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Academic Bio
Shane Saunderson is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems with the Degroote School of Business at McMaster University. He also lectures with the Schulich School of Business Executive Education Center at York University and advises several technology startups and non-profit organizations. Shane received a B.Eng. in mechanical engineering from McGill University in 2005, a MBA in technology and innovation from the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2011, and a PhD in robotics with a specialization in psychology from the University of Toronto in 2022. He is a former Vanier scholar and Junior Fellow with Massey College. Previously, Shane has spent time in industry running his own startups and consulting for Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft Canada, Ford, Samsung, Eli Lilly, and many more. Shane’s research interests focus on the psychological influence and implications of social technologies with particular interests in topics such as trust, persuasion, and anthropomorphism.
Professional Bio
Dr. Shane Saunderson is an expert in the design and psychology of interactions with social machines. He is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University researching the social implications of increasingly humanlike technologies. Shane also lectures on digital transformation, design thinking, and emerging technologies with Schulich Executive Education at York University. He has spent over a decade consulting for Fortune 500 clients on digital strategy, disruptive innovation, and technology projects. Shane has helped found several startups, has chaired numerous industry boards, is a prolific technology writer, and frequently gives talks on robotics, AI, design thinking, and the future of technology in society. He is a former Vanier scholar who holds a PhD in robotics with a specialization in psychology from the University of Toronto, a MBA in technology and innovation from the Ted Rogers School of Management, and a B. Eng. from McGill University.
Casual Bio
After sneaking away from a prairie farm, Shane’s early career was as an entrepreneur in North America and Europe focused on robotics and connected devices. He spent a decade as an innovation consultant for Fortune 500 clients, combining his technical knowledge with a natural knack for business strategy. Shane is currently an Assistant Professor at McMaster University researching why we treat robots, AI, and other social machines like people. He is a prolific writer on technology and frequently gives talks on robotics, AI, design thinking, and the future of technology in society. Shane is a former Vanier scholar who holds a PhD in robotics with a specialization in psychology from the University of Toronto, a MBA in technology and innovation from the Ted Rogers School of Management, and a B. Eng. from McGill University.
Long Bio
Dr. Shane Saunderson is a modern day polymath. With a career straddling a foot in each of academia and industry, Shane’s perspective is coloured by his wealth of experience in engineering, social research, and management consulting. He spent the earlier part of his career as an entrepreneur in North America and Europe focused on product design, mobile robotics, connected devices, and automation. Shane then spent over a decade consulting for Fortune 500 clients on digital strategy, disruptive innovation, and technology development, before turning his focus towards academic research.
Shane uses his unique blend of intuition and analytics to help people work through some of their most wicked problems and innovate in unforeseen directions. Part engineer, part artist, part businessman, part storyteller, and part battery-licker, Shane approaches each project with a hunger to learn and create something new. He is a prolific writer and confident presenter who is frequently asked to lecture or give keynotes on topics such as robotics, AI, design thinking, and the future of technology in society.
Currently, Shane is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University researching why we treat robots, AI, and other social machines like people. He also lectures on digital transformation, design thinking, and emerging technologies with Schulich Executive Education at York University. Shane is a former Vanier Canada scholar who holds a PhD in robotics with a specialization in psychology from the University of Toronto, a MBA in technology and innovation from the Ted Rogers School of Management in Toronto, and a B. Eng. from McGill University in Montreal. Previously, he founded Artificial Futures, a digital strategy and user experience firm for the age of AI; was the VP of Technology with Idea Couture, a strategy & innovation consultancy; chaired the Microsoft Canada Artificial Intelligence Partner Advisory Board (aiPAB); and co-founded Babbly, an AI-powered infant tech start-up.
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