Sheena Josselyn, Frank Kschischang and Kent Moore named University Professors

Three University of Toronto faculty members have been appointed University Professors, a prestigious designation that represents the university’s highest and most distinguished academic rank.  

University Professors are recognized for unusual scholarly achievement and pre-eminence in a particular field.

The newest members of this elite group are:

• Sheena Josselyn of the department of physiology and Institute of Medical Science in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine: A senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute, Josselyn is one of Canada's leading neuroscientists. Her research explores how memories are formed, stored and utilized; and has explained how different memories interconnect to form knowledge, how they can be flexibly retrieved, and how they can sometimes be forgotten.
• Frank Kschischang of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: A leading expert in error-correcting codes and digital communications, Kschischang co-developed factor graphs – widely used in coding, robotics, and machine learning – and pioneered subspace and staircase codes for reliable, high-speed data transmission. His work on non-linear Fourier transforms has had a significant influence on fibre-optics, impacting global communication standards.
• Kent Moore of the department of chemical and physical sciences at U of T Mississauga: A world-renowned climate scientist, Moore's work has advanced understanding of polar and mountainous climate change. He has flown through Arctic storms, analyzed ice cores and studied sea ice and glaciers, with his interdisciplinary research on geophysical fluid dynamics and climate systems shaping contemporary climate science. His contributions include representing Canada on the International Arctic Science Committee's atmosphere working group. 

"The University of Toronto owes much of its reputation for excellence to its world-class professors, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to formally acknowledge the outstanding achievements of some of our finest faculty members," said U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young. "The title 'University Professor' is the university’s highest and most distinguished academic rank."

Read more about the 2024-25 University Professors