Find Academic Supervisors

Thomas SchandingView profile

Associate Professor

• Social and Emotional Learning
• Behavioural and Mental Health
• Assessment
• +5 more

Thomas Schanding serves as Associate Professor and Department Head in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education. He concurrently directs the Psychological Services and Counselling Training Centre. Previously, he held significant roles including core faculty in Special Education and Associate Director of Outreach and Leadership for the decade-long LoneStar LEND program at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, alongside clinical supervision positions at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital. His educational foundation includes doctoral coursework at the University of Southern Mississippi (APA-accredited) and doctoral internship with Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (APA-accredited). Doctoral Coursework: University of Southern Mississippi Doctoral Internship: Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Dr. Schanding's research centers on social-emotional learning (SEL) and behavioral/mental health (B/MH) through three interconnected pillars: (1) assessment methodologies for SEL/B/MH, (2) evidence-based interventions to enhance youth well-being, and (3) cultural-linguistic considerations in school-community contexts. His clinical expertise spans Autism Spectrum Disorders and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth experiences, operating within Cognitive-Behavioral and Ecological theoretical frameworks. The SMART Lab ( https://blogs.ubc.ca/smartlab ) drives his applied research agenda focusing on inclusive practices and mental health promotion. Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent emphasis on SEL assessment tools, helicopter parenting dynamics, and diversity-inclusive frameworks in school psychology. Key trends include validation studies of early literacy screeners, exploration of LGBTQ+ mental health predictors, and critical examinations of equity in educational literature, reflecting his commitment to evidence-based social justice. His scholarly contributions have been recognized through: President’s Distinguished Faculty Research Award, University of Houston – Clear Lake (2020) Group Teaching Excellence Award, University of Houston (2011) Early Career Scholar, Society for the Study of School Psychology (2009) As an educator, Dr. Schanding has supervised numerous practicum and intern students across settings including school districts and hospital systems. His leadership extends to directing the Psychological Services and Counselling Training Centre at UBC and previously leading outreach initiatives for neurodevelopmental disabilities through the LEND program. His teaching portfolio includes EPSE 506 (Applied Psychopathology), EPSE 555 (Academic & Social-Emotional Assessment), and specialized courses on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The SMART Lab (Social, Mental health, and Academic Research Team) operates as his primary research vehicle, conducting community-engaged projects on SEL implementation, mental health screening, and culturally responsive interventions for diverse youth populations, with particular attention to inclusive practices for 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

Matias E. MargulisView profile

Associate Professor

• Global Governance of Food Security
• Agricultural Trade Liberalization
• Large-Scale Land Acquisitions
• +4 more

Matias E. Margulis is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, jointly appointed between the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. His research explores the intersection of global governance, food security, and international trade, with a focus on regime complexity and power dynamics in multilateral institutions. Ph.D. in International Relations, McMaster University (2012) M.A. in Public Policy and Politics, University of Toronto (2003) B.A. (Honours) in Economics and Political Science, University of Toronto (2000) Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute (2012-2013) His academic work investigates how food insecurity stems from human-made social, economic, and political systems, analyzing the role of international organizations like the WTO, UN, and EU in shaping trade and food policy. Recent publications examine regime entanglements, human rights in trade negotiations, and climate crisis impacts on food governance. Matias has received multiple accolades, including the Distinguished Academic Award (Early in Career, 2014) and the Cadieux-Léger Fellowship (2010-2011). He previously held academic positions at the University of Edinburgh, University of Stirling, and Max Planck Institute, and served as a Canadian representative to the WTO, OECD, and FAO. His expertise extends to advising the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and consulting for NGOs and the Brookings Institution.

Tushar SharmaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Software Engineering
• Software Quality
• Code and Design Quality
• +10 more

