations and overcoming quantum channel limitations. Education: PhD (2003) in Physics from University Erlangen-Nürnberg, MSc (1993) and BSc (1990) from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and RWTH Aachen, respectively. Awards include the 2015 American Physical Society Outstanding Referee Award and a 2009 University of Waterloo Excellence Award. Research interests span QKD protocols (e.g., decoy-state BB84, phase-error mitigation), quantum repeater architectures, and entanglement verification. He develops numerical tools for key rate analysis and addresses implementation security loopholes. His work includes theoretical frameworks for long-distance quantum communication and practical QKD system optimizations. Teaching includes courses on quantum information processing (PHYS 768/QIC 890) and mechanics (PHYS 115). He contributes to international standards via ETSI’s QKD-ISG and the QCrypt steering committee. His patents cover QKD system designs and phase-randomization techniques.
