The Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo is home to exceptional scholars who hold a variety of prestegious research chairs and fellowships. View the categories below for our national and university-level research chairs and fellows.
Canada Research Chairs
The Canada Research Chairs Program invests up to $311 million per year to attract and retain some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Current Canada Research Chairs
- Raouf Boutaba, 2025-2032
- Canada Research Chair in Network Intelligence (Tier 1)
- Renée Miller, 2024-2032
- Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Intelligence
- Mina Tahmasbi Arashloo, 2024-2029
- Canada Research Chair in Minimizing Human Error in Operating Modern Networks (Tier 2)
- Ruodu Wang, 2023-2030
- Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Risk Management (Tier 1)
- Aukosh Jagannath, 2023-2028
- Canada Research Chair in Mathematical Foundations of Data Science (Tier 2)
- Ian Goldberg, 2019-2026
- Canada Research Chair in Privacy Enhancing Technologies (Tier 1)
- Jun Liu, 2017-2027
- Canada Research Chair in Hybrid Systems and Control (Tier 2)
- Karen Yeats, 2017-2027
- Canada Research Chair in Combinatorics of Quantum Field Theory (Tier 2)
Past Canada Research Chairs
- Luke Postle, 2015-2025
- Canada Research Chair in Graph Theory (Tier 2)
- Anita Layton, 2018-2025
- Canada 150 Research Chair in Mathematical Biology and Medicine
- Cam Stewart, 2017-2024
- Canada Research Chair in Number Theory (Tier 1)
- Ming Li, 2016-2023
- Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics (Tier 1)
- Ian Munro, 2015-2022
- Canada Research Chair in Algorithm Design (Tier 1)
- David Landriault, 2016-2021
- Canadian Research Chair in Risk Theory (Tier 2)
- Richard Cook, 2005-2019
- Canada Research Chair in Statistical Methods for Health Research (Tier 1)
- Jim Geelen, 2003-2013
- Canada Research Chair in Combinatorial Optimization (Tier 2)
- Achim Kempf, 2004-2014
- Canada Research Chair in the Physics of Information (Tier 2)
- Srinivasan Keshav, 2004-2014
- Canada Research Chair in Tetherless ComputingCanada Research Chair in Tetherless Computing (Tier 2)
- Debbie Leung, 2005-2015
- Canada Research Chair in Quantum Communication (Tier 2)
- Michele Mosca, 2002-2015
- Canada Research Chair in Quantum Computation (Tier 2)
- Justin Wan, 2006-2016
- Canada Research Chair in Scientific Computing (Tier 2)
University Research Chairs
The University of Waterloo recognizes exceptional achievement and pre-eminence in a particular field of knowledge with the designation 'University Research Chair' - a title which may be held for up to seven years, with the possibility of re-nomination.
Find more information on the selection process on the University Research Chairs webpage.
Current University Research Chairs
- Mu Zhu, Statistics & Actuarial Science
- Lap Chi Lau, Computer Science
- William Slofstra, Pure Mathematics
- Chaitanya Swamy, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Shai Ben-David, Computer Science
- Raouf Boutaba, Computer Science
- Sue Anne Campbell, Applied Mathematics
- Penny Haxell, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Matthew Kennedy, Pure Mathematics
- Kate Larson, Computer Science
- Bin Ma, Computer Science
- Sri Namachchivaya, Applied Mathematics
- Alexander Schied, Statistics and Actuarial Science
- Ruodu Wang, Statistics and Actuarial Science
Past University Research Chairs
- Chris Bauch, Applied Mathematics
- Jason Bell, Pure Mathematics
- Carole Bernard, Statistics and Actuarial Science
- Timothy Chan, Computer Science
- Thomas Coleman, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Bill Cunningham, Combinatorics and Optimization
- James Geelen, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Ian Goldberg, Computer Science
- Lila Kari, Computer Science
- Achim Kempf, Applied Mathematics
- Debbie Leung, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Michele Mosca, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Tamer Ozsu, Computer Science
- Sivabal Sivaloganathan, Applied Mathematics
- Doug Stinson, Computer Science
- Ken Seng Tan, Statistics and Actuarial Science
- Stephen Vavasis, Combinatorics and Optimization
- Grace Yi, Statistics and Actuarial Science
Industry and Named Chairs
Thanks to generous industry partners and donors, faculty members with extensive expertise can be awarded a Chair which allows for increased research resources and support.