Tushar Sharma is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University, Canada. His research focuses on software engineering, particularly software quality, refactoring, technical debt, and the application of machine learning in software engineering (ML4SE). He leads the SMART Lab and is actively involved in projects related to Green AI and sustainable software development. PhD : Software Engineering, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece (2019) MS : Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, India His research interests span software design and architecture, code and design quality, refactoring, technical debt, mining software repositories, and applied machine learning for software engineering. He is particularly interested in sustainable AI, green software engineering, and the use of large language models for code. His work bridges empirical studies with practical tool development to improve software maintainability and quality. His recent publications highlight a strong trend in code smell detection, refactoring automation, energy-aware AI, and the reliability of large language models in software engineering. He has developed tools like Designite and DPy and contributed datasets such as MaRV and DACOS, emphasizing empirical validation and reproducibility in software engineering research. Dean's Research Excellence Award Best Artifact Award, SCAM 2023 IEEE Senior Member Tushar Sharma has secured significant research funding, including an NSERC Discovery Grant for DevQOps, Mitacs Accelerate grants with industry partners, and contributions to the $154M Canada First Research Excellence Fund project. He actively mentors students and collaborates with industry. He leads the SMART Lab at Dalhousie and has organized workshops such as SATToSE 2018. He is also a founding developer of Designite, a widely used software design quality assessment tool.

Nhlanhla MpofuView profile

Associate Professor

• Second Language Teaching
• Literacy Education
• Multilingual Education
• +4 more

Dr. Nhlanhla Mpofu is an Associate Professor in TESOL and Literacy at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Education, where she serves as Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning and Chair of the Department of Curriculum Studies. She also holds a Visiting Professor position at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. She obtained her PhD in Humanities Education from the University of Pretoria in 2016. Her research focuses on second-language learning in English-medium classrooms , developing culturally sustaining pedagogies that leverage learners' mother tongues, and re-orienting language education research in multilingual systems. She leads the NRF-funded project "Exploring the preparation and experiences of teachers using English across the curriculum: An interdisciplinary approach" and specializes in asset-based approaches that challenge deficit models in language education. Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on language policy implementation , teacher development , and multilingual pedagogies within African educational contexts, with recent work examining translanguaging strategies and disciplinary literacies. Awards & Honors: Fulbright Alumna Golden Key Honor Society Rated Researcher (South African National Research Foundation) Member of South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) Margaret McNamara Education Grantee COIL Fellow Grants: 2019: NRF-funded project on teacher preparation for English as Language of Learning and Teaching (Principal Investigator) She maintains professional memberships with the Southern African Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Society (SALALS) and South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT), and serves on the South African Council on Higher Education Accreditation Committee.

Heather O'BrienView profile

Professor

• User Engagement
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Retrieval
• +4 more

Heather O'Brien is a Professor at the School of Information , University of British Columbia, specializing in user engagement with digital technologies , information retrieval , and knowledge exchange . Her work bridges human-computer interaction and health informatics through projects like the User Engagement Scale (UES) and the PolarUs app for bipolar disorder management. Education: MLIS and PhD from Dalhousie University Research: Focuses on engagement theory, digital health, and university-community knowledge exchange Her STOREE project (SSHRC-funded) develops frameworks for open scholarship and community-centered metadata practices. She co-developed the internationally adopted UES tool for measuring technology engagement, translated into French, German, Italian, and Portuguese . Scientific Awards: 2022 ASIS&T Research in Information Science Award 2018 ASIS&T SIG USE Best Paper Award Professor O'Brien mentors graduate students in information behavior and digital health while leading interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like CREST.BD and BC Centre on Substance Use .

Gigi LukView profile

Professor

• Bilingualism
• Literacy Acquisition
• Lifespan Development
• +4 more

Gigi Luk is Professor and Program Director for M.Ed. Concentrations in Educational Psychology and Human Development within the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University's Faculty of Education. Her research program investigates the cognitive consequences of bilingualism across the lifespan, bridging scientific understanding with practical educational applications to cultivate inclusive environments for linguistically diverse learners. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Psychology (Developmental and Cognitive Processes) from York University M.A. in Psychology (Developmental and Cognitive Processes) from York University Specialized Honors B.A. in Psychology from York University Dr. Luk's research centers on bilingualism's cognitive and neural mechanisms, with three interconnected thrusts: (1) characterizing bilingualism beyond English proficiency in communities, (2) examining cognitive skills supporting language/literacy outcomes, and (3) establishing neural correlates of learning in diverse language learners. Her work integrates cognitive neuroscience with educational practice to address real-world challenges in multilingual classrooms, emphasizing culturally responsive pedagogy that respects linguistic diversity. This dual focus on basic science and practical implementation defines her contributions to understanding how bilingual experiences shape cognitive development and educational equity. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2022-2024) reveals consistent interdisciplinary investigation of bilingualism through cognitive, neural, and sociocultural lenses. Her work spans educational psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and sociolinguistics, with growing emphasis on neural correlates of language processing, methodological rigor in bilingual assessment, and equity implications of bilingual research. Key trends include examination of multilingual children's cognitive development, critical reframing of the "bilingual advantage" discourse, and innovative approaches like music-based literacy interventions. Scientific recognition includes: National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013-2014) Dr. Luk actively supervises graduate students (accepting new students for 2025-2026) and secures competitive research funding, currently supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Fonds de recherche Société et culture (FRQSC). Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to advancing understanding of bilingual cognition and its educational applications through rigorous empirical work. She directs the Bilingualism.Experience.Education Lab, which functions as an interdisciplinary hub for investigating how language experiences shape cognitive development and educational outcomes. The lab employs diverse methodologies including neuroimaging, behavioral experiments, and classroom-based research to address questions about bilingualism's cognitive effects and practical implications for educators.

