Ramon Lawrence
Director, MDS Okanagan; Head, Department of Computer Science; Professor, Computer Science and Data Science
"MDS Okanagan stands out because it combines strong technical training with hands-on experience solving real-world data problems. Students learn by doing and work closely with faculty and peers in a supportive, close-knit environment. What I value most is seeing how much students develop over the program and graduate with the skills and confidence to make an immediate contribution in industry.”
Dr. Ramon Lawrence is Professor and Head of Computer Science and Director of the Master of Data Science program at UBC Okanagan. He joined UBC Okanagan in 2006, following five years as an assistant professor at the University of Iowa. His research interests include database systems, artificial intelligence, data integration, and educational technologies, and his work has resulted in more than 70 publications.
Dr. Lawrence is passionate about student learning and the effective use of technology in education. He is the former Academic Director of UBC Okanagan’s Centre for Teaching and Learning and has developed several systems for assessment and student support, including HelpMe, which combines real-time assistance from instructors and teaching assistants with AI-enabled discussion and chatbot tools. His teaching has been recognized with the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation in 2017, the Killam Teaching Prize in 2020, and nine placements on UBC Okanagan’s Teaching Honour Roll.
He is also the founder of Unity Data Inc., which develops software and provides consulting for database integration, management, and reporting. Its technology enables SQL querying and integration across relational and NoSQL data sources and is used by organizations worldwide. Dr. Lawrence is a Senior Member of both the ACM and IEEE.