Research chairs

The University of Waterloo is home to several exceptional researchers with both national and international distinctions.

Ian Goldberg named Canada Research Chair

$Ian Goldberg headshot$ Ian Goldberg has been named a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Privacy Enhancing Technologies. Professor Goldberg’s Canada Research Chair comes with to create and expand privacy enhancing technologies — systems that allow people to protect their privacy online.

Canada Research Chairs

Introduced by the federal government in 2000 to retain and attract exceptional research faculty.

Current Canada Research Chairs

Ian Goldberg, 2019-2026
- Canada Research Chair in Privacy Enhancing Technologies (Tier 1)
Anita Layton, 2018-2024
- Canada 150 Research Chair in Mathematical Biology and Medicine
Ming Li, 2016-2023
- Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics (Tier 1)
Ian Munro, 2015-2022
- Canada Research Chair in Algorithm Design (Tier 1)
Cam Stewart, 2017-2024
- Canada Research Chair in Number Theory (Tier 1)
David Landriault, 2016-2021
- Canadian Research Chair in Risk Theory (Tier 2)
Jun Liu, 2017-2022
- Canada Research Chair in Hybrid Systems and Control (Tier 2)
Luke Postle, 2015-2025
- Canada Research Chair in Graph Theory (Tier 2)
Karen Yeats, 2017-2022
- Canada Research Chair in Combinatorics of Quantum Field Theory (Tier 2)

Past Canada Research Chairs

Richard Cook, 2005-2019
- Canada Research Chair in Statistical Methods for Health Research (Tier 1)
Jim Geelen, 2003-2013
- Canada Research Chair in Cmbinatorial Optimization
Achim Kempf, 2004-2014
- Canada Research Chair in the Physics f Information
Srinivasan Keshav, 2004-2014
- Canada Research Chair in Tetherless Computing
Debbie Leung, 2005-2015
- Canada Research Chair in Quantum Cmmunication
Michele Mosca, 2002-2015
- Canada Research Chair in Quantum Computation
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.

Current University Research Chairs

Shai Ben-David, Computer Science
Raouf Boutaba, Computer Science
Sue Anne Campbell, Applied Mathematics
James Geelen, Combinatorics and Optimization
Penny Haxell, Combinatorics and Optimization
Lila Kari, Computer Science
Achim Kempf, Applied Mathematics
Matthew Kennedy, Pure Mathematics
Kate Larson, Computer Science
Debbie Leung, Combinatorics and Optimization
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
Ian Goldberg, Computer Science
Michele Mosca, Combinatorics and Optimization
Tamer Özsu, 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.

Florian Kerschbaum, NSERC/RBC Industrial Research Chair in Data Security
Johnny Li, Munich Re Chair in Insurance
Jimmy Lin, David R. Cheriton Chair in Software Systems
N. Asokan, David R. Cheriton Chair in Software Systems
Ihab F. Ilyas, NSERC Thomson Reuters Research Chair in Data Quality
Gord Willmot, Munich Re Chair in Insurance

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".

Raouf Boutaba, 2019
Srinivasan Keshav, 2019
M. Tamer Ӧzsu, 2016
Douglas Robert 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.