---

Narayanaswamy Balakrishnan is one of three McMaster faculty who’ve been elected to the Royal Society of Canada as Fellows.

The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announced Sept. 7th that Narayanaswamy Balakrishnan, Bonny Ibhawoh with the Faculty of Humanities and Harriet MacMillan with the Faculty of Health Sciences had been elected Fellows and that Ryan Van Lieshout, also with the Faculty of Health Sciences, was chosen for the Royal Society’s College.

Eighty-nine new Fellows were elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievements. Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is considered the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences.

A Distinguished Professor with the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Narayanaswamy is internationally recognized for his research in data analysis and applied probability, as well as his pioneering contributions to applied sciences and engineering, including analytical modelling, and the development of new applications. He has also written books on the theory and applications of statistics and has co-edited the Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences.

Named a Distinguished Professor in 2014, Naravanaswamy received the President’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision in 2018 and has won the McMaster Students Union Teaching Excellence Award five times. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Communications in Statistics and Mathematical Methods of Statistics, Associate Editor for 11 journals and Advisory Editor for two journals.

“Bala, as Professor Balakrishnan is known to everyone at McMaster, is the full package”, says Matheus Grasselli, Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “Not only is he one of the most cited statisticians in the world, he is an inspiring teacher, a tireless supervisor of countless graduate students, and a terrific colleague.” 

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, and The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The Royal Society of Canada recognizes excellence, advises the government and the larger society, and promotes a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world.

Congratulate Narayanaswamy at bala@mcmaster.ca.