Kyle SmithView profile

Professor

• Early Christianity
• Martyrdom in Christianity
• Asceticism in Christianity
• +5 more

Kyle Smith serves as Professor in the History of Religions program within Historical Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), with cross-appointments to the Department for the Study of Religion, Centre for Medieval Studies, and Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations at the St. George campus. His academic credentials include a PhD from Duke University and MA/BA degrees from the University of Notre Dame, reflecting specialized training in early Christian history and Syriac studies. Smith's research centers on fourth-to-sixth century Christianity in Roman Mesopotamia and Sasanian Persia, with particular expertise in Syriac martyrdom narratives, ascetic practices, and gender dynamics. His work bridges textual analysis of Syriac sources with broader cultural history, notably examining how devotion to death shaped Christian identity across two millennia and tracing Saint Nick's evolution from ancient protector to Christmas icon. His publications reveal consistent focus on martyrdom's role in religious identity formation, monastic development in late antique Iraq, and the transmission of Christian traditions through Syriac literature. The 2022 monograph Cult of the Dead synthesizes these threads into a comprehensive narrative of Christianity's relationship with death and memory. His scholarly recognition includes: University of Toronto Early Career Teaching Award (inaugural recipient) Smith actively mentors graduate students through seminars on early Christian martyrdom and Mesopotamian Christianity, while securing research support for Syriac text translations and historical analyses. His teaching excellence award underscores effective pedagogy in undergraduate courses on ancient martyrdom, gender in early Christianity, and Christmas cultural history.

Lorenzo DiTommasoView profile

Professor

• Apocalypticism (Ancient to Contemporary)
• Apocalypticism and Popular Culture
• Biblical Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
• +5 more

Lorenzo DiTommaso serves as Professor in the Department of Religions and Cultures at Concordia University, Montreal, where he has progressed from Assistant Professor (2004) to full Professor (2013), including service as Department Chair. His academic home encompasses Jewish Studies and Christianity programs, with biennial teaching of the graduate religion and popular culture seminar. Ph.D. in Religious Studies, McMaster University (2002) Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University Divinity School (2001-03) NEH Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Saint Louis University (2003-04) DiTommaso's research constitutes a comprehensive exploration of apocalyptic speculation across temporal and cultural boundaries, from ancient Near Eastern traditions to contemporary digital media. His work uniquely bridges textual scholarship on biblical apocrypha and medieval manuscripts with cutting-edge analysis of apocalyptic expression in video games, anime, and popular music. The intellectual scope spans apocalyptic historiography , manuscript studies , apocalyptic and millenarian movements , and religion in contemporary media , with distinctive expertise in Japanese cultural intersections. His methodological approach combines rigorous textual analysis with interdisciplinary cultural theory, particularly examining how apocalyptic frameworks shape human responses to crisis across historical periods. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a pronounced shift toward contemporary apocalyptic manifestations, with nearly half of his 2021-2024 output focusing on digital media, video games, and modern cultural phenomena. Simultaneously, he maintains deep engagement with medieval manuscript traditions and early Jewish-Christian apocalyptic literature, demonstrating remarkable versatility across historical periods. The thematic through-line remains apocalyptic determinism versus human agency , examined through diverse lenses from ancient prophecy to interactive gaming environments. Bibliographical Society of America - Pine Tree Foundation Fellowship in Hispanic Bibliography (2019) Nicky Carpenter Fellow in Manuscript Studies Marilyn Hollinshead Visiting Scholar (2023) Research Fellow at Herzog August Bibliothek (2024) DiTommaso has supervised over 20 graduate students since 2019 across diverse apocalyptic topics including disability studies in biblical interpretation, Satanism in virtual communities, and environmental apocalypse in radical movements. His research has been continuously supported by four major SSHRC grants (2004-07, 2007-11, 2011-16, 2018-24), supplemented by specialized fellowships at premier manuscript repositories including the Vatican Film Library, Herzog August Bibliothek, and special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities. He co-organizes the biennial 'Through a Glass Darkly' Symposium on Apocalyptic with Colin McAllister, now in its eighth year, rotating between Colorado Springs and Montreal. The 'Through a Glass Darkly' symposium serves as his primary collaborative platform, fostering international scholarly exchange on apocalyptic themes. He maintains active research partnerships with institutions including the Enoch Seminar and Azrieli Institute for Israel Studies, while leveraging special collections access at major libraries for manuscript-based projects. Current work on apocalyptic comic art involves collaboration with special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities, demonstrating his commitment to bridging traditional textual scholarship with contemporary cultural analysis.

