By Ellen Tsaprailis
Carleton University Adjunct Prof. Yiyan Wu has been named a member of the Order of Canada.
On Feb. 12, 2019, Wu was invested by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette during a ceremony at the Citadelle of Québec.
Wu received the prestigious honour in recognition of his work as a leading authority on broadband multimedia and wireless communications. As the principal research scientist with Communications Research Centre Canada, Wu has helped propel Canadian research and technology to the forefront of the field worldwide, notably by developing current and next-generation digital television standards.
His innovative leadership in numerous academic and professional institutions has fostered international collaboration, and has had a broad impact on developing the latest technologies in communications systems engineering.
“I am honoured to be invested to the Order of Canada,” said Wu. “I am very glad that our work and achievements have been recognized. The team not only includes my colleagues at Communications Research Centre Canada — it also includes the faculty members, postdoctorates and graduate students from the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton. Over the years, we worked on many highly productive collaborative research projects. I am looking forward to further extending these successful collaborations.”
Interim Dean Fred Afagh at Carleton’s research-intensive Faculty of Engineering and Design said he’s thrilled for Wu.
“The Carleton community is extremely proud of longtime adjunct research professor and Carleton alumnus, Yiyan Wu,” said Afagh. “Wu’s appointment to the Order of Canada recognizes his outstanding work in the development of current and next-generation digital broadcast technology and a storied career in multimedia communications systems engineering.”
In addition to his research and teaching, Wu is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the IEEE, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting. He received both his Master’s in Engineering and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Carleton University.
“I remember those good old days spent at Carleton as a student,” said Wu.
Established in 1967 by Queen Elizabeth, the Order of Canada is the pillar of the Canadian honours system. Becoming a member recognizes outstanding contributions at the local or regional level or in a special field of activity.