MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - May 22, 2015) - Chairs Secretariat

Canada is committed to attracting and retaining the world's best researchers. One of the most respected programs to attract these research giants is the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) program. Dr. Andrea Lodi, one of the world's most respected data scientists, has been appointed as the CERC in Data Science for Real-Time Decision-Making.

The Honourable Senator Diane Bellemare, on behalf of the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology), was at Polytechnique Montréal today to introduce Dr. Andrea Lodi, who has come to Canada from the University of Bologna, Italy. Dr. Lodi becomes the 23rd Canada Excellence Research Chair holder.

As the CERC in Data Science for Real-Time Decision-Making, Dr. Lodi's work will focus on developing new methods of exploiting big data, creating algorithms to achieve optimized strategies for decision-making, which will help solve day-to-day problems in real time. Dr. Lodi will develop software that city planners in Canada and around the world can use to make optimal decisions concerning the scheduling of trains or subways, the assignment of telecommunication frequencies, or health-care management. This type of software has significant environmental benefits as it can be applied to natural resource management to control waste and overuse.

QUICK FACTS

• Dr. Andrea Lodi is Polytechnique Montréal's first CERC, and the sixth in Quebec.
• Polytechnique Montréal will receive up to $10 million in funding over seven years to support Dr. Lodi and his team's ambitious research program.
• With this announcement, there are now 23 chairs in place at 17 universities across the country.
• Since its launch in 2008, the CERC Program has positioned Canada as an international leader and destination of choice for research and development, and continues to attract and retain world-leading researchers.
• The CERC Program is a tri-agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
• As set out in Economic Action Plan 2015 and the renewed science, technology and innovation strategy, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting world-class research talent and infrastructure that is essential to advanced discoveries in both the public and private sectors.

QUOTES

"The Government of Canada is committed to supporting world-class research. The announcement today of Andrea Lodi as Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Science for Real-Time Decision-Making will not only strengthen Canada's ability to use and interpret big data, it will boost innovation in such diverse fields as communications, traffic networks, power grids and data storage."

- Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology)

"I am pleased that Polytechnique Montréal has attracted one of the world's best researchers. Dr. Lodi's innovative data management technologies will provide significant environmental benefits to Quebec and Canada, particularly in natural resource management, as they can be used to control waste and overuse."
-Diane Bellemare, Senator

"The world is approaching significant future economic and social opportunities related to emerging technologies. The arrival at the Polytechnique Montréal of Andrea Lodi, one of the world's leading researchers in the use of mathematical optimization and big data for real-time decision-making, will provide Canadians with crucial knowledge and insights, and help consolidate Canada's position as a leader in big data management and its applications."

- Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

"Polytechnique Montréal and its campus partners, the Université de Montréal and HEC Montréal, have acquired a wealth of expertise and an international reputation in operations research and data science over the past decades. In this field, we have one of the largest pools of professors and researchers in the world. We are thrilled to welcome the new Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Science for Real-Time Decision-Making, Professor Andrea Lodi, who is considered to be one of the most promising researchers in the field."

- Christophe Guy, Chief Executive Officer, Polytechnique Montréal

Additional Links

More About the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program

Biography of Andrea Lodi

Spotlight on Andrea Lodi