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Peter W. Klein is an Emmy Award-winning full professor at the University of British Columbia's School of Journalism, Writing, and Media within the Faculty of Arts. He founded the UBC Global Reporting Centre and served as director of the school from 2011 to 2015. Klein also holds an affiliation as a faculty associate at the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. He runs the Global Reporting Program, a year-long course that works with master's journalism students from UBC and other universities worldwide. Klein's research focuses on Global Journalism, Innovation in Journalism, Documentary Production, and Investigative Reporting. His work emphasizes collaborative international reporting frameworks, solutions-focused empowerment journalism, and the ethical dimensions of global reporting practices. He has developed long-term investigative projects like Hidden Costs, which examines the hidden costs of global commerce through data, field reporting, academic research, and artistic exhibits. His scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on international reporting practices, fixer-journalist relationships, data journalism, and environmental investigations. The articles reveal a career-long commitment to investigative methodologies with emphasis on cross-border collaboration, ethical reporting frameworks, and innovative storytelling approaches that bridge journalism with academic research. Emmy Award for Best Investigation (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences) Sigma Delta Chi award Edward R. Murrow award Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism fellowship Ochberg Fellow at Columbia University's Dart Center 2011 UBC President's Award for Public Education through Media Klein has supervised numerous student-led investigative projects through the International Reporting Program and Global Reporting Program, working with news organizations including The New York Times, Toronto Star, The Guardian, PBS Frontline, Vice News and Al Jazeera. His research projects have received funding from SSHRC and CIHR, including the Hidden Costs initiative and Million Dollar Meds project. He has also collaborated with the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies on solutions-focused empowerment journalism projects.

• Global Journalism
• Innovation in Journalism
• Documentary Production
• +3 more

Yi Gu is an Associate Professor of modern and contemporary art and visual culture at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), with cross-appointments in the Department of Arts, Culture and Media and the Department of East Asian Studies. Her scholarly work centers on Asian visual culture, particularly China's artistic and photographic history from the early twentieth century to the present. Her research interests include cold war visual culture, post-socialist art, Chinese photography history, contemporary photography in Asia, mass art and amateurism, and visual methodologies across disciplines. Gu's work is driven by examining the political ambitions and social functions of art, as well as the politics of aesthetics. Her recent research has focused on aesthetic capitalism and digital surveillance in China, leading to studies of the Digital Countryside initiative and CCP aesthetics anchored in agrarian imaginary. Gu's publications reveal a consistent engagement with visual epistemology, particularly how Chinese artists and photographers have negotiated modernity, nation-building, and transnational influences. Her work spans from early twentieth-century open-air painting practices to contemporary digital visual culture, demonstrating how visual practices serve as critical sites for understanding China's social and political transformations. As co-editor of the open-access academic journal Trans Asia Photography and convening member of the research project 'Alternative Collections and Digital Humanities: Twentieth-Century Chinese Art and Visual Culture,' Gu actively contributes to expanding the field of Asian visual studies through collaborative scholarly initiatives. At UTSC, Gu teaches undergraduate courses on modern and contemporary Asian art, lens-based media in Asia, public art, and art and digital culture. Her scholarly approach combines art historical methods with visual culture studies, media theory, and cross-disciplinary perspectives to examine how visual practices shape and are shaped by political and social contexts in China and beyond.

• Modern and Contemporary East Asian Art
• Visual Culture
• Chinese Art History
• +5 more

