Linglong Kong, professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, is one of two Faculty of Science researchers awarded Canada Research Chairs. Photo credit: John Ulan
Two new Canada Research Chairs have been awarded to faculty members in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Science.
Linglong Kong, professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and Christopher Sturdy, professor in the Department of Psychology, were inducted into this group of world-class scientists and scholars in September 2020.
The Canada Research Chair (CRC) program is an initiative of the Government of Canada, designed to improve our collective knowledge and quality of life, strengthen Canada's international competitiveness, and help train the next generation of highly skilled people through student supervision, teaching, and the coordination of other researchers' work.
Kong has been named the CRC in Statistical Learning, and Sturdy has been named the CRC in Animal Cognition, Communication and Neuroethology.
Hear more from Long and Sturdy on the future of their research.
Linglong Kong
Professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and CRC in Statistical Learning
Tell me about receiving this CRC. What does this mean for you and your research?
I am very happy to receive this CRC. This will provide a great opportunity to boost my research in statistical learning in a timely fashion. The financial support and time guarantee provided by CRC will facilitate and enhance my research.
What is your vision for your research program in the near future?
The rapid development in artificial intelligence (AI) illustrates the undeniable impact on our economies and societies. However, there are some ongoing and urgent issues on understanding what the AI is truly doing and evaluating if the AI is performing responsibly. Statistics together with other areas will play a significant roles in these perspectives. Therefore, I will be focusing on explainable and responsible AI from a statistical learning point of view in the next couple years.
What makes the University of Alberta's Faculty of Science a great place to carry on this work?
UAlberta has top notch departments in mathematical and statistical sciences as well as computing sciences. AI is also one of our signature areas. This unique combination will provide a strong foundation and support to my research. In addition, we have other resources for example, phycology, neuroscience, sociology, and many others providing opportunity for promoting statistical learning on explainable, responsible, and interdisciplinary AI.
To promote statistical learning to attack issues on explanation, responsibility and interdisciplinarity is urgent. The CRC provides timely opportunity for these significant emerging research.
Christopher Sturdy
Christopher Sturdy, professor in the Department of Psychology, is one of two Faculty of Science researchers awarded a Canada Research Chair. Photo supplied.
Professor in the Department of Psychology and CRC in Animal Cognition, Communication and Neuroethology.
Tell me about receiving this CRC. What does this mean for you and your research?
The CRC will allow me to spend more time devoted to research. This means that I can work more directly with my team on interesting research. We will also have some help with additional research funding, which will be used to fund highly qualified personnel through the spring and summer, and also to allow us to provide equipment and training needed to pursue our work.
What is your vision for your research program in the near future?
Our focus will be to continue to develop and expand a comprehensive understanding of songbird communication, cognition, and neuroethology by approaching our research from multiple angles: behaviour, cognition, and neuroscience. We will continue our work with chickadees, and we are also developing ideas to expand our studies to include other species.
What makes the University of Alberta's Faculty of Science a great place to do this work?
The Faculty of Science offers a supportive environment in which to conduct our research. There are many skilled colleagues, both non-academic and academic, who have greatly enriched and improved our work for more than 18 years. Our work is a true team effort, and we have an amazing extended team in the Faculty of Science and in the University of Alberta—and beyond for that matter, with our amazing collaborators!