Seminar on Applying AI for Decision Analytics Leads to Innovation & Growth Innovation

22 Apr 2026 01.00 PM - 02.00 PM LT5 (North Spine, NS2-02-07) Current Students, Public

Fatemeh Farnia

University of Alberta, Canada

This seminar will be chaired by Dr Mohamed Arif Bin Mohamed.

Seminar Abstract

This talk presents the work of the AI4DA Centre at the University of Alberta through its three core pillars: education, industry, and research. It begins with AI4DA’s educational role in preparing future leaders in analytics, decision-making, and applied problem solving. In this context, the talk will highlight the University of Alberta’s Master of Management Analytics (MMA) program as an example of how students are trained to combine analytics, business understanding, and practical implementation in addressing complex organizational challenges.

The second part of the talk focuses on industry, where AI4DA works with partners to bring artificial intelligence and decision analytics into real-world settings. The Centre’s industry-facing work is framed around applying advanced methods to practical challenges across sectors, with current projects spanning areas such as healthcare, energy, operations, and sustainability. The talk will highlight ongoing projects represented through AI4DA’s industry activity, including collaboration with Dune Engineering on HVAC systems and energy sustainability, as an example of how the Centre supports organizations in using data-driven tools to improve performance, efficiency, and long-term decision-making. AI4DA describes its industry role as bridging academia and industry to solve complex real-world problems.

The final part of the talk turns to research, where AI4DA advances methodological innovation while maintaining a strong connection to implementation. One example is surgery scheduling, where researchers at the University of Alberta are developing decision-aware AI models to improve scheduling efficiency and reduce operating room costs. Another distinct example is AI4DA’s work connected to Flashfood, which focuses on applying AI and optimization to improve operations and reduce food waste, demonstrating how analytics can support both business performance and sustainability objectives. Together, these examples show how AI4DA integrates education, applied collaboration, and research innovation to create meaningful impact across sectors and to strengthen the connection between academic knowledge and real-world decision-making.

 

Speaker's Biography 

Fatemeh Farnia is the Centre Manager at the AI Centre for Decision Analytics (AI4DA) at the University of Alberta, where she supports the development and delivery of applied research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and industry-facing initiatives at the intersection of artificial intelligence, decision analytics, and operations. With two master’s degrees in industrial engineering and computer science and a professional background for nearly a decade in the AI industry, spanning machine learning, data science, and project leadership, she brings both technical depth and implementation experience to her work. Her experience includes leading and supporting projects across supply chain, energy assessment, healthcare, and retail, with a focus on translating analytical methods into practical, decision-oriented solutions for complex real-time challenges. She works with researchers, students, and clients to coordinate initiatives that integrate data, modeling, and domain expertise to support evidence-based planning and organizational decision-making. Before joining the leadership team at AI4DA, Fatemeh built her career through roles in machine learning engineering, lead data science, and applied analytics across different industries, including aviation, healthcare, technology and sustainability. This background has shaped her interest in decision analytics, particularly in environments characterized by uncertainty, multiple objectives, and operational complexity. She contributes to initiatives involving optimization, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled decision-support systems, while also supporting educational programming, experiential learning, and the development of research proposals and partnerships. With more than eight years of cross-sector experience, she brings a multidisciplinary and practice-informed perspective to academic and industry collaboration, with a strong emphasis on rigor, relevance, and implementation.

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