Frederick A. A. Kingdom is a Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, focusing on Perception, Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience . His research explores the interplay between early visual feature detection (edges, bars) and intermediate stages forming contours, textures, and surfaces through spatial vision, color vision, stereopsis, texture perception, brightness/lightness perception, and transparency studies . Email: fred.kingdom@mcgill.ca Key research domains include: Perceptual Mechanisms : Lateral inhibition, contrast normalization, spatial bandpass filters, and their role in brightness/lightness perception and illusions like simultaneous brightness contrast. Color Vision : Red-green vs blue-yellow system distribution, chromatic contrast requirements for stereopsis, color-based depth processing limitations, and color-shading effects that parse surfaces vs illumination. Texture Analysis : Detection thresholds for orientation/frequency/contrast modulated textures, co-circularity in texture perception, and texture statistical sensitivity (e.g., kurtosis importance). Shape Processing : Shape-frequency/shape-amplitude aftereffects, global vs local shape coding, and contour inflection adaptation. His work combines psychophysics , fMRI , image processing , and computational modeling to dissect visual system architecture, particularly how color and luminance signals are integrated/separated in early cortical processing.

• Perception
• Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Spatial Vision
• +8 more

Anita Hubley is a Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS). She serves as MERM Program Coordinator and directs the Adult Development and Psychometrics Lab. Her work focuses on psychometric test development/validation and quality of life research across adult populations. Education: Ph.D. in Psychology (Human Assessment specialization), Carleton University (1995) M.A. in Psychology (Lifespan Development and Aging), University of Victoria (1991) Pre-doctoral training at Geriatric Assessment Unit (Ottawa) and Neuropsychological Assessment Unit (Ottawa) Her research integrates psychometric theory with practical applications in aging populations, homeless/vulnerably housed individuals, and neuropsychological assessment tools. Key contributions include developing the Memory Test for Older Adults (MTOA), Hubley Depression Scale for Older Adults (HDS-OA), Quality of Life in Homeless and Hard-to-House Individuals (QoLHHI), and Subjective Age Identity Scale (SAIS). Scientific Awards: Killam Teaching Prize (2017) Distinguished Reviewer, Buros Institute of Mental Measurements (2013) She has taught graduate courses in Psychological Assessment, Measurement Principles, Scale Development, and Applied Neuropsychology, emphasizing ethical testing practices and response process research. Her lab's work on test adaptation for marginalized populations has informed international measurement standards.

• Adult Development and Aging
• Applied Measurement and Psychometrics (test development & validation)
• Assessment
• +7 more

Pourang Irani is a Professor and Principal’s Research Chair in Ubiquitous Analytics at the University of British Columbia (Okanagan campus), within the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science’s Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics. Previously, he served at the University of Manitoba for 19 years as a faculty member and Acting Associate Dean of Science. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Wearable Computing, and Information Visualization, with an emphasis on designing interactive systems for 'anytime, anywhere' sensemaking using emerging technologies like mixed reality and smart devices. He leads interdisciplinary projects such as the NSERC CREATE grant on Visual and Automated Disease Analytics, training data scientists in health analytics. Education: PhD in Computer Science (University of New Brunswick, 2002), supervised by Dr. Colin Ware. Research Interests: Wearable interfaces (smartwatches, smartrings, and AR/VR) Data visualization for health and pervasive systems Persuasive health technologies and data storytelling Mid-air and hands-free interaction techniques Embodied interaction through social robots Recent Work Trends: Articles emphasize innovations in smartwatch interaction (e.g., bezel-to-bezel gestures), tactile visualizations via skin-dragging, and voice assistant-driven health data queries. Projects like Databiting explore transient personal data exploration, while Data Videos focus on narrative-driven health communication. Grants & Leadership: Principal Investigator of NSERC CREATE Visual and Automated Disease Analytics program. Co-leads UBCO’s Digital Transparency cluster. Active in interdisciplinary teams addressing health informatics and HCI challenges. Labs & Teams: Leads a lab developing prototypes in wearable computing, spatial analytics, and immersive technologies. Collaborates with researchers in medicine, engineering, and data science to translate HCI innovations into practical solutions.

