CVPR Daily - Tuesday

program in computing science. I was in Iran. We were together for five years before that. Since he was in Canada, I actually made the decision to come to Canada for my grad studies. He is my best friend, our co-founder and CTO, and one of the best computer scientists I know, not just because he is my husband. He is the best CTO I could have. Much more than that, he is my best friend, really the foundation or one of the main people in my life that have had a big impact. I hope your company can afford the best CTO! [ laughs ] He works more than me! Like 12, 14 hours a day. He has that passion, vision, and expertise really. Again, what I am today is impossible without him. As an alternative, I had a scholarship from Florida, at a university where I could continue my education in automated traffic control. But I decided to go to Canada and join Majid. I am very happy with that decision. Canada is an amazing place, really the land of opportunities. Also, the field that I am working in is much more rewarding, as I work with doctors and patients in this specific domain of skin cancer. Can you tell us at least one of those brilliant teachings from Stella Atkins? I have many things to tell about Stella and her supervision style, giving freedom and flexibility and independence to her students. First, to select a problem that you are interested in and motivated to solve. I was never forced to solve this problem versus that problem. I was never micromanaged, and I picked that as a management style. I love to see my team, my employees, my students working with me with the freedom to operate and move rather than me saying what to do. That ’ s really important. She gave me confidence and the support to do more. It is really, really important - the power of confidence that we can inject in our younger students. She said, “ Maryam, you are amazing. You ’ ll be successful! ” She told me I was one of her favorite students and the first student who always asked for more deadlines because I work very well under pressure. [ laughs ] So more pressure helps you? I think it ’ s healthy! It keeps us moving. It gives us the motivation to wake up early, to go to bed late, and do more. Not always, of course you need time to slow down and have your own time as well. Having deadlines is productive … to a level. How did you get the business bug? I really loved my master ’ s and PhD, learning 19 DAILY CVPR Tuesday MaryamSadeghi