National honours for computer scientist Sandra Zilles

Posted: May 1, 2014 11:30 a.m.

Sandra Zilles, a Canada Research Chair in Computational Learning Theory, has been recognized nationally as an outstanding young computer science researcher. Photo courtesy of External Relations.

Sandra Zilles has been named by the Canadian Association of Computer Science as one of the top three Outstanding Young Computer Science Researchers in the country.

The award recognizes young computer science faculty members within 10 years of their PhD who have made highly significant contributions in their careers, particularly to research.

“I was very surprised and certainly very happy to be recognized in this way,” says Zilles, a professor in the Department of Computer Science.

Her research is in the area of what is called “machine learning” – for example, advertising on your computer screen that’s aimed directly at your particular interests. Computers need to know just what to look for from particularly well-chosen data, rather than requiring a large quantity of potentially expensive data. The results include increased efficiencies and lower costs.

Zilles is a Canada Research Chair in Computational Learning Theory – one of only 10 Canada Research Chairs at the University of Regina.

She says this latest national recognition shows that when it comes to research, bigger does not mean better.

“I think it is important to see that even at a smaller university like ours we can compete with the big universities. What people may overlook is that synergies are more easily created at smaller places, where people find it easier to get to know each other. We have many excellent researchers here at the University of Regina, and we ought to be proud of that.”

Zilles will be attending the awards ceremony on May 12, 2014, at a banquet held in conjunction with the annual Computer Science Chairs meeting at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

For a complete interview with Zilles, listen to the radio program University Matters at 6 p.m. on CJTR 91.3 FM on May 1, or after it airs go to the podcast at http://www.uregina.ca/external/communications/podcasts/university-matters/um-2014.html