Concordia has appointed Emad Shihab as associate vice-president of research, policy, entrepreneurship and impact, effective November 1, 2025.
In this role, Shihab will provide strategic and administrative leadership as part of the Office of the Vice-President, Research, Innovation and Impact (OVPRII). His mandate includes strengthening Concordia's research policy capacity, advancing entrepreneurial research strategies in sustainability and health, and supporting the university's transition to impact-driven scholarship.
Shihab will also play a key role in developing strategic initiatives in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Additionally, he will foster partnerships with the School of Health and lead efforts to strengthen public trust in science through effective research communications.
Researcher, innovator, academic leader
A full professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Shihab previously served as Associate Dean of Research and Innovation at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science.
He is internationally recognized for his contributions to software engineering, mining software repositories, software quality assurance, data analytics and applied AI. His research excellence has earned him prestigious distinctions, including membership in the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, the CS-Can/Info-Can Outstanding Young Computer Science Researcher Prize and the Mining Software Repositories Ric Holt Early Career Achievement Award.
"Emad brings deep experience as a researcher, innovator and academic leader," says Tim Evans, vice-president of research, innovation and impact. "His vision and expertise will be instrumental in advancing Concordia's research strategy and reinforcing our commitment to delivering meaningful impact across disciplines."
Shihab has played a central role in key and university-wide initiatives, including the creation of Concordia's Applied AI Institute and the founding of the GCS Innovation Fund. He has also secured significant research funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and industry partners.
"I'm honoured to take on this new role at such an important moment for Concordia's research community," Shihab says. "I look forward to working with colleagues across the university to strengthen our research ecosystem and ensure our discoveries make a lasting difference for society."
Learn more about research and innovation at Concordia.
