Omid Ardakanian

Associate Professor
Department of Computing Science
University of Alberta

ardakanian@ualberta.[NULL]ca


I am an associate professor of computing science at the University of Alberta. My research addresses systems challenges in sensor networks, data centers, and energy systems. I use optimization, control, and machine learning techniques to enhance the design and operation of networked, embedded, and cyber-physical systems.

The Sustainable Computing Research Lab | Publications | Google Scholar

Omid Ardakanian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta and a Principal Investigator of Future Energy Systems. His research focuses on designing algorithms for safe, robust, and efficient operation of networked, embedded, and cyber-physical systems. He currently serves as the Treasurer for ACM SIGENERGY and on the steering committee of ACM e-Energy. He is also an editor of Energy Informatics Review (EIR). In the past, he served as a guest editor of IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid and a TPC co-chair of ACM e-Energy 2021. He received the 2022 ASTech award for Outstanding Achievement in AI/ML Advancement: Energy and Environmental Innovation, and the best paper award at ACM e-Energy (2013), ACM BuildSys (2016, 2022), and IEEE PES General Meeting (2017).

Before joining the UofA, Dr. Ardakanian was a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley working with David Culler, and the University of British Columbia working with Vincent Wong. He received the BSc in Computer Engineering at Sharif University of Technology, and the MMath and PhD in Computer Science at the University of Waterloo under the supervision of Srinivasan Keshav and Catherine Rosenberg. He was nominated for the Governor General's Gold Medal and received a 2015 University of Waterloo “Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies” award for his PhD thesis.


Note to prospective students: I am always looking for motivated undergraduate, master's, and PhD students who are interested in computer systems and have a strong background in optimization theory and machine learning. I especially encourage women and students from equity-seeking groups to apply to my group. If you are interested in pursuing graduate studies at the UofA, check out this page before submitting your application. You must have a degree in Computer Science/Engineering or other disciplines if you took core CS courses. Additionally, PhD applicants are expected to have at least one paper in a top conference, workshop, or journal in their area.
If you decide to email me, make sure to attach your CV, write a brief description of your background and research interests, and name one of my projects that you can contribute to. Include "Houseplant" in the subject line. Note that I may not be able to respond to all emails about admissions, but I will read them and review application materials in our system. Strong candidates may be invited to an interview.

ASTech 2022 Award Winner
Email
ardakanian@ualberta.[NULL]ca

Office
Athabasca Hall 3-20

Mailing Address
University of Alberta
Department of Computing Science
Athabasca Hall 2-32
Attention: Omid Ardakanian
116 St and 85 Ave
Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R3
Canada