👋🏼 Hello there, I’m Nadine!
Source: My own creation!
Parkinson’s disease affects individuals from all walks of life, often around the age of 60. Yet, in the struggles of those affected, research tends to amplify men's voices over others. “Through her Voice” transforms silence into a symphony. A woman’s lips become a voice recorder, capturing untold stories in the tremble of her voice. Behind her sits a wall of vertical speech waves — the same pattern that coats her lips — symbolizing how machine learning algorithms translate voices into insights, unraveling Parkinson’s complex layers and aiding in early diagnosis. The red tulip, a symbol for Parkinson’s, honors the struggles of those affected. This piece goes beyond disease; it’s about inclusion. By recognizing diverse voices, our research bridges the gap between human fragility and technology’s potential. Through her voice — and his, and theirs — we hear not just the disease, but hope.
About Me
Academic Background ✨
My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Software Engineering from Concordia University. This degree equipped me with a strong foundation in problem-solving and critical thinking. It has also honed my creativity and my out-of-the-box thinking — which I am now applying in my master’s thesis research at Concordia University and Mila, under the supervision of Dr. Mirco Ravanelli and Dr. Marta Kersten-Oertel. I design clinically grounded AI systems that combine speech and imaging to detect early-stage disease. My work emphasizes multimodal learning, ethical AI, and the development of scalable foundation models tailored for diverse clinical populations. This area of study has the potential to revolutionize healthcare outcomes, a cause I am proud to contribute to. Alongside this, I prioritize the ethical implications of AI in healthcare, ensuring that algorithms are developed and deployed in ways that are fair, transparent, and designed to achieve equitable outcomes. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of receiving the highly competitive NSERC CGS-M tri-agency federal award to pursue my Master’s, further solidifying my commitment to the field.
Shaping Technology and Research with Ethics, Accountability, and Inclusion 🏛️
As a committed Tech Steward, I strive to advance my understanding of systemic bias in tech and promote the ethical development of transformative technologies. By deepening my knowledge, challenging limited narratives, and practicing deliberate values, I aim to shape a more responsible and inclusive technological future. I am dedicated to using technology for social transformation and addressing pressing social issues. In addition to my work in tech ethics, I hold a TCPS 2: CORE-2022 certification in research ethics, focusing on the ethical conduct of research involving human participants. This certification reinforces my commitment to conducting data collection in an inclusive, ethical, and transparent manner, while incorporating diverse perspectives to achieve equitable outcomes.
Climate Change Initiatives ♻️
Other research interests include leveraging machine learning to address Climate Change, a cause deeply important to me. This focus not only tackles environmental concerns but also aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting how addressing Climate Change can solve multiple global issues. My journey in sustainability has been ongoing, and I have actively pursued sustainability initiatives at Concordia University since 2019. This commitment led me to participate in a hands-on AI for Climate Change program through Climate Change AI, where I’m witnessing the transformative power of Machine Learning to analyze climate data and influence environmental policy through actionable insights.
Research Experience 🔍
In 2025, I joined the Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health (CEYMH) as a Research Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Lena Palaniyappan and Dr. Alban Voppel. I contribute to a multi-site initiative focused on the early detection of relapse in youth experiencing psychosis. My role involves curating and analyzing bilingual clinical speech data to support the development of speech-based diagnostic tools. This includes helping build infrastructure for the Quebec Speech Bank and the MOTS+ initiative, which are designed to collect diverse, ethically curated, and longitudinal speech data to inform mental health care. This work integrates clinical, cognitive, and linguistic measures and contributes to a digital relapse detection tool funded by CIHR, FRQS, and the Wellcome Trust — with a strong emphasis on clinical relevance, accessibility, and mental health innovation.
In 2022, I received an NSERC USRA federal award to pursue a research project under the supervision of Dr. Marta Kersten-Oertel at her Applied Perception Lab in Montreal, Quebec. The project focused on identifying and addressing surgeons’ workflow challenges, developing Ventriculostomy prototypes to improve surgical workflow efficiency. The project culminated in a publication for MICCAI’s 2022 EPIMI workshop, where my team and I presented a comprehensive User-Centered Design approach to identify and address Ventriculostomy surgeons’ workflow challenges to improve surgical efficiency.
As an advocate for social justice, I’m passionate about AI applications that drive social impact. At the Applied Perception Lab, I conduct research at the intersection of AI, ethics, and EDI, developing frameworks to address societal challenges and promote responsible healthcare technology. Additionally, at Mila, I’m conducting novel research in Medical Machine Learning, focusing on early disease detection through speech analysis to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Leadership & Community Engagement 🌟
| Role | Affiliation | Dates of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Member | Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL) Subcommittee, Concordia University | January 2025 – April 2025 |
| Mentee | GEMinAI Program, Concordia University's Applied AI Institute | October 2024 – April 2025 |
| Ambassador | School of Graduate Studies, Concordia University | September 2024 – Present |
Affiliation ✨