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Visualization
• Ubiquitous Computing
• +4 more

Yigal S. Nizri is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto, cross-appointed between the Department for the Study of Religion and the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies (ATCJS), where he serves as Undergraduate Director. His research focuses on Jewish-Moroccan history, diaspora studies, and Mizrahi cultural identity in Israel. Nizri holds a PhD from New York University and specializes in the emergence of Jewish Moroccan scribal culture within trans-Mediterranean diasporic networks. His work examines Maghribi halakhic traditions, Jewish-Muslim cultural intersections, and Mizrahi identity formation. His publications demonstrate consistent focus on Jewish textual traditions in North Africa, cultural memory in diaspora communities, and the representation of Mizrahi identity in Israeli society. Recent works explore themes of return migration, disaster narratives in Jewish book culture, and the evolution of Moroccan rabbinic print traditions. Nizri teaches courses including History of the Jewish People The Arab Jew: A History of a Concept Mizrahim in Israel: History, Politics, and Culture focusing on Jewish historiography and identity formation across diverse cultural contexts.

• Jewish Studies
• Modern Jewish History
• Maghribi Halakhic Traditions
• +4 more

WonSook Lee is a tenured Full Professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Engineering. Her expertise spans medical imaging, machine/deep learning, computer graphics, and computer vision. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and holds degrees from POSTECH (Korea) and NUS (Singapore). Before academia, she worked at Korea Telecom, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, and Eyematic Interfaces Inc. (USA). Her research focuses on applications such as virtual/augmented reality, MRI/CT/Ultrasound analysis, and 3D mesh modeling. She has authored over 130 publications, including 30+ journal papers, and serves on conference committees and editorial boards. Lee has secured major grants (NSERC, CFI, ORF) as Principal Investigator and contributed to global initiatives like South Korea’s National Research Foundation. Her lab explores cutting-edge techniques in medical imaging, AI-driven object detection, and multimodal systems. Notable projects include adversarial perturbation analysis for model robustness, cross-domain GANs for semantic segmentation, and real-time ultrasound-enhanced pronunciation training. She actively promotes interdisciplinary research in healthcare technology and autonomous systems.

• Medical Imaging
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• +4 more

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).

• Mechatronics
• Robotics
• Control Systems
• +7 more

Fanny Chevalier is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, cross-appointed to the Department of Computer Science and Department of Statistical Sciences. Her research bridges data visualization and human-computer interaction, focusing on interactive tools for visual analytics and creative data exploration. Research Focus: Key themes include design and evaluation of visual exploration tools for complex datasets, statistics education through visualization, perception of animated transitions, and sketch-based interfaces. Her work emphasizes both theoretical and applied aspects of data-human interaction. Education & Career: Holds an MSc (2004) and PhD (2007) from Université de Bordeaux, with postdoctoral experience at Inria (France), OCAD University, and University of Toronto. Transitioned from research scientist roles to academia, joining the University of Toronto faculty in 2017. Contact: Email: fanny@cs.toronto.edu

• Data Science
• Interdisciplinary Research
• Statistics Education
• +6 more

Dr. Robert J. Teather is an Associate Professor and the Director of the School of Information Technology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He previously served as an interim Director of the School of Information Technology during the 2022-23 academic year. His academic journey includes a PhD in Computer Science from York University (2013) and a postdoctoral fellowship at McMaster University (2015). Dr. Teather's educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from York University (2013) Master's Thesis: "Comparing 2D and 3D Direct Manipulation Interfaces" from York University (2008), which was awarded the Joseph Liu Thesis Award Dr. Teather's research broadly falls under the field of human-computer interaction, with specialization in 3D user interfaces, virtual reality, and user interfaces for computer games. His work establishes methods for direct comparison of 2D and 3D interfaces for conceptually equivalent tasks, such as selection and manipulation interfaces. He investigates factors influencing human performance in VR, including stereo 3D graphics, haptic feedback, and head-tracking. His research also evaluates novel user interfaces like tilt control or touchscreens, and examines human performance with game input devices in complex tasks involving navigation, selection, and manipulation of objects in game environments. His research has been published extensively in top venues including IEEE VR, ACM SUI, and Graphics Interface. Among his notable scientific achievements are: NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship during his PhD studies Ontario Graduate Scholarship during his PhD studies Best Paper Honourable Mention at the ACM Symposium on Applied Perception 2020 Best Demo Award for SUI 2017 Joseph Liu Thesis Award (2008) Dr. Teather actively supervises graduate students at Carleton University, currently overseeing multiple PhD and Master's students in the areas of human-computer interaction and interactive digital media. His research is supported by NSERC and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, providing funding for his students and laboratory equipment. His students have produced research spanning VR as a persuasive tool to improve vaccine confidence, selection performance using smartphones in VR, and text entry methods in virtual reality environments. Dr. Teather leads a well-equipped CFI-supported lab focused on virtual and augmented reality research. His team works collaboratively on projects related to interactive virtual reality systems, computer game user interfaces, and input devices for 3D interaction. The lab environment fosters interdisciplinary research with opportunities for students to work on cutting-edge VR/AR technologies and contribute to the growing field of spatial computing.

