TORONTO, ON – May 27, 2019: The Fields Institute is delighted to announce Professor Tom Salisbury as the Interim Deputy Director of the Institute, effective July 1, 2019. Professor Salisbury’s connection with the Fields Institute spans two decades: he served terms as both Deputy Director from 2003 to 2006, and Associate Directory for Industry Liaison from 2016 to 2018. Professor Salisbury is rejoining the Institute as Fields welcomes in the next Director, Professor Kumar Murty. 

He will succeed Professor Huaxiong Huang in this role, who has served as the Deputy Director of the Institute since 2016. 

Currently a Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University, Professor Salisbury has nearly 40 years of academic experience. He is a leading figure in probability theory, specifically Brownian motion and related Markov processes, including their applications to mathematical finance and actuarial sciences. 

Professor Salisbury received his BSc from McGill University in 1979, and his PhD in mathematics from the University of British Columbia in 1983. After a postdoctoral position as a Research Assistant Professor at Purdue University, he moved to York University where he is a Professor and former Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Professor Salisbury has been co-editor-in-chief of the Canadian Mathematical Bulletin, and has served on the editorial boards of Probability Theory and Related Fields, Fields Institute Communications & Monographs, Potential Analysis, and the Canadian Journal of Statistics. 

He teaches a wide range of courses in the mathematical and financial engineering fields. He has also been involved in the finance and insurance sector as director of analytics at Quantitative Wealth Management Analytics group (QWeMA) prior to the latter's acquisition by CANNEX, and as a project leader on the Finsurance project at MITACS. His passion for mathematics education led to his involvement in curriculum development at a provincial level: in 2007, he chaired the task force that initiated the revision of the Ontario’s Grade 12 curriculum, and then served on the Ontario Minister of Education's curriculum council. 

Professor Salisbury’s experience also includes a term as President of the Canadian Mathematical Society from 2006 to 2008, and he was the recipient of the CMS’s Graham Wright Award for distinguished service in 2015. Professor Ian Hambleton, Director of the Institute, said “We enthusiastically welcome Professor Salisbury back to Fields, and are looking forward to the unique perspective and experience he will bring as Deputy Director, to carry on Professor Huang’s excellent work.”

As Deputy Director of the Institute, Professor Huang has dedicated himself to the development of the Centre for Quantitative Analysis and Modelling (CQAM), fostering impressive growth and extending Fields’ reach within the mathematics community. His focus on developing strong partnerships with members of industry has seen the Institute increase its opportunities to apply mathematical knowledge to a wider range of fields and disciplines.

The Fields Institute provides a supportive and rich environment for mathematics innovation and education. It promotes collaboration between mathematicians and those working in other disciplines such as engineering, the physical and biological sciences, medicine, economics, finance, telecommunications, and information systems. Fields is internationally renowned for strengthening collaboration, innovation, and learning in mathematics and across a broad range of disciplines, its programs attract over 4,200 participants annually from around the world. In addition, the Institute maintains a growing list of partner universities and institutions within Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia. 

Regarding his appointment, Professor Salisbury said “The Fields Institute is a national treasure. I’m delighted to be given the chance to return to Fields for a year as interim Deputy Director."

The Institute is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Science Foundation (US), and a growing list of partner universities and institutes.

For more information please contact: 
Esther Berzunza, Manager of Development and Communications
416-348-9710 x 2014