Professors Kate Larson, Matthew Kennedy, and N. Sri Namachchivaya have all been appointed as University Research Chair in recognition of their outstanding research contributions. Waterloo’s designation of University Research Chair recognizes exceptional achievement of faculty and their pre-eminence in a field of knowledge.
Kennedy joined the Department of Pure Mathematics in 2015. His major research interests include the structure of operator algebras related to groups and dynamical systems, and the theory of noncommutative convexity.
Leading the Fields-CQAM Laboratory for Inference and Prediction, Namachchivaya joined the Department of Applied Mathematics in 2018. His research focuses on understanding the stability and bifurcations in noisy dynamical systems and developing new algorithms and tools for the collection and assimilation of data using multidisciplinary mix of approaches from asymptotic methods, modeling, statistical learning and simulations.
Larson joined the Cheriton School of Computer Science in 2004. Her research spans a variety of subtopics in the field, including game-theoretic models of reasoning, voting behaviour, the design of electronic marketplaces, and multi-agent negotiation. She has introduced ideas from game theory, mechanism design, and microeconomics to model and design intelligent systems.
“The recognition of Kate, Sri and Matthew is highly deserved,” said Stephen M. Watt, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics. “We are proud of them and the fundamental contributions they have each made to their field. Congratulations to all.”
The trio’s appointments to seven-year terms as University Research Chair are effective July 1, 2019. They are joining the ranks of several colleagues in the Faculty of Mathematics to be appointed a University Research Chair, following:
- Raouf Boutaba, Computer Science (2018)
- Ruodu Wang, Statistics and Actuarial Science (2018)
- Lila Kari, Computer Science (2015)
- Debbie Leung, Combinatorics and Optimization, 2015
- James Geelen, Combinatorics and Optimization, 2014
- Achim Kempf, Applied Mathematics (2014)
- Chris Bauch, Applied Mathematics (2013)
- Jason Bell, Pure Mathematics (2013)
- Ian Goldberg, Computer Science (2012)
- Michele Mosca, Combinatorics and Optimization (2012)
- Sivabal Sivaloganathan, Applied Mathematics (2011)
- Grace Yi, Statistics and Actuarial Science (2011)
- Thomas Coleman, Combinatorics and Optimization (2010)
- Ken Seng Tan, Statistics and Actuarial Science (2010)
- Carole Barnard, Statistics and Actuarial Science (2009)
- Bin Ma, Computer Science (2008)
- Stephen Vavasis, Combinatorics and Optimization (2008)
- Timothy Chan, Computer Science (2005)
- Doug Stinson, Computer Science (2005)
- Bill Cunningham, Combinatorics and Optimization (2004)
- Tamer Özsu, Computer Science (2004)