We are delighted to announce the recipients of the 2019-2020 RBC Borealis Graduate Fellowship Awards.   

The ten Fellows won the awards for their outstanding research capabilities and represent leading universities and AI institutes from provinces across Canada.

These fellowships are part of RBC Borealis’s commitment to support Canadian academic excellence in AI and machine learning. They provide financial assistance for exceptional domestic and international graduate students to carry out fundamental research as they pursue their masters and PhDs in various fields of AI.  The program is one of a number of RBC Borealis initiatives designed to strengthen the partnership between academia and industry and advance the momentum of Canada’s leadership in the AI space.  

This year’s winners demonstrated exceptional talent, vision and passion for high-quality research. Backed by some of Canada’s leading AI professors, the projects range from using AI in metabolomics, quantum physics and in areas such as natural language processing, deep learning, uncertainty, and computer vision.

Speaking about the program, Prof. Geoffrey Hinton, Chief Scientific Advisor at Vector Institute, said:

“Deep learning is poised to change the way we work and live and I am proud of the talent and caliber that our Universities have to offer. Canada is a top destination for research in machine learning globally and the RBC Borealis Fellowships demonstrate the continuous support of the industry in that regard. Supporting students with the means to conduct their research is very important for our community.”

Foteini Agrafioti, Head of RBC Borealis, said: 

“AI was pioneered in Canada, and our universities have trained some of the most prolific experts in the world.  There is a huge demand for AI expertise, and that is why we are committed to nurturing talent in this highly critical field in Canada. I’m impressed by the caliber of this year’s winners and am excited to provide them with additional resources to advance their research and kick start their promising careers.”

Ibtihel Amara, a PhD student at McGill University at the Centre for Intelligent Machines (CIM), was awarded a fellowship this year for her work on addressing uncertainty and integrating reliability and trust into modern AI systems.  Speaking about her award, Ibtihel said:

“The RBC Borealis fellowship is important to me because it means I can focus completely on my research work. This award has also encouraged me to believe in the significance of my research, especially to be chosen among the best candidates in the AI research community. It compels me to achieve more and dream big!”

Click RBC Borealis Graduate Fellowships – The Class of 2020 to meet the class of 2020.