APPOINTMENTS TO THREE FRQ–IVADO RESEARCH CHAIRS FOR DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IN DATA SCIENCE

$1.5 million in funding to support innovative research and training for a qualified workforce of data scientists

The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) and the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) announced the appointments of three FRQ–IVADO research chairs in diversity and equity in data science.

A pillar of innovative research, the research chair program was created to support the training of a qualified workforce of data scientists within three renowned institutions in Québec: Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal. In addition to making a significant contribution to cutting-edge data science research, the FRQ–IVADO chairs aim to foster diversity and equity in data science research through the composition of the chairs’ teams, leadership of the chairholders and directions of the research projects.

Each chairholder is awarded funding in the amount of $100 000/year for five years—the duration of his or her mandate. Of the total amount, half will be dedicated to recruiting and supporting students and postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups.

FRQ–IVADO data science research chairs

Prof. Margarida Carvalho
Université de Montréal

Margarida Carvalho is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research. Professor Carvalho specializes in game theory. She is the chair of the FRQ–IVADO Chair in Data Science for Combinatorial Game Theory.

Prof. Foutse Khomh
Polytechnique Montréal

Foutse Khomh is an associate professor in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. Professor Khomh has focused his research on software maintenance and evolution, cloud engineering, service-oriented software engineering, experimental software engineering and analytics. He is that chair for the FRQ–IVADO Chair in Software Quality Assurance for Machine Learning Software.

Prof. Aurélie Labbe
HEC Montréal

Aurélie Labbe is an associate professor in the Department of Decision Sciences at HEC Montréal. Professor Labbe specializes in data science with applications in health, transport and business and marketing. She is the chair of the FRQ–IVADO Chair in Data Science.