Aaloak Jaswal

Innovation Director · Research Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)

Aaloak Jaswal is the Innovation Director at RIDSAI at the University of New Brunswick, where he leads applied AI initiatives across industry, government, and academia, focused on translating emerging technologies into real-world systems.
He brings over two decades of international experience, including senior leadership roles across the United Nations system, where he led large-scale digital transformation and innovation programs across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. He previously led the UN Technology Innovation Lab in Cairo, building multi-stakeholder partnerships and delivering applied AI solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Stijn De Baerdemacker

Associate Research Director · Research Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)

Dr. Stijn De Baerdemacker [he/him/his] is a T2 CRC in Theoretical Chemistry, associated research director at RIDSAI, and PI of the QuNB quantum chemistry group at the University of New Brunswick. His work focuses on adopting emerging technology to solve real world problems in areas such as health care, skills training, and entertainment. The QuNB group's research focuses on developing quantum many-body techniques to empower computational chemists in understanding chemical processes for materials, drug discovery, and renewable energy. Stijn's background is in quantum many-body theory, with a PhD in theoretical nuclear structure physics from Ghent University, and he is an early adopter of quantum computing and explores the "unreasonable effectiveness" of machine learning approaches. Stijn enjoys thinking fast & slow, and drawing from the right side of the brain.

Scott Bateman, PhD

Research Director · Research Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)

Dr. Scott Bateman is the Research Director of the Research Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI), the Director of the Spatial Computing Research Centre (SPECTRAL), the co-director of the Human-Computer Interaction Lab, and a Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science. His work focuses on adopting emerging technology to solve real world problems in areas such as health care, skills training, and entertainment. He places a large focus on understanding how university researchers can best support the needs of regional, national, and international industrial partners.

Mahzabeen Nooren

AI Summit and Communications Assistant · Research Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)

Mahzabeen Nooren is a third-year Bachelor of Computer Science student at the University of New Brunswick. Currently in a co-op position as AI Summit and Communications Assistant with RIDSAI, she plays a pivotal role in ensuring seamless summit operations including overseeing communications, planning, and managing stakeholder relationships. Her commitment to supporting fellow students is evident through her leadership experience, which spans multiple roles including Teaching Assistant, Peer Mentor, and Vice President of the Women in Computer Science club, where she works to create a more inclusive and supportive environment.

Dr. Michael Zhang

Professor of Management Science · Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University.

Dr. Michael Zhang is a Professor of Management Science and Sobey Professor in the Department of Finance, Information Systems, and Management Science (FISMS) at the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University. His research sits at the intersection of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and decision sciences, with a strong focus on addressing real-world challenges in healthcare systems and business operations. He is among the few scholars in Canada to have served as a principal investigator on major federal research grants across all three Tri-Council agencies—NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR—as well as the highly competitive New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF). His recent work includes developing dynamic resource allocation models to enhance mental health interventions and optimize service delivery in resource-constrained healthcare environments. Dr. Zhang currently leads several interdisciplinary initiatives on the responsible use of AI in complex domains, including detecting and countering online hate imagery, applying predictive analytics for emergency management and resource deployment, and designing multi-agent AI systems to study human–algorithm decision-making in high-stakes contexts. In addition to his research, he plays a key leadership role in graduate education as Director of the Master of Business Analytics (MBAN) program, where he champions the integration of AI and data science into business education, consistently bridging academic theory with practical and societal impact.

Enayat Rajabi

Associate Professor of Business Analytics · Cape Breton University

Reza(Enayat) Rajabi is an Associate Professor of Business Analytics at Cape Breton University and a knowledge scientist.  He has secured various research grants from NSERC, Mitacs, IRAP, and Research Nova Scotia in context of AI, machine learning and Knowledge graphs. 

Daniel L. Silver, PhD

Emeritus Professor and former Director of the Jodrey School of Computer Science · Acadia University

Danny is an Emeritus Professor with and former Director of the Jodrey School of Computer Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He is the founder and former Director of the Acadia Institute for Data Analytics and led the Lifelong Machine Learning and Reasoning research group at Acadia from 2010-24. Danny’s research focuses on advanced methods of machine learning and their application in data analytics, robotics, intelligent agents and adaptive systems. He has authored over 75 refereed journal or conference papers, 40 industry project reports and delivered associated talks in Canada, USA, Mexico, Europe and Asia. In June, 2016, he received the CAIAC Distinguished Service Award and was made a CAIAC Fellow. In 2011 he received the Science Champion Award from the Nova Scotia Discovery Center for his work on youth robotics and the advancement of STEM education. And from 2014 to 2018 he was an Honorary Colonel in the RCAF attached to 415 Squadron of 14 Wing Greenwood, in Nova Scotia.

