Jing Li’s PhD supervisor probably didn’t expect to lose his student to Japan for several months.
But when you’re the first York University student ever accepted into the National Institute for Informatics (NII) visiting researcher program, certain accommodations get made.
Li is in Tokyo, working on algorithms that predict future events by analyzing patterns in data streams. Market crashes, infrastructure failures, disease outbreaks – events that leave digital traces before they fully emerge. “I’m working on time-series forecasting using large language models,” Li says from overseas. “This experience will deepen my understanding of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies and directly enhance my research outcomes at York.”
Getting to NII required getting through the University’s internal screening. Multiple candidates were reviewed and two names forwarded to Japan. Li believes her proposal succeeded because it “demonstrated strong research capability, a clear alignment with the host supervisor’s project and proactive communication to ensure mutual interest.”
At NII, Li works with Professor Helmut Prendinger, who has spent 25 years developing AI applications at the institute. Li’s research builds on work she began under Lassonde School of Engineering Professor Manos Papagelis in York’s Data Mining Lab, where she developed expertise in spatiotemporal prediction and dynamic graph analysis.
Japan’s interest in Li extends beyond academic curiosity. The country is positioning NII within its technological competition with American tech companies and Chinese government labs. Li’s project on sequence prediction and cross-domain pattern learning addresses challenges that NII considers essential for maintaining Japan’s competitive position.
Li says the research environment has already changed how she approaches her work.
“Collaborating in such a high-calibre research environment has expanded my perspective on problem-solving approaches and reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary thinking,” she says. “Interacting with researchers from around the world has exposed me to diverse methodologies and inspired me to explore new angles in my own work.”
When Li returns to Toronto, her research advances will strengthen ongoing projects while establishing new international partnerships.
“NII awards these positions only to candidates with outstanding research achievements,” Papagelis says. "Jing's acceptance validates our approach to graduate training.”
For other York students eyeing international opportunities, Li offers direct advice: “I hope my journey shows other York students that aiming high is sometimes within reach. Stay curious, be proactive and don’t hesitate to reach out to potential collaborators. Opportunities like this don’t just expand your research, they broaden your world view.”