Wassim El Ahmar is a machine learning and computer vision expert with over eight years of experience spanning academia, industry and applied research. He specializes in developing and optimizing AI systems for real-world applications, with expertise in computer vision, sensor fusion, generative models and multi-modal large language models.
Currently a senior machine learning engineer at Inspiren, Wassim leads the design of lightweight, efficient vision models for edge computing and integrates cutting-edge vision foundation models to enhance system performance. Previously, he held roles at Strong Analytics and Tempo Analytics, where he developed machine learning solutions for manufacturing quality inspection, autonomous vehicle perception, anomaly detection in IoT, and multi-object tracking systems.
Alongside his industry contributions, Wassim El Ahmar serves as a professor at the University of Ottawa in a long-term appointment (LTA), teaching courses ranging from programming and data structures to software engineering and interaction design. He has presented his academic research at top venues, such as CVPR and ECCV, advancing thermal-RGB sensor fusion, object detection and thermal multiple object tracking.
Wassim El Ahmar holds a PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Ottawa, where his doctoral work focused on thermal-RGB sensory data for robust perception. He is also a licensed professional engineer (PEng) in Ontario.
Fluent in English and Arabic, with intermediate proficiency in French, Wassim combines technical depth with strong leadership and communication skills. His career reflects a commitment to bridging advanced research with practical, impactful AI solutions that enhance human-centred systems across health-care, manufacturing and autonomous technologies.