Chemistry professor awarded the 2021 John C. Polanyi Award for research excellence

SFU distinguished professor and chemist Zuo-Guang Ye has been awarded the 2021 John C. Polanyi Award from the Chemical Institute of Canada. The award recognizes excellence by a scientist carrying out research in Canada in physical, theoretical or computational chemistry or chemical physics.

Ye is a leading authority in solid-state materials science. His interdisciplinary research has shaped the development, standardization and commercialization of novel high-performance piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials in the areas of health care, environment and information technology, and has led to fundamental insights into their complex structure-property relations. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers. In 2020 he was named a Distinguished SFU Professor.

Ye completed degrees at the Polytechnic University of Hefei and the l’Université de Bordeaux before embarking on post-doctoral research at l’Université de Genève, Switzerland in 1989. He joined SFU in 1997 and holds a joint affiliation with 4D Labs, SFU’s open-access facility for advanced materials research and development. 

Ye served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2009 to 2014, and plays an active role in research leadership.