The Math Innovation Office is proud to host the Entrepreneurship and Impact Series which aims to bring experienced, successful entrepreneurs to UWaterloo to share their stories and inspire students.
This series will feature an impressive lineup of speakers who have used their backgrounds in mathematics and computer science to create startups, build innovative products, and forge their own paths to success.
Join us for an exclusive 'Ask Me Anything' event with Maya Ackerman, CEO & Co-founder of the musical AI startup, WaveAI, on June 20, 2023, in DC 1302 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
A
social
reception
to
follow
immediately
after
in DC
1302
(Fishbowl), with
refreshments.
You
must
attend
the
talk
to
attend
the
reception.
Come
with
your
questions
and
be
prepared
to
be
inspired
by
Maya
Ackerman's
story!
Bio: Maya Ackerman
Maya
Ackerman
WaveAI
CEO
&
Co-founder
Maya Ackerman is a renowned researcher in generative AI and CEO & Co-founder of musical AI startup, WaveAI. A pioneer in the space, Ackerman has been researching generative AI models for text, music and art since 2014. She was an early advocate for human-centered generative AI, bringing awareness to the power of AI to profoundly elevate human creativity. As CEO of WaveAI, Maya has led the company to serve millions of musicians and creators across the globe through the generative AI music tools LyricStudio and MelodyStudio, democratizing music creation and resulting in top-charting hits. Named “Woman of Influence” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, interviews with Dr. Ackerman appear on NBC News, Forbes, New Scientist, NPR, SiriusXM and international television stations across the globe. A sought-after speaker, she appeared on many top stages, including the United Nations, IBM Research, Microsoft and Stanford University. Dr. Ackerman is the recipient of awards from the Association of Computational Creativity, Office of Naval Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and more.
Maya got all three of her degrees at the University of Waterloo, starting with an undergraduate double major in Computer Science and Combinators & Optimization. Next, she completed her Masters of Mathematics in Computer Science, followed by a PhD with a thesis titled "Towards Theoretical Foundations of Cluster Analysis." During her studies, she had also learned how to sing opera, becoming a semi-professional musician, which ended up playing a pivotal role in her entrepreneurial journey. Following her education, Ackerman held postdoctoral fellowships at Caltech and UC San Diego. In addition to her role as CEO & Co-founder of WaveAI, Ackerman is also a tenured Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Department at Santa Clara University.