Hélène DeaconView profile

Professor

• Language and Reading Development
• Digital Literacy
• Bilingualism
• +5 more

Dr. Hélène Deacon is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University (Faculty of Science), directing the Language and Literacy Lab. She holds a BSc (Hons.) from the University of Prince Edward Island, a DPhil from the University of Oxford (as a Rhodes Scholar), and a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on reading development, digital literacy, bilingualism, and child development, with a particular emphasis on understanding how children acquire reading skills in diverse contexts. She leads a 2.5-million-dollar Partnership Grant exploring literacy in multicultural and digital environments and has been recognized as a top 2% scientist globally by Stanford University. Education: BSc (UPEI), DPhil (Oxford), PDF (UBC) Key Roles: Co-Director of Partnership Grant, Lab Director, Editorial Advisory Board Member for multiple journals Affiliations: Cross-listed at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Health Professions and IWK Health Centre’s Developmental Pediatrics Her research interests span morphological awareness, syntactic skills, prosodic sensitivity, and challenges faced by university students with reading difficulties. She collaborates globally with schools and institutions, influencing public policy and educational practices. Awards include the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars membership and the Killam Professorship. Lab & Impact: The Language and Literacy Lab (LLL) investigates reading development through studies on orthographic learning, sentence comprehension, and bilingualism. Collaborations include schools nationally and internationally, with a focus on practical applications for education and clinical settings. Teaching: Courses include Introduction to Psychology II, Development of Language and Literacy, and Special Topics in Developmental Psychology Service: Member of Dalhousie’s Human Ethics Committee, Ad Hoc Review Committee, and Honours Advisor

Marysa LaguëView profile

Assistant Professor

• Climate Modelling
• Land-atmosphere interactions
• Climate Dynamics
• +6 more

Marysa Laguë is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. She is a climate scientist specializing in understanding how terrestrial processes impact the atmosphere and surface climate across scales from individual plants to entire planets. Her research focuses on how changes in the land surface modify energy and water fluxes between the land and atmosphere, and how these changes subsequently affect atmospheric dynamics and climate both locally and remotely. Dr. Laguë serves as a member of the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies program at UBC. Dr. Laguë earned her PhD in Atmospheric Sciences and MSc degrees in both Atmospheric Sciences and Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington. Her educational background provides her with strong theoretical and modeling expertise that informs her comprehensive research approach. Her research can be broadly categorized into three interconnected areas: understanding land-atmosphere interactions in the modern climate system, exploring fundamental physical connections between terrestrial and planetary processes using idealized models, and climate model development. She studies how changes in vegetation impact cloud formation, temperatures, water vapor, and atmospheric circulation in ways that can feed back on surface climate. On the idealized side, she investigates how continental configurations fundamentally alter global-scale climate patterns. Her work often involves developing and using numerical models of varying complexity to quantify land's role in the coupled Earth System. She is particularly interested in understanding where the atmosphere cares about changes in the land surface, and what particular properties of the land surface it is that the atmosphere cares about. Dr. Laguë's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on land-atmosphere interactions, with particular emphasis on how terrestrial evaporation, surface albedo, and vegetation properties influence climate dynamics. Her research spans from local-scale processes to planetary-scale phenomena, including studies of exoplanet climates. She frequently employs both complex Earth system models like the Community Earth System Model and idealized modeling frameworks to isolate specific mechanisms. A recurring theme across her work is the development and application of the Simple Land Interface Model (SLIM), which allows researchers to test how individual land-surface properties modify energy and water fluxes to the atmosphere. Dr. Laguë is actively involved in mentoring graduate students and is interested in supervising Master's students, Doctoral students, and Postdoctoral Fellows. She supports interdisciplinary research collaborations and is open to supervising students interested in public scholarship through the Public Scholars Initiative. She also encourages experiential learning opportunities like internships for her graduate students and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research approaches. She is the lead scientific developer of the Simple Land Interface Model (SLIM), an idealized land surface model that couples with the Community Earth System Model. This tool allows researchers to isolate the effects of individual land surface properties on the Earth system. Her work has significant implications for understanding climate change impacts, land management strategies, and even the potential habitability of exoplanets. Her research methodology includes using climate models, Earth system models, numerical Earth system models, Python, Jupyter, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), and Fortran programming for climate model development.

