Oakes Lab
The Oakes Lab focuses on knowledge engineering for complex cyber-physical systems. This involves starting with the expert’s domain knowledge, capturing it in models, and then using this knowledge to better construct, optimize, verify, and validate systems.
OAKES = Objective: Accelerating Knowledge Engineering for Complex Systems
Current and Alumni Students
| Name | Role | Years | Topics |
| Carlos Pambo | PhD student | 2024 - present | Accelerated digital twin engineering |
| Lei Zhao | PhD student | 2024 - present | Systematic digital twin engineering, DT engineering for permafrost studies |
| Louis Malassigne-Onfroy | Research assistant | 2024 | Visualization of digital twin architectures |
| Amélie Bosphore | Research assistant | 2024 | Implementation of modelled machine learning pipelines |
| Justin Caisse | Research assistant | 2023 - 2024 | Ontological modelling of machine learning pipelines |
Open Opportunities
I am actively looking for motivated and talented individuals for undergraduate, Masters, and PhD positions.
Available projects and potential topics:
- Accelerating Digital Twin Construction: A Domain Knowledge-driven, Low-Code Approach
- Analyzing and improving the quality of digital twin models and systems [paper]
- Improving the explainability of digital twin architecture and service results [paper]
- Utilizing machine learning techniques (such as reinforcement learning, LLMs, and recommendations) and ontological modelling for digital twin construction and evolution [paper]
If you have another research idea which aligns with my interests, I would love to hear it! Please send me a message.
What do I offer:
- A position at Polytechnique Montréal, a world-class institution affiliated with the Université de Montréal and Mila, located in a global cultural capital
- Supportive mentoring on many aspects of graduate life
- Cutting-edge research and technologies
- Collaboration with local and global experts
- Opportunities to publish in excellent venues, present at top conferences, and perform international research visits
- Competitive funding is available
What do I expect:
- A friendly yet professional attitude
- Ability to perform high-quality research and publish worthwhile contributions
- Strong self-motivation skills and the ability to ‘push’ projects
- Attendance to and engaging presentations at conferences
- Completion of degree requirements with high course marks
- Note that we conduct our research and discussions in English. At Polytechnique, some graduate courses may have to be taken in French
Contacting Me
See my Contact page for up-to-date contact information, including my email and office location.
When sending me an email to inquire about a position, I kindly ask that you do the following:
- Please demonstrate that you are aware of my research interests and publications.
- (Required) Please answer the following questions, with 200 to 500 words each.
- What excites you about research?
- What are your research interests?
- How do your research interests match my own?
- What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on?
- (Required) Attach a up-to-date CV
- (Required) Attach your transcript(s)
- (Optional) Attach at least one reference letter
- (Optional) Attach your relevant publication(s) or report(s)
I apologize, but due to the volume of requests, I will not be able to respond to your email unless it matches the above conditions.
Please be detailed and specific. Your email should give me a sense of who you are, what you want to research, and why you would like me specifically to be your supervisor.
To know more about the Polytechnique application process, please see the following links:
Student Resources
At Polytechnique
- New graduate student journey
- Requirements for the PhD degree
- Polytechnique Montréal’s Student Services (SEP): english / french
- Polytechnique student bourses/grants
Interesting reading and advice
- Behind the scenes: the struggle for each paper
- The largest problem in academia is discoverability: Be Findable