Vector awards nearly $2 million in scholarships to top master's students pursuing graduate studies in AI in Ontario

• 110 winners/students will receive a $17,500 merit-based scholarship from the Vector Institute for the 2022-23 academic year
• Scholarship helps attract top AI talent in the province
• Over 1,000 students have graduated from Ontario AI master's programs this year

TORONTO, May 10, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Vector Institute announced 110 winners of the 2022-23 Vector Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence (VSAI). Valued at $17,500, these merit-based scholarships recognize top candidates pursuing studies in either Vector-recognized master's programs, which provide students with the AI skills and competencies sought by employers, or individual AI study paths in Ontario.

Vector Scholarship in AI recipients are pursuing a range of programs from engineering to computer science, health informatics, and business analytics and more. This year's cohort received almost $2 million in total scholarship funding. These talented individuals will join Ontario's growing pool of workforce-ready AI talent.

"Being awarded this scholarship will open many doors, enabling me to meet many experts in this field, build relationships, and become better equipped for the working world," says Vinitha Raj Rajagopal Muthu who is pursuing a Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. "The opportunities to network with researchers and professionals in particular will give me a broader perspective on the rising trends within the field."

The Vector Scholarship in AI attracts top talent to AI master's programs across Ontario and is part of a suite of programs run by Vector that connects top talent with companies adopting AI. To date, Ontario companies and organizations have hired more than 850 Vector-affiliated students from AI master's programs, including VSAI recipients.

This fifth round of VSAI recipients represents 14 universities across Ontario. There have been 461 scholarships awarded since the program launched in 2018, with many scholarship recipients joining newly created AI master's programs. More than 1,000 students will have graduated from Ontario AI master's programs this year, ahead of the province's target to graduate 1,000 AI master's students per year by 2023.

"The scholarship makes it easier for our Master of Data Science program to attract strong talent that wants to contribute to Canada's AI workforce, particularly top-tier international applicants," says Ayesha Ali, Associate Professor of Statistics with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Guelph.

Scholarship recipients and students enrolled in master's programs recognized by the Vector Institute attend events and talks that put them face-to-face with top AI researchers, clinicians, and teams from top Canadian employers, providing unique access to career opportunities. The master's students also receive access to Vector's Digital Talent Hub, career development and networking events, and AI-specific career support programs.

"My future career goal is to build a bridge between research and industry in this field," says Reza Namazi, a Master of Applied Science candidate in Computational Science and Engineering at McMaster University. "Vector's generosity has inspired me to give back to the community in the future to help students like myself to be one step closer to their dreams."

Vector will announce the 2022-23 scholarship competition dates in Fall 2022. Learn more: vectorinstitute.ai/scholarship

To find out more, please find our list of 2022 recipients here.

About the Vector Institute

The Vector Institute drives excellence and leadership in Canada's knowledge, creation, and use of AI to foster economic growth and improve the lives of Canadians. Vector's Three-Year Strategy aims to advance AI research, increase adoption in industry and health through programs for talent, commercialization, and application, and lead Canada towards the responsible use of AI. Programs for industry, led by top AI practitioners, offer foundations for applications in products and processes, company-specific guidance, training for professionals, and connections to workforce-ready talent. Vector is funded by the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada through the CIFAR Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, and industry sponsors.
Internships, networking, and the Vector Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence are core components of Vector Institute's AI Master's initiative supported by the Province of Ontario. The initiative aims to develop and connect Ontario's AI workforce to fuel AI-based economic development and job creation.

SOURCE Vector Institute

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