Dr. Renée Elio

Associate Vice-President Research, University of Alberta

A native of Milford, Connecticut, Renée Elio received her PhD from Carnegie-Mellon University, where she began her interdisciplinary research activities in computer models of human learning and memory. Prior to taking up her responsibilities at the University of Alberta, she held positions at the Alberta Research Council and with Bell Laboratories.

Dr. Elio joined the U of A's Department of Computing Science in 1985. Since then, her roles have including serving as Acting Chair of Computing Science, as Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Science, and, since March 2008, as the University's Associate Vice-President (Research). In that capacity, she liaises with the National Institute of Nanotechnology, sits on the board of the Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences, oversees the University's Field Research Office, and represents the U of A on the IHE Board of Directors.

Dr Elio's research lies at the intersection of experimental cognitive psychology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. She has published widely on human performance, theoretical issues, and computing systems that advance models and theories of learning, reasoning, and communication for cooperative planning.

Her volume Common Sense, Reasoning, and Rationality (Oxford, 2002), brought together perspectives from artificial intelligence, philosophy, and cognitive science on the long-standing debate of how to frame and define rational reasoning and decision-making, both for people and for AI systems.

Renée Elio believes that, "An important element of that environment extends well beyond our institutional, provincial, and national boundaries." She goes on to note, "Today's most challenging issues require not only many disciplines, but many institutions pooling their complementary talents together. We are always looking for strategic partnerships that will allow our faculty new opportunities to be leaders and contributors on national and international activities-in all areas of scholarship."