Paul CisekView profile

Professor

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Motor System
• +5 more

Paul Cisek is a Full Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal. His research laboratory focuses on understanding how the brain controls behavior through the integration of decision-making and motor planning processes in the cerebral cortex. His work challenges traditional models that treat perception, decision-making, and action as separate serial processes. Dr. Cisek received his Baccalauréat in Computer Science from Rochester Institute of Technology (1991), followed by a Doctorat in Neurosciences and Physiologie from Boston University (1997). He completed postdoctoral training at both Université de Montréal and Queen's University (1996-2001). His research program centers on developing a theoretical framework describing how the brain interacts with the external world, with specific focus on how decision-making and motor planning processes are integrated in the primate cerebral cortex. Through his 'affordance competition hypothesis,' Cisek proposes that the brain operates through parallel processes where potential actions compete for selection rather than following a serial perception-decision-action model. His lab conducts behavioral, neurophysiological, and computational research, often using primate models to study neural mechanisms of real-time decision-making. The analysis of Dr. Cisek's recent publications reveals a strong focus on evolutionary perspectives in neuroscience, neural mechanisms of decision-making under time pressure, and the integration of biomechanical constraints in action selection. His work bridges cognitive neuroscience, motor control, and computational modeling to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how the brain selects and executes actions in dynamic environments. Dr. Cisek has been continuously funded by major Canadian research agencies including CIHR, NSERC, and FRQS since at least 2002 for his interdisciplinary studies of decision-making and motor planning. His current projects include 'Neural mechanisms of decision-making during natural interactive behavior' (2025-2031) and 'EthoLab: A platform for neurophysiological studies of natural behavior' (2025-2028). As an educator, Dr. Cisek has supervised numerous graduate students to completion of their degrees and currently teaches courses including NSC-3003 (Perception, action et neurocomputation), NSC-3084 (Neurosciences computationnelles), and NSC-6084 (Neurosciences computationnelles). His lab currently includes doctoral students, master's students, and postdoctoral fellows working on various aspects of decision neuroscience. Dr. Cisek is affiliated with several research groups including SNC (Groupe de recherche sur la signalisation neurale et la circuiterie), GRSV (Groupe de recherche en sciences de la vision), and CIRCA (Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche sur le cerveau et l'apprentissage). His laboratory develops sophisticated experimental platforms for studying neural mechanisms of decision-making, including virtual reality environments for neurophysiological studies of natural behavior.

Lynn DempseyView profile

Associate Professor

• Narrative Comprehension
• Child Language Development
• Language Impairments in Children
• +4 more

Lynn Dempsey is an Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Brock University. She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Western Ontario (2005), an M.Sc. in Speech-Language Pathology, and degrees in Psychology and Social Work from McMaster University. A certified Speech-Language Pathologist, her research focuses on narrative comprehension in preschool children with and without language impairments, emphasizing story representation, early literacy development, and the application of the ICF framework in clinical assessment. Dr. Dempsey directs the Child Language Laboratory and contributes to the LifeSpan Development Centre. Her teaching spans courses in child language acquisition, language disorders, and clinical evaluation. She has held leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Applied Linguistics (2020-2023), Graduate Program Director, and member of ethics and academic committees. Her publications emphasize methodologies for assessing story comprehension, the impact of play-based interventions, and literacy support for children with hearing impairments. Dr. Dempsey’s work bridges developmental psychology, speech-language pathology, and educational practices. Her research consistently examines how narrative structures, background knowledge, and clinical frameworks influence young children’s language development. Recent studies explore emotion categorization in children’s language and the validity of assessment tools for pre-readers.

