Profile

Senior researcher with a solid experience in software design for enterprise and research applications

Expertise

Software Development (design, implementation and testing)

• C++ libraries used for the development of applications and plug-ins
• C++ tutorial code released to software designers who develop OEM applications
• IP network management: SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) agents, protocol translation tools, and standardized interfaces
• Speech recognition: SQL-based tools to automate data generation for describing speech-activated services, improvement of recognition rates and detection of out-of-vocabulary words using statistical techniques
• Extensive knowledge of Java, C++ and Matlab; good knowledge of applications development under Android, and of HTML, CSS, SQL, Perl, Prolog, Lisp and Pascal
• Experience using software design methodologies (xUML) and tools such as Eclipse, Visual Studio, Clear Case and Bridge Point (case tool for xUML)

Research and development

• Development of algorithms for processing biometric signals
• Machine learning: supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement, symbolic, and hybrid systems (connectionist and symbolic)
• Modeling and computer simulations of human cognition: problem solving, learning, and visual word recognition
• Statistical, quantitative and experimental methods: detection of significant maxima and spurts in noisy data, and Web-based experiments
• Good knowledge of statistical analyses techniques and software such as SPSS and R

Communication

• Teaching a university-level course to a class of 210 students, and supervising two teaching assistants
• Publishing in top, peer-reviewed scientific journals (14 articles including 10 as first author; details available upon request), including Neural Networks, Connection Science, and IEEE Transactions
• Presenting talks and posters at international scientific conferences (18 projects and papers, including 13 as first author; details available upon request)
• Reviewing scientific articles, including for the IEEE Transactions and Connection Science
• Co-supervising two students' honours theses
• Writing a manual and training new employees (computer operators and technicians)

Professional experience

1. Senior researcher in Natural Language Processing, Nuance Communications, Montréal (2012-...)
2. Senior engineer* in biometric signals' analysis, OMSignal, Montréal (2012)
3. Contract researcher (post-doctoral)
   • Université de Montréal, Canada (2010-2012)
   • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Marseille, France (2008-2010)
4. Lecturer, Cognitive processes course, Université de Montréal (2010)
5. Software engineer*, Preside Network Services, Nortel Networks, Montréal, Canada (1999-2001)
6. Software designer, Video group, Matrox Electronic Systems, Montréal, Canada (1998-1999)
7. Researcher (internship) in speech recognition, Daimler-Benz research center, Ulm, Germany (1995)
8. Software designer (internship), Bell Northern Research, Montréal, Canada (1995 & 1998)
9. Technician and operator, Vidéotron Services Informatiques, Montréal, Canada (1991-1994)

Note: * Member of Ordre des Ingenieurs du Quebec from 2000 to 2014

Educational and professional qualifications

• Ph.D., Cognitive sciences, Department of Psychology, McGill University (2002-2007)
• Master of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, McGill University (1996-1998)
• Bachelor of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal (1990-1995)

Service to the community

• Councillor, Post-Graduate Student Society, McGill University(2005-2006)
• VP Finance, Graduate Association of Students in Psychology, McGill University (2003-2005)
• Volunteer, International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) (1996-1998)
• Volunteer, McGill Buddy Program for international students (1996-1997)
• VP Finance, Electrical Engineering Graduate Students' Society, McGill University(1996-1997)

Fellowships and scholarships

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (post-doctoral, 2010-2012)
• Lloyd Carr-Harris McGill major (2005-2007)
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2002-2005)
• Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies (2002-2004)
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (1996-1998)
• Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche (awarded but declined, 1996)

Other achievements and information

• Doctoral thesis entitled "Computational modelling of learning in complex problem solving tasks" defended in 2007
• Recipient of the De Vinci profile at École Polytechnique de Montréal (1994-1995)
• Member of IEEE, the International Neural Network Society, and the Cognitive Science Society
• Student exchange, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland (1993-1994)
• Teaching assistant for computer engineering courses, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and McGill University (1993 and 1997)
• Teaching assistant at McGill University for four cognitive psychology courses, including one at the graduate level (2004 to 2006)
• Internship (3 months), Neural Systems Group, Imperial College, London, UK (1997)
• Member of the Y2K technical support team at Nortel Networks
• Manager of small Windows NT networks in university labs