Current Industry and Named Chairs
- Edith Law, Google Chair in the Future of Work and Learning
- Achim Kempf, Dieter Schwarz Chair in the Physics of Information and AI
- David Del Rey Fernandez, NSERC/Pratt & Whitney Canada Industry Research Chair
- Raouf Boutaba, NSERC/Rogers Research Chair in Network Automation
- Florian Kerschbaum, NSERC/RBC Industrial Research Chair in Data Security
- Jimmy Lin, David R. Cheriton Chair in Software Systems
- N. Asokan, David R. Cheriton Chair in Software Systems
Past Industry and Named Chairs
- Johnny Li, Munich Re Chair in Insurance
- Frank Tip, David R. Cheriton Chair in Software Systems
- Gord Willmot, Munich Re Chair in Insurance
- Ihab F. Ilyas, NSERC Thomson Reuters Research Chair in Data Quality
Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Election to the academies of the Royal Society is "the highest honour a scholar can achieve in the Arts, Humanities and Sciences". Inductees have been "elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement". Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada have been "elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement".
- Ihab Ilyas, 2024
- N Asokan, 2023
- Anita Layton, 2022
- Richard Cook, 2021
- Raouf Boutaba, 2019
- Srinivasan Keshav, 2019
- Phelim Boyle, 2019
- Tamer Ozsu, 2016
- Douglas Stinson, 2011
- Richard Cleve, 2010
- Ian Goulden, 2010
- Ming Li, 2006
- Mary Thompson, 2006
- David Jackson, 2005
- J. Ian Munro, 2003
- Vidyadhar P. (VP) Godambe, 2002
- Jerald Lawless, 2000
- Scott Vanstone, 1998
- Jack Kalbfleisch, 1994
- Kenneth Davidson, 1992
- J. Alan George, 1992
- Cameron Stewart, 1989
- Jiri Cizek, 1988
- Joseph Paldus, 1983
- David Sprott, 1975
- János Aczél, 1971
University Professors
The University of Waterloo recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence through the designation “University Professor”. Once appointed, a faculty member retains the designation until retirement.
- Anita Layton, 2025
- Raouf Boutaba, 2024
- Richard J. Cook, 2020
- Tamer Ozsu, 2018
- William Cook, 2015
- Doug Stinson, 2013
- Ming Li, 2009
Retired University Professors
- Mary Thompson, 2004
- Cameron Stewart, 2005
- Ian Munro, 2009
- Ken Davidson, 2007
Faculty of Mathematics Research Chairs
The Faculty of Mathematics recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and pre-eminence in a particular field of knowledge through the designation “Math Faculty Research Chair.” The number of such appointments does not generally exceed 5 per cent of the tenured faculty, underlining the highly prestigious nature of the Math Faculty Research Chair designation. Find more information on the awards and nomination process on the Internal Awards and Opportunities webpage.
Current Faculty of Mathematics Research Chairs
- Sophie Spirkl, Combinatorics and Optimization, 2023-2026
- Sepehr Assadi, Computer Science, 2023-2026
-
Richard Cook, Statistics Actuarial Science, 2019-2028
Past Faculty of Mathematics Research Chairs
- Levent Tunçel, Combinatorics and Optimization, 2019-2024
- Pengfei Li, Statistics Actuarial Science, 2022-2025
- Rahim Moosa, Pure Mathematics, 2022-2025
- Kirsten Morris, Applied Mathematics, 2021-2024
- Matthew Satriano, Pure Mathematics, 2021-2024
- Aissa Wade, Pure Mathematics, 2023-2024