Patrick Abi NaderView profile

Associate Professor

• Physical Activity Promotion in Youth
• Sedentary Behavior Prevention in Youth
• Healthy Lifestyle Environment Assessment
• +3 more

Patrick Abi Nader is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Sherbrooke. His educational background includes: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chronic Disease Prevention (2019) from Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Université de Sherbrooke, and Centre de recherche du centre universitaire hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal PhD in Kinesiology, Physical Activity and Public Health (2016) from Oregon State University MSc in Public Health, Epidemiology (2015) from Oregon State University MSc in Exercise Physiology (2010) from University of Louisville BEd in Physical Education (2007) from University of Balamand Dr. Abi Nader's research focuses on promoting physical activity among youth, preventing sedentary behaviors, evaluating environments for healthy lifestyles, longitudinal behavioral analysis, questionnaire development and validation, and program evaluation. His current work involves creating a comprehensive tool to assess school environments regarding sedentary behaviors and physical activity.

Cristiano PolitowskiView profile

Assistant Professor

• Software Engineering
• Video Game Development
• Artificial Intelligence for Software Engineering (AI4SE)
• +3 more

Cristiano Politowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Ontario Tech University's Faculty of Science. His research focuses on software engineering for video games, automated testing, AI4SE, and empirical studies. He holds a Ph.D. in Software Engineering from Concordia University (2022), an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2017), and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Universidade Regional do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (2014). Prof. Politowski has extensive postdoctoral experience at Université de Montréal (GEODES group) and École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), focusing on game engine architecture, requirements specification, and certifiable RTOS systems. He has organized workshops like ASE4Games 2021/2022 and FaSE4Games 2024, emphasizing game software engineering. His research interests span video game development challenges, software testing methodologies, and leveraging AI for software engineering. Notable projects include analyzing game engine subsystem coupling, assessing video game balance with autonomous agents, and curating datasets like PlayMyData. Prof. Politowski has secured $20K from MITACS for a 5G infrastructure project during the pandemic and received the Concordia Accelerator Award (2021). His work has been published in venues like MSR, ICSE, and IEEE Transactions.

Elizabeth JohnsonView profile

Professor

• Language Acquisition
• Speech Perception
• Cognitive Development
• +3 more

Dr. Elizabeth Johnson serves as Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), holding the Canada Research Chair in Spoken Language Acquisition. She is cross-appointed to the Graduate Department of Linguistics and directs the University of Toronto's Tri-Campus Graduate Program in Psychology, leading interdisciplinary research on language acquisition through the Child Language and Speech Studies (CLASS) Lab in UTM's Communication, Culture and Technology Building. Her academic foundation includes a B.A. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Rochester (with a Take Five program in Developmental Biology & Evolution), followed by M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Johns Hopkins University. She completed postdoctoral training at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and spent semesters at MIT's Speech Group during her doctoral studies. Dr. Johnson's research examines how perceptual, cognitive, and social mechanisms enable children's rapid language mastery, with emphasis on speech perception, multilingual development, accent processing, and infant speech segmentation. Her work bridges developmental psychology, linguistics, and speech sciences to investigate topics including audio-visual speech perception, word-learning heuristics, prosody acquisition, and voice recognition—all contextualized within UTM's linguistically diverse community. Analysis of her recent publications reveals intensifying focus on real-world applications of language acquisition research, particularly voice assistant technology for children, pandemic impacts on language development, and sociolinguistic factors in educational settings. Her work increasingly explores accent variation effects across development and the cognitive mechanisms underlying talker recognition. Dr. Johnson's scientific recognition includes: Canada Research Chair in Spoken Language Acquisition She actively mentors graduate researchers: PhD Students: Emily Shroads (June and David Scott Fellowship recipient) Recent PhD Graduates: Priscilla Fung (SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow), Madeleine Yu Undergraduate Support: NSERC USRA (Christopher Khalaf), SSHRC UTEA (Gabriella Di Maio, Alexandra Maracz) Research Funding: SSHRC Insight Grants, NSERC Discovery Grants The CLASS Lab functions as an interdisciplinary hub collaborating with UTM's Developmental Science Cluster, Centre for Biological Communication Systems, and Infant and Child Studies Centre. Its community-engaged research leverages linguistic diversity in the Greater Toronto Area to translate foundational science into practical applications for child development and educational technology.