About me
I am a researcher in software engineering and artificial intelligence. I hold a PhD in Software Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, completed under the supervision of Prof. Foutse Khomh and Prof. Ettore Merlo with mention of excellence and nominated for the Best Thesis Award at Polytechnique Montréal. I also received both my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Software Engineering from Université des Montagnes, graduating valedictorian in both programs.
In addition to my academic work, I have industry experience as a data scientist and software engineer, working on cloud infrastructure, machine learning systems, and data analytics.
I am the Founder and Principal Researcher of GAMA Institute, a research, training, and innovation institute dedicated to artificial intelligence and software engineering.
Our vision is to identify, train, and empower the next generation of talented researchers and practitioners. As artificial intelligence transforms software engineering, we help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to shape this evolution through the design, evaluation, security, governance, and improvement of intelligent systems.
Our training activities primarily support undergraduate students in Québec and graduate students in Francophone Africa. Through guided engagement with scientific literature, critical analysis, and research communication, we help them build research skills, explore emerging challenges, and take their first steps toward a research career.
GAMA Institute now welcomes contributions from undergraduate and graduate students, including doctoral students, and early-career researchers through two complementary formats: Research Summaries and GAMA WeekPaper. Contributors can write an accessible summary of a scientific paper in English, or present a paper through GAMA WeekPaper, with French narration and English slides. Contributions must align with the institute’s research areas and undergo GAMA review before publication. Templates and guidelines are available to support contributors, including first-time presenters.
These initiatives give aspiring researchers an opportunity to deepen their understanding of scientific work, develop their analytical and communication skills, and share their research interests with the wider community. Accepted contributions are published on GAMA Institute’s website and shared through its communication platforms, with clear attribution to contributors and the original research.
GAMA WeekPaper also makes influential and emerging research accessible to French-speaking students and professionals, helping build a vibrant French-speaking research community. The series maintains editorial independence: its purpose is to encourage learning, critical reflection, and the discovery of meaningful research directions.
Interested in contributing? Visit GAMA Institute to explore our research areas, contribution guidelines, and submission opportunities.
My goal is to contribute to the development of methods, tools, and practices for building more reliable, responsible, and sustainable software and artificial intelligence systems. My main research interests include:
- Responsible AI Engineering
- DevOps / MLOps / LLMOps
- Machine Learning System Engineering
- Mining Software Repositories
- Software Observability and Logging
My research has appeared in leading venues such as:
- Empirical Software Engineering (EMSE)
- Information and Software Technology (IST)
- Journal of Systems and Software (JSS)
- International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE)
- International Conference on Software Analysis, Evolution and Reengineering (SANER)
Outside research, I enjoy doing research late at night — partly because that’s when ideas flow more freely, and reviewers cannot send comments while I am still writing.
I am also passionate about soccer ⚽, taekwondo 🥋 (green belt), and PlayStation gaming 🎮—especially FIFA, now EA Sports FC, where, modesty aside, I am pretty good! I have also been a proud Paris Saint-Germain supporter since 2010. And, of course, thank you, Luis Enrique, for giving us moments of glory that were well worth the wait! 🔴🔵
Education
École Polytechnique de Montréal
Montréal, Canada
Université des Montagnes
Bangangté, Cameroon
Université des Montagnes
Bangangté, Cameroon
Latest News
18 Sept 2026 – I successfully defended my PhD thesis in Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, receiving the mention of excellence. My thesis was also nominated for Polytechnique Montréal's Best Thesis Award.
16 Apr 2026 – I presented our paper Logging Requirements for Continuous Auditing of Responsible ML Applications at the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2026). Slides | Video.
19 Mar 2026 – I presented our Registered Report Empirical Characterization of Logging Smells in Machine Learning Code at the IEEE International Conference on Software Analysis, Evolution and Reengineering (SANER 2026). Slides | Video.
09 Jan 2026 – Our paper Empirical Characterization of Logging Smells in Machine Learning Code has been accepted as a Registered Report at SANER 2026 and will be presented at the conference in Cyprus.
20 Dec 2025 – Our paper Logging Requirements for Continuous Auditing of Responsible ML Applications has been accepted as a Journal-First paper at ICSE 2026 and will be presented at the conference in Brazil.
01 Sep 2025 – Started teaching INF2610 – Operating System Kernel at Polytechnique Montréal.
07 Mar 2025 – Our paper Logging Requirements for Continuous Auditing of Responsible ML Applications has been accepted in Empirical Software Engineering (EMSE).
10 Jan 2025 – I presented our work on Logging Practices in Machine Learning Systems at the CREATE SE4AI Trainee Talks – Summer 2024 Edition. Slides | Watch the seminar.
15 Oct 2024 – Our paper Studying Logging Practice in Machine Learning-based Applications was published in Information and Software Technology (IST).
01 Sep 2024 – Started teaching LOG3000 – Software Engineering Process at Polytechnique Montréal.
Contact
📧 Email: patrick-loic.foalem[at]polymtl.ca
📍 Location: Montréal, Canada