Professor Raquel Urtasun of the Department of Computer Science has been appointed to the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest civilian honour.
Urtasun is also the founder and CEO of self-driving vehicle company Waabi and a co-founder of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Leveraging her interests in machine learning, computer vision, robotics and remote sensing, Urtasun’s research aims to develop the next generation of self-driving technology.
“A global leader in autonomous vehicles, Dr. Raquel Urtasun is keeping Ontario at the forefront of technology and reshaping the future of transportation. In 2016, she co-founded the Vector Institute with a mission to drive excellence in Canada’s creation and use of AI. In 2021 she launched Waabi, a company on its way to making self-driving vehicles a reality. This champion of home-grown talent is playing a critical role in leading the way in this transformative technology,” the citation reads.
The Order of Ontario recognizes individuals “who have made exceptional contributions to help build a stronger province, nation and world.”
Urtasun is among 25 new appointees to the Order of Ontario for 2023.