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality
• 3D User Interfaces
• +7 more

Shannon Johnson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, concurrently affiliated with the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry. She serves as Director of Clinical Training and Co-Director of the Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health, which provides mental health services to underserved populations while training clinical psychology students. Dr. Johnson holds a BA from Kalamazoo College, MSc and PhD from the University of Victoria, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship from Indiana University. Her research focuses on enhancing well-being through nature connection interventions, understanding resilience mechanisms in pediatric populations, and improving diagnostic practices for neurodevelopmental disorders. She investigates the physical and cognitive benefits of nature exposure, barriers to nature connection, and behavioral change strategies. Her work bridges clinical and environmental psychology, with recent studies examining nature-based interventions for stress reduction, pain adaptation in youth with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and moral foundations in autistic children. She has pioneered the concept of Indoor Nature Exposure (INE) as a health-promotion framework. Dr. Johnson’s lab collaborates with healthcare providers to develop scalable mental health interventions, particularly for underserved communities. Her training programs emphasize evidence-based practices and culturally responsive care. Key contributions include validating the role of nature in cognitive restoration and challenging clinical biases in autism assessment.

• Environmental Psychology
• Nature Connection/Disconnection
• Behavior Change
• +4 more

Miguel Nacenta is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada, and a founding member of the Victoria Interactive eXperiences with Information (VIXI) research group. Previously affiliated with the University of St Andrews (UK), his work bridges Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Visualization, and Cognitive Science. He specializes in designing interactive systems that enhance human cognition, with a focus on Infotypography (using typography to encode data), collaborative problem-solving tools, and perceptual input/output devices. Research Interests: His key areas include cognitive augmentation, visualization techniques for complex tasks, multi-display environments, and tools for constraint problem-solving. Notable projects include the WriteReason tool for essay writing, InfoTypography studies on perceptual typographic parameters, and Solvi for visual constraint modeling. Grants & Collaborations: He collaborates internationally, including with the University of St Andrews on PhD scholarship programs. His work is supported by grants focusing on HCI innovations and accessibility. He actively mentors students (e.g., Adam Binks, Johannes Lang) and supervises postdoctoral researchers. Affiliations: Member of the VIXI group,他曾是St Andrews计算机科学学院的教授, 并参与多个学术服务活动, including conference program committees and journal reviews. Labs & Teams: Leads the VIXI lab at UVic, focusing on interactive technologies for cognitive tasks. Collaborates with industry partners on projects like TypoCartographer for infoTypographic maps and HaptiQ for accessible graph exploration.

