Christian Genest

Christian Genest is a Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at McGill University. He holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia and has been a leading figure in statistics and probability for decades. His research focuses on dependence modeling, extreme-value theory, multivariate analysis, and their applications in environmental science, hydrology, insurance, and risk management.

Education: BSc (1977) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, MSc (1978) Université de Montréal, PhD (1983) University of British Columbia.

Genest has received numerous accolades, including Fellowships from the Royal Society of Canada, American Statistical Association, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and Fields Institute. He served as SSC President (2007-2008), Director of the Institut des Sciences Mathématiques (2012-2015), and held the Canada Research Chair in Stochastic Dependence Modeling (2011-2025). He has supervised 59 MSc, 9 PhD students, and 15 postdocs, with ongoing mentorship of 2 MSc, 3 PhD candidates, and 2 postdocs.

Genest is a prolific speaker, having delivered over 364 talks globally, including plenaries at major conferences like the Statistical Society of Canada and the Fields Institute. His work bridges theoretical advancements and practical applications, with contributions to copula theory, extreme-value analysis, and statistical methodology. He advocates for public engