Amii is excited to welcome the new year with the Canada CIFAR AI chair renewal of Amii researcher Alona Fyshe (University of Alberta) and new Amii-affiliated researcher Frank Wood (University of British Columbia).
The Canada CIFAR AI Chair program is a key part of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. This strategy accelerates AI research and builds strong AI communities across Canada by supporting leading researchers at national AI centers including Amii (Edmonton), Mila (Montreal), and the Vector Institute (Toronto), along with their affiliated universities.
“Congratulations to Alona and Frank on their CIFAR AI Chair renewals,” says Cam Linke, CEO of Amii. “Through the continued funding of the CIFAR Chair program, these researchers will help Amii maintain our momentum and solidify Canada's position as a world leader in AI. I look forward to their valuable contributions to Amii and the AI landscape at large.”
The recent CIFAR Chair renewals strengthen Amii's research capacity, bringing the total number of Amii-affiliated Canada CIFAR AI Chairs to 37.
Learn more about the researchers helping drive the future of machine intelligence below.
Alona Fyshe
Alona is an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Computing Science and Psychology departments at the University of Alberta. She is also a Fellow of CIFAR’s Learning in Machines and Brains program and was previously named a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar. In 2023, she presented her TED Talk, “Does AI actually understand us?” in New York. Additionally, Alona is an Amii Fellow in Residence and regularly provides her expertise and wit as the co-host of Amii’s Approximately Correct podcast.
Her research combines her interests in computational linguistics, machine learning and neuroscience to study how the human brain processes language. Alona investigates how meaning is created and understood, both by humans and machines. She uses machine learning to analyze brain scans of people reading, revealing how our brains process language and construct meaning from words. This research also informs her work in developing advanced computer algorithms. By going beyond common word usage, these algorithms aim to enable computers to truly comprehend language and gain a deeper understanding of the world.
Frank Wood
Frank Wood is an associate professor of computer science at the University of British Columbia.
In 2018, Frank established the Pacific Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence (PLAI), a leading research center dedicated to developing cutting-edge generative AI technologies. PLAI focuses on Bayesian inference and probabilistic programming to improve deep generative models and advance the fields of reinforcement learning, control systems, and ultimately, artificial general intelligence.
His research centers on deep generative modeling, probabilistic programming, reinforcement learning, and the practical applications of probabilistic machine learning. This work involves creating advanced probabilistic models and inference algorithms, which can lead to innovations in areas like autonomous vehicles and robotics.