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Visualization
• Infotypography
• +5 more

M. Tamer Özsu is a University Professor of Computer Science at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, where he holds a Cheriton Faculty Fellowship. He also serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University and is the Founding Director of Waterloo-Huawei Joint Innovation Laboratory since 2018. His extensive contributions to computing have earned him numerous prestigious awards including the 2024 ACM Presidential Award for long-standing and significant contributions to the computing field. Professor Özsu's research focuses on data engineering aspects of data science, particularly addressing data management issues with two main foci: management of non-traditional data and large-scale distributed data management. He is renowned for his seminal book "Principles of Distributed Database Systems" (co-authored with Patrick Valduriez), now in its fourth edition, and the "Encyclopedia of Database Systems" (co-edited with Ling Liu), in its second edition. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical system implementations, targeting grand societal challenges through computational approaches. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward graph analytics, streaming data processing, and the integration of large language models with vector data management. The research shows increasing focus on GPU-accelerated graph processing, RDF query optimization, and multimodal data analysis, reflecting the evolution of data management challenges in the era of big data and AI. His work continues to address fundamental challenges in distributed data systems while adapting to emerging technologies and application domains. Scientific Awards and Fellowships ACM Presidential Award (2024) IEEE TCDE Education Award (2024) IEEE Innovation in Societal Infrastructure Award (2022) CS Can | Info Can Lifetime Achievement Award (2018/2019) ACM SIGMOD Test-of-Time Award (2015) ACM SIGMOD Contributions Award (2006) The Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award (2008) Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Life Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA) Elected member of the Science Academy, Türkiye Professor Özsu has been deeply involved in academic leadership and community building. As Founding Editor-in-Chief of ACM Books (2013-2019), he launched a series that by 2019 had published 28 major books with another 30 under contract. His service to ACM, particularly through SIGMOD, has been exemplary and widely recognized. He directs the Waterloo-Huawei Joint Innovation Laboratory, which focuses on cutting-edge research in data management and distributed systems, fostering strong industry-academia collaboration.

• Data Science
• Database Systems
• Distributed Data Management
• +3 more

Gunnar Blohm is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen's University, affiliated with the School of Medicine and Faculty of Health Sciences. His research focuses on sensorimotor neuroscience, particularly 3D sensorimotor control, eye-hand coordination, and computational modeling of neural processes. He holds a Ph.D. from Université Catholique de Louvain and has held postdoctoral positions at York University and his alma mater. Cross-appointed to the School of Computing, Department of Psychology, and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, he is also Vice-Director of the Connected Minds initiative. His research integrates behavioral experiments, brain imaging (MEG/EEG), and patient studies to understand how sensory information is transformed into goal-directed actions. Key areas include visuomotor transformations, multisensory integration, and Bayesian processes in neural computations. Blohm leads the Computational Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab, emphasizing collaborative projects like Neuromatch Academy and contributions to open science initiatives. Affiliated with Queen's Centre for Neuroscience Studies and Ingenuity Labs, his work bridges computational approaches with clinical applications, aiming to develop frameworks for understanding brain dysfunction and clinical tools. His recent articles explore topics like saccade dynamics, pupil responses, and generative adversarial collaborations in scientific discourse.

• Sensorimotor Neuroscience
• Clinical Medicine
• Neurology
• +3 more

Sheelagh Carpendale is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Information Visualization at Simon Fraser University's School of Computing Science. Her research focuses on Information Visualization, Interaction Design, and Human-Computer Interaction, with a strong emphasis on large display interaction, visual analytics, and personal visualization. She leads the Innovations in Visualization Interactive Experiences (ixLab) and has contributed to over 200 publications. Education: PhD (Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, 1999); BSc (Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, 1992). Research Interests: Dr. Carpendale's work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing user-centered design and interdisciplinary collaboration. Key areas include data physicalization (e.g., Kirigami-inspired visualizations), interactive technologies for healthcare, and educational tools like TangiBooks for programming concepts. Her lab explores novel interaction paradigms for large displays and mobile devices. Recognition: Recipient of the 2018 IEEE Visualization Career Award, numerous best paper awards, and leadership roles in conferences like IEEE VIS. Her contributions span academic, industrial, and public engagement contexts, including projects on clinical decision support and public data literacy. Grants & Labs: Active in securing research grants for projects like the Arctic Movement visualization and Energy Data initiatives. The ixLab collaborates with artists, scientists, and healthcare professionals to create impactful visualizations.

• Information Visualization
• Interaction Design
• Human-Computer Interaction
• +7 more