New Faculty: Dr. Guanghui (Richard) Wang

Richard Wang joins the Department of Computer Science from an Associate Professor position at the University of Kansas.

You specialize in computer vision. What’s your long-term research goal?
As humans, we understand and interact with the world using our eyes. More than 75% of the information we receive about the world is through our visual system. My research is to develop algorithms to help robots and other intelligent systems understand the world from images or videos. The results will profoundly change our daily lives in applications such as visual surveillance, self-driving and autonomous systems.

You have experience working with industrial partners as well?
Yes, computer vision is a very hot topic in both academia and industry. Many big high-tech companies have put a tremendous amount of resources into research and applications. I used to collaborate with Honda R&D Americas to develop a vision-aided system for automotive positioning and scene reconstruction. I’m currently working with Baidu Research on 3D mapping for self-driving vehicles.

You’ve enjoyed much publication and funding success. A few highlights?
I’ve published over 130 peer-reviewed papers in highly reputable journals and conference proceedings, such as International Journal of Computer Vision (IJCV) and IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR). I also authored a book entitled Guide to Three Dimensional Structure and Motion Factorization, published by Springer. In addition to NSERC, my research has also been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What attracted you to Ryerson and Toronto?
Ryerson is one of the most innovative universities in Canada, and Toronto is also one of the largest tech talent hubs in the world. So, I’m looking forward to three things: working on research and other academic activities with talented students, collaborating with faculty members who are leaders in the field, and expanding my industrial partnerships.

How do you want to make your mark here?
I want to establish a successful research program in computer vision and artificial intelligence, and to attract more talented students and researchers. I want to incorporate more application-related topics into classes at both undergraduate and graduate levels and create hands-on opportunities for students to solve practical problems.

Do you have a particular teaching style?
I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm with students. I feel strongly not only about providing knowledge and skills, but also engaging and inspiring them to succeed. I like converting complicated problems into accessible concepts using concrete and tangible practical examples. I want all my students to know that I'm always available for them, and they’re welcome to contact me whenever they need me.

Can you give us a few fast favourites?
Hobbies: traveling and photography
Movie: A Beautiful Mind
TV show: The Big Bang Theory

What’s your top piece of advice?
Curiosity is the fuel for learning. So, stay curious and learn beyond what you’ve been assigned.