Xiaoyan Li
Assistant Professor · University of Lethbridge
University of Lethbridge
4401 University Drive West
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1K 3M4
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Before joining U of L, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Topos Institute (Oxford Office).
And I completed both my Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
My research bridges mathematics, computer science, and public health. I develop theory-based and data-informed frameworks that integrate dynamic modeling, machine learning, category theory, and data science to better understand and support real-world decision-making in public health. I am passionate about translating abstract theory into practical impact.
Outside of research, I enjoy caring for indoor plants and creating a calm, creative workspace. I am also committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for women, newcomers, and underrepresented groups in computer science.
🌱 Current Openings
I am currently recruiting 1 Ph.D. student, 2 M.Sc. students, and 3 undergraduate research interns for the 2026–2027 academic year at the University of Lethbridge.
Interested students can find more details on the Join page.
“Bridging theory and application through compositional thinking.”
news
| Jan 07, 2026 | I will give a research presentation at the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM) in Seattle, USA, as part of the Special Session on Applied Category Theory. |
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| Dec 05, 2025 | I will co-instruct the CMS Winter Meeting Mini-Course Introduction to Categorical Computing with Catlab in Toronto, Canada. |
| Nov 01, 2025 | My NSERC Discovery Grant (DG) application has been successfully submitted. |
| Sep 22, 2025 | Our new preprint Compositional System Dynamics: The Higher Mathematics Underlying System Dynamics Diagrams & Practice is now available on arXiv. |
| Jul 01, 2025 | I joined the University of Lethbridge as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science (View faculty profile). |