I am a Professor in and the former Director of the Jodrey School of Computer Science at Acadia University. I am currently the Director of the Acadia Institute for Data Analytics. I was educated at Acadia University (B.Sc), St.Mary's University (CIM) and The University of Western Ontario (M.Sc., Ph.D.).

I teach courses in machine learning, data mining, web-centric programming and software engineering and the impact computers on our environment and society. 

My research focuses on advanced methods of machine learning and their application in data analytics, data mining, intelligent agents, user modeling, and adaptive systems.  I have published over 60 scientific papers, and have co-chaired or been part of the program committee for a number of workshops, seminars and conferences. Since 2004, I have maintained a Machine Life-Long Learning (ML3) web-page for the community of researchers interested in learning to learn, lifelong learning and meta-learning. 

I was the President of the Canadian Artificiual Intellgence Association (CAIAC) from 2009-11.  Recently, I became a member of the ChaLearn Board of Directors. Chalearn manages international challenges for the purpose of stimulating research machine learning.

In 2005, I founded the Acadia University Robot Programming Competitions and have been the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Partner for Nova Scotia since 2006.  In 2011 I accepted Science Champion Award from the Nova Scotia Discovery Center on behalf of all the wonderful people at Acadia and the NSCC that I have had the pleasure to work with on youth robotics and the advancement of STEM education.  In December, 2013, I became an Honorary Colonel in the RCAF attached to the 14 Wing Software Engineering Squadron, in Greenwood, NS.

Prior to coming to Acadia, I  was an Associate to the Killam Chair in Business Informatics, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University.  In this position I was responsible for aspects of research, promotion, education and application of knowledge discovery and data mining methods and technologies to problems in business and industry. Before undertaking a career in academia I gained experience in government and industry as a systems analysis, technical architect and project manager.

Since January, 1993, he has operated a consulting business, CogNova Technologies, that offers services in the areas of machine learning, knowledge discovery and data mining to companies such London Life, 3M,  and the Nova Scotia Department of Health.

I live Canning, NS, Canada, with my wife Geri and three daughters.