SFU Research

SFU Research will no longer be actively posting on X as of August 1, 2025. To stay up to date on the latest research news and breakthroughs, follow SFU on Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/sfu.ca

We are number #1! 🏆 SFU tops the 2025 WURI rankings as the #1 university in Canada for innovation for the 5th straight year. The university was also named #1 in Canada for entrepreneurial spirit, #3 for industrial application and #3 for its responses to global challenges. Globally, the university ranks 12th in the world for innovation, up three spots from 2024. Learn more at ow.ly/KOei50WyaBy

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Hali Kil & Dr. Lara Aknin have received the @SSHRC_CRSH Insight Grant & Insight Development grant recipients. Read more about their research grants at tinyurl.com/Sfupsych @SFUResearch

💡Can we replace disposable batteries used in billions of smart devices? @SFU sustainable energy engineering prof. Vincenzo Pecunia develops ways to generate clean electricity from ambient energy💡 His work is challenging how the world powers the IoT: shorturl.at/TvpW7

.@FAS_SFU prof Woo Soo Kim uses AI, robotics & plant science to develop autonomous systems for smarter, more resilient farming. As climate change strains food systems, deep tech like this is key to sustainable agriculture. Read his @ConversationCA op-ed: theconversation.com/autonomous-ai-…

Could this mark the end of slow, costly drug development? #SFU CS Prof. Martin Ester and PhD student Tony Shen unveil CGFlow—an AI framework that streamlines the traditional process by accurately designing and synthesizing drug molecules. Read more: ow.ly/TZiz50Wru6G

Are your headaches caused by Neanderthal DNA? 🧠 A new #SFU-led study points to human-Neanderthal interbreeding as the likely origin of a neurological condition estimated to impact up to one per cent of people today. @SFUArchaeology @SFUResearch @SFU ow.ly/HPRZ50WriZx

Congrats to @SFUENV’s Ruth Joy & @SFU_Science’s Peter Unrau, who received a combined $3.3M in @NSERC_CRSNG CREATE funding for their respective WHALES and BEST programs! Read more: sfu.ca/sfunews/storie…

How does @SFU embed sustainability into all we do? Our ESCA framework is the answer—and it just earned a @CityofBurnaby Environmental Award! This reaffirms our climate leadership as we rank top 5 in 🇨🇦, top 50 globally for advancing the UN @SustDev Goals. sfu.ca/dashboard/facu…

.@SFU physicists are proud to have been a part of the ATLAS collaboration at @CERN since 2001. ATLAS recently reported the 1st observation of quantum entanglement between top quarks—a discovery that provides new ways to test the Standard Model of physics. sfu.ca/research/perfo…

Congratulations to seven of our FASS researchers who have been awarded Insight Development Grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Read more about our researchers and their innovative projects: sfu.ca/fass/news/2025…

From the study of 18th century manuscripts to government debt to biases in the criminal justice system, nine FASS researchers have been awarded SSHRC Insight Grants to pursue research in these topics and many more. Congratulations! Learn more: sfu.ca/fass/news/2025…

Last month, @SFU hosted the @APRU1997 Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference, bringing together 130+ international delegates to explore this year’s theme: Living with Water across the Pacific Rim. Catch the highlights here: sfu.ca/dashboard/facu…

Photonic, a quantum company led by @SFUPhysics associate professor Stephanie Simmons, has announced major plans to establish an R&D facility in the U.K. A big step for secure, scalable quantum tech—and a boost to Canada’s leadership in the field. sfu.ca/sfunews/storie…

Research from SFU Psychology found that the simple act of asking persons on probation about their positive qualities instead of their risk factors could foster resilience and reduce the likelihood of reoffending in the future. Learn more: sfu.ca/fass/news/2025…

#SFU is teaming up with two leading institutions in South Korean to spark advances in #agritech research in Canada and abroad. ow.ly/KMP950WeZRm @postech2020 @seoulNatlUni

We’re making a real difference on some of the world’s most pressing challenges—and we've got the rankings to show. Proud to see SFU remain among the top universities in this year's Times Higher Education Impact Rankings!

Experience the impact of community-engaged archaeology to advance reconciliation on Xwe'etay (Lasqueti) Island through an exhibit at #SFU's Burnaby campus, on now through July 4th in the Saywell Atrium! Learn more: ow.ly/kLWF50WcybC @SFU @SFUResearch

What can we learn from COVID-19 about the role of social factors & vaccines? Professors Caroline Colijn (@SFU_Science, @SFUMath) and Kiffer Card (@SFU_FHS) observed how vaccine homophily can influence infections like COVID-19. ow.ly/meoU50Wb0KA

SFU President Joy Johnson has been appointed chair of the Research Universities’ Council of B.C. for a two-year term. As the organization representing the interests of B.C.’s research universities and the main point of contact for working with the provincial government, RUCBC plays an important role in advocating for university interests at the provincial level, especially at this critical time for the sector. sfu.ca/sfunews/storie…