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Jeffery-Williams Prize

The Jeffery-Williams Prize was inaugurated to recognize mathematicians who have made outstanding contributions to mathematical research. 

The first prize was presented in 1968.

Nominations are currently closed.
Nominations for the Jeffery-Williams Prize 2026 will be accepted beginning March 1.

Award presentation normally takes place at the CMS Summer Meeting and a plenary lecture given by the recipient is customary. The recipient shall be a member of the Canadian mathematical community. A nomination can be updated and will remain active for three years.

Recipients

Previous Years
2022: André Joyal
2020: Juncheng Wei
2018: Gordon Slade
2016: Daniel Wise
2011: Kai Behrend
2004: Joel Feldman
2003: Ram Murty
2001: David Boyd
1997: S. Halperin
1996: M. Goresky
1995: R.V. Moody
1994: D. Dawson
1993: J. Arthur
1992: I. Sigal
1991: P. Lancaster
1990: R. Steinberg
1989: E.C. Milner
1988: J. Lambek
1987: L. Nirenberg
1986: C. Herz
1985: L. Siebenmann
1984: C.S. Morawetz
1983: R.H. Bott
1982: J. Lipman
1981: J.E. Marsden
1980: R.P. Langlands
1979: I. Halperin
1978: G. Gratzer
1977: G. Duff
1976: M. Wyman
1975: N.S. Mendelsohn
1974: H.J. Zassenhaus
1973: H.S.M. Coxeter
1972: P.J. Davis
1971: W.T. Tutte
1970: W.A.J. Luxemburg
1969: R. Pyke
1968: I. Kaplansky

Prize Sculpture

JW Prize sculpture
"Young Walrus" by Peter Parr

The Jeffery-Williams Prize is an Inuit soapstone sculpture. Each sculpture is different, granting the recipient a unique Canadian piece of art.

Sculptures are selected with the generous assistance of Ian Wright from The Snow Goose Ltd., Ottawa.

Selection Committee

The recipient of the Jeffery-Williams Prize, as well as the other Research awards, is chosen by the CMS Research Committee based on the strength of the nominations.

The Jeffery-Williams Prize is named in honour of:

Ralph Jeffery
Ralph Jeffery

Ralph Jeffery (1889 - 1975)

Ralph Jeffery was the fourth president of the Canadian Mathematical Society from 1957-1961. Though he left school in the middle of Grade 8 to join his father as a fisherman, he graduated from Acadia University in 1921 and completed his Ph.D. in mathematics at Cornell in 1928. He served as Head of Mathematics at Acadia from 1924-1942 and Head of Mathematics at Queen’s University from 1942 until his retirement in 1960. He then returned to an active teaching role at Acadia until his death, teaching three full courses in his 85th year. A dedicated member of the Canadian Mathematical Congress, he established its popular Summer Research Institute (SRI) which he directed each year from 1950-1965. By creating the SRI and by consistently encouraging research he made an outstanding contribution to mathematics in Canada.

Lloyd Williams
Lloyd Williams

Lloyd Williams (1888 - 1976)

Lloyd Williams was the treasurer of the CMS from 1945-1965. He taught at McGill University from 1924 until his retirement in 1954. Lloyd’s vision of a forum which would bring Canadian mathematicians together contributed greatly to the formation and success of the Canadian Mathematical Congress. He oversaw the financial development of the Congress, securing donations from a wide variety of government, corporate and individual sources. As well, he worked hard to ensure that the Congress served all members of the mathematical community equally. He was the first to supervise a Ph.D. thesis in mathematics for a black student.