Andrew McIntyre

Assistant Professor · Jodrey School of Computer Science · Acadia University

Dr. McIntyre is an assistant professor at the Jodrey School of Computer Science at Acadia University and serves as Director of the Acadia Institute for Data Analytics (AIDA). His research focuses on AI and machine learning (ML), with a particular focus on developing evolutionary computation algorithms for ML tasks. He previously served as a senior researcher with Dalhousie University’s Network Information Management and Security (NIMS/Project X) group, where he concentrated on applying AI techniques to behaviour mining applications. Previously, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and collaborated with the National Research Council Canada Institute for Biodiagnostics Atlantic at the Neuroimaging Research Laboratory, developing models of functional connectivity in brain images.

Andrew Godbout

Associate Professor · University of Prince Edward Island

Andrew Godbout is an Associate Professor and Program Lead for Computer Science in the School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the University of Prince Edward Island. He received his PhD and MSc from the University of Calgary in Computer Science. In addition, Andrew worked for at IBM in their compiler division as a software developer between his undergraduate and graduate studies. Andrew's research areas include data sonification, machine learning, applications of machine learning and machine vision, and computer science education. He is especially interested in applying his research to areas involving human movement, including sporting and rehabilitation settings.

Frank Rudzicz

Full Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science · Dalhousie University

Frank Rudzicz is a Full Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University, holding a Killam Memorial Chair. He is a Canada CIFAR Artificial Intelligence Chair, and a faculty member at the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. At Dalhousie, he directs the Advanced Computing CORE Facility and serves as Director of Atlantic AI Institute, helping advance AI capacity in Atlantic Canada. Rudzicz develops machine-learning methods for healthcare, with a focus on natural language processing and safe, responsible AI. His lab’s work has translated into real-world impact through companies founded with his trainees, including WinterLight Labs (acquired by Cambridge Cognition) and Mutuo Health Solutions (acquired by HEALWELL). His research has been featured by outlets including Scientific American, Nature, The New York Times, and CBC.

Greg Lukeman

CEO · ACENET

Greg Lukeman is the CEO of ACENET, Atlantic Canada’s digital research infrastructure organization that provides researchers and industry with access to advanced computing infrastructure, technical expertise, and training.

Michele Fash

Director Business Development · ACENET

Michele brings over 35 years of experience in marketing, including 12 years with ACENET. Her career spans both the public and private sectors and a diverse range of industries. She has held roles in Public Affairs at the Department of National Defence, and with organizations such as McCain Foods (Canada), The Shaw Group Ltd., and Uplift Technologies. In addition, she has provided consulting services to a wide range of organizations. 

Sarah Rankin

Digital Innovation Lead · Centre of Excellence

Sarah Rankin leads the Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovation with the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, where she guides provincial work on AI, digital learning, and innovation in K–12. Sarah has led system-wide guidelines for generative AI at the provincial level, large-scale pilots of AI tools, and organized groundbreaking events like the New Brunswick Digital Learning Summit and AI Think Tank that connect education with industry and community partners. Her work brings together teachers, students, government, and organizations such as Microsoft Canada, Dell Technologies, MediaSmarts, and the McKenna Institute to build digital skills and AI literacy across New Brunswick.

Chris Fevens

Manager of Partnerships and Member Support · Springboard Atlantic

Chris Fevens is the Manager of Partnerships and Member Support at Springboard Atlantic, where he leads initiatives that strengthen innovation and commercialization across Atlantic Canada’s post-secondary institutions, including advancing collaborative work in applied AI and its role in industry and research partnerships. With a background in strategic program development and ecosystem engagement, he has also held leadership roles at Dalhousie University and the University of Victoria.

Veerle Hellemans

Technology Transfer Officer · University of New Brusnwick

Dr. Veerle Hellemans is a Technology Transfer Officer in the Office of Research Services at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). In her role at UNB, Veerle engages with researchers and companies to promote collaborative research and commercialization, specializing in the energy, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing sectors. She also serves as a liaison with ACOA and is passionate about software IP. Veerle holds a PhD in Physics from Ghent University (Belgium), where she specialized in nuclear structure physics research, and worked as a technology transfer professional in Brussels prior to moving to Canada in 2019.