Distinguished SFU Professors

As a joint initiative of Simon Fraser University’s Vice-President, Academic and Provost and the Vice-President, Research and International, the Distinguished SFU Professor program recognizes SFU research faculty members of distinction who have achieved exceptional performance and distinguished accomplishments relative to their rank and years of service.

Nominations

We are now accepting nominations for the 2024 Distinguished SFU Professors. Nominations are due by Thursday, March 28, 2024. Decisions will be made by SFU’s Vice-President, Research and International and Provost and Vice-President Academic, with Distinguished SFU Professors identified and shared in July 2024. Please see policies and procedures for more information.

Nominations are made by Faculty Deans and university Vice-Presidents. Final selections are made by the VPA and VPRI, using advice received from the Distinguished SFU Professor Advisory Committee.

Please see the Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.

Advisory Committee members

  • Professor Laura Marks, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology
  • Professor Don Estep, Faculty of Science
  • Professor Marlene Moretti, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
  • Professor Sheelagh Carpendale, Faculty of Applied Sciences
  • Professor Clifford Atleo, Faculty of Environment
  • Professor Christina Atanasova, SFU Beedie School of Business
  • Professor Hui Xie, Faculty of Health Sciences
  • Professor David Zandvliet, Faculty of Education

Criteria

The title of Distinguished SFU Professor recognizes and rewards research faculty of any rank who meet the following criteria:

  • Have a demonstrated and sustained record of distinguished, exemplary accomplishments in their scholarly or creative work/or innovation relative to their rank and stage of their career;
  • Have a national or international reputation;
  • Have achieved pre-eminence in their field while also aligning with the university’s strategic objective and/or emerging priorities; and
  • Have a demonstrated commitment to collegial leadership and to engagement.

Please see the complete list of policies and procedures for this initiative by visiting SFU’s Policies and Procedures website, as well as the program guidelines (including nomination guidelines) and nomination form.

For more information on the nomination and adjudication of the Distinguished SFU Professor initiative, please contact the Vice-President, Academic Office at 778.782.3925 or email vpacad@sfu.ca.

2023 Recipients

The 2023 Distinguished SFU Professors are:

Dana Lepofsky, Faculty of Environment

David Vocadlo, Faculty of Science

Geoff Man, Faculty of Environment

Judy Radul, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Kendra Strauss, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Susan Erikson, Faculty of Health Sciences

Jeong Bon Kim, Beedie School of Business

Krishna Pendakur, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Kora Debeck, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

See the full story about our Distinguished SFU Professors on SFU News.

Past Recipients

2022 recipients

Angela Kaida, Faculty of Health Sciences

Jodi Viljoen, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Isabelle Cote, Faculty of Science

Alanaise Ferguson, Faculty of Education

John Bechhoefer, Faculty of Science

George Nicholas, Faculty of Environment

Judith Zaichkowsky, Faculty of Beedie School of Business

Maite Taboada, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Gary Wang, Faculty of Applied Sciences

See the full story about our Distinguished SFU Professors on SFU News.

2021 recipients

Henry Daniel, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Nick Dulvy, Faculty of Science

Martin Ester, Faculty of Applied Sciences

Marianne Ignace, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Bojan Mohar, Faculty of Science

Betty Schellenberg, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Nathalie Sinclair, Faculty of Education

See the full story about our Distinguished SFU Professors on SFU News. 

2020 Recipients

Richard Zhang, Faculty of Applied Sciences

Diane Gromala, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Phil Winne, Faculty of Education

Kirsten Zickfeld, Faculty of Environment

Frank Gobas, Faculty of Environment

Julian Somers, Faculty of Health Sciences

Zuo-Guang Ye, Faculty of Science

See the full story about our Distinguished SFU Professors on SFU News.

2019 Recipients

Lara Aknin, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Fiona Brinkman, Faculty of Science

Mike Hayden, Faculty of Science

Robert Hogg, Faculty of Health Sciences

Mark Jaccard, Faculty of Environment

Dal Yong Jin, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Danièle Moore, Faculty of Education

Laurel Weldon, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences