👋🏼 Hello there, I’m Nadine!

About Me

Academic Background ✨

My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Software Engineering from Concordia University, where I built a strong foundation in problem-solving, critical thinking, and human-centered systems design. I’m now expanding on that foundation in my Master’s research at Concordia and Mila, under the supervision of Dr. Mirco Ravanelli and Dr. Marta Kersten-Oertel.

My research focuses on developing responsible clinical AI systems that leverage speech as a biomarker — with the goal of supporting early disease detection, continuous monitoring, and equitable care delivery. I work closely with clinicians and researchers to ensure these systems are grounded in real-world workflows, co-designed with their users, and never positioned to replace clinical judgment. While my primary thesis work explores diffusion models and counterfactual reasoning in voice-based diagnostics, I’m also contributing to multimodal efforts that integrate medical speech and imaging for comprehensive decision support.

This work sits at the intersection of machine learning, medicine, and ethics — with an emphasis on building explainable, uncertainty-aware systems that can adapt to diverse patient populations. I’m especially passionate about creating technologies that prioritize collaboration over automation, and care over convenience.

Earlier this year, I received the NSERC CGS-M federal award to support my research, further affirming my commitment to using AI to make healthcare more inclusive, accessible, and accountable.

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. I coordinate multisite data collection using REDCap workflows and help power the Québec Speech Bank by engineering pipelines to clean, align, and structure longitudinal speech recordings across diverse studies. This work enables multimodal insights into the relationship between voice, symptoms, and cognition, paving the way for more predictive, compassionate mental health care.

These efforts contribute to the MOTS+ initiative, a digital relapse detection platform funded by CIHR, FRQS, and the Wellcome Trust, with a strong emphasis on clinical relevance, accessibility, and innovation in youth mental health.

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 🌟

Affiliation ✨