Ildar Akhmetov

Research interests

• Computing education
• Software engineering

Education

• Certificate in Marketing, University of California, Berkeley 
• PhD in Computer Science, Baikal State University — Russia
• MSc and BSc, Applied Computer Science in Economics, Baikal State University, Russia

Biography

Ildar Akhmetov is the director of computing programs for Vancouver and an associate teaching professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, based in Vancouver. 

Throughout his career, Akhmetov has worn three hats. As a university educator, he spent more than a decade in his native Russia before jumping to the University of Alberta. There, he continued to design and teach undergraduate and graduate courses, with an emphasis on forging partnerships to facilitate hands-on, experiential projects for his students. As an entrepreneur, he founded and managed several businesses. And as a software developer, he has overseen the development, integration, maintenance, and security of IT and computer systems. 

Akhmetov was drawn to Khoury College by the opportunity to contribute to the Align program, the college’s “CS for everyone” mission, and Northeastern’s culture of innovation. In Vancouver, the veteran professor aims to connect with local companies and organizations, leveraging his entrepreneurial experience to launch his students into industry. In the classroom, he feels inspired by the unique perspectives and impact of the graduate students who transition into computing, and he relishes the opportunity to set the stage for these students’ successes. 

Outside of teaching, Akhmetov keeps both a busy travel itinerary — having been to more than 30 countries — and a regular distance running regimen, having finished the prestigious Chicago Marathon. Since 1998, he has learned a new programming language each year. 

Recent publications