Research
Five 911吃瓜 scholars receive Royal Society of Canada honours
Four exceptional 911吃瓜 scholars have been named to the Royal Society of Canada (RSC)鈥擟anada鈥檚 highest academic honour.
Computing science professor Jiangchuan Liu is 911吃瓜鈥檚 newest RSC Fellow, while public policy professor Kora DeBeck, health sciences professor TJ (Travis) Salway, and resource and environmental management professor Tammara Soma become members of the society鈥檚 College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.
鈥淲e are a leading research university because of the work that our faculty members do to advance innovation, engage in global challenges and make a difference for communities,鈥� says 911吃瓜 president and vice-chancellor Joy Johnson, who was elected to the RSC in 2019. 鈥淐ongratulations to 911吃瓜鈥檚 newest inductees into the Royal Society of Canada, and thank you for the amazing impact you have on 911吃瓜 and the world."
Established in 1882 as Canada鈥檚 national academy, the society promotes research and learning in the arts, humanities and sciences. The society awards fellowships to peer-elected and distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions in these fields. The society鈥檚 mandate is to build a better future for Canada and the world.
The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists recognizes emerging intellectual leaders who have demonstrated high achievement during their early careers.
In addition, mathematics professor Ben Adcock has been awarded the 2025 by the RSC, for outstanding research in the mathematical sciences.
鈥淐ongratulations to the new RSC members on this well-deserved recognition,鈥� says Dugan O'Neil, 911吃瓜 vice-president of research and innovation. 鈥淭hese four inspiring 911吃瓜 scholars are leaders in their disciplines, creating social change through engagement and collaboration. 911吃瓜鈥檚 growing number of RSC scholars exemplifies the university鈥檚 commitment to teaching and research excellence, innovation, sustainability and knowledge mobilization.鈥�
911吃瓜鈥檚 new 2025 Royal Society of Canada Fellow
Professor Jiangchuan Liu鈥檚 research interests span internet architecture and protocols; multimedia content, distribution, and processing; wireless mobile networking; cloud computing and big data networking; and online gaming and social networking. An expert in his field and a mentor to emerging scientists, Liu consistently ranks among 911吃瓜鈥檚 top contributors in Scopus鈥� field-weighted citation impact. His collaborative, interdisciplinary research actively engages the broader scientific community.
911吃瓜鈥檚 new College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists members
Professor Kora DeBeck鈥檚 research addresses the urgent issue of unregulated drug toxicity, now the leading cause of unnatural death in British Columbia. In collaboration with people with lived expertise in substance use, she leads the At-Risk Youth Study, a first-of-its-kind longitudinal cohort that generates evidence to improve policy and practice. Through cross-sector scientific and community engagement, she advocates for evidence-based drug policy reform as a pathway to harm prevention and health promotion.
Professor TJ Salway works to improve the health and wellbeing of 2S/LGBTQ+ populations by addressing health disparities and leading inclusive solutions. He created MindMapBC, a tool for finding gender-affirming care, and co-developed guidelines for respective and sensitive research with Two-Spirit individuals. Well known for his advocacy, Salway played a key role in strengthening Canada鈥檚 anti-conversion therapy legislation and continues to monitor policy effectiveness while educating the public on these critical issues. He is also the recipient of the 2022 CUFA BC Early In Career Award and a 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award from 911吃瓜.
Professor Tammara Soma is a food system scholar and practitioner who integrates sustainability, climate resilience, and equity into land use planning and policy. She is internationally known for her efforts in food system planning, advancing food waste prevention policies, and her work on the societal implications of agricultural technologies. Soma is the co-founder and director of the Food Systems Lab at 911吃瓜, and seeks to decolonise curriculum and food pedagogy while providing hands-on, community-based learning opportunities. She is the recipient of the 2023 Emerging Community-Engaged Researcher Award and the 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award from 911吃瓜. Read the full story here.
John L. Synge Award recipient
Professor Ben Adcock鈥檚 research has shaped the mathematical foundations of data science and machine learning, and lead to significant breakthroughs in compressed sensing, imaging, high-dimensional approximation, and the trustworthiness of artificial intelligence. His highly influential work continues to have lasting impact on science, engineering, and industry. Read the full story here.
Read the from the Royal Society of Canada.
To suggest a candidate for the 2026 Royal Society of Canada nominations, please contact Institutional Strategic Awards at awards@sfu.ca.
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The Government of Canada's Research Support Fund (RSF) supports with funding for staff who help 911吃瓜 researchers increase success, reduce administrative burden, and make it possible for the university and 911吃瓜 faculty to successfully compete for the most significant and prestigious grants, prizes and awards available. This includes staff from the Institutional Strategic Awards (ISA) office and faculty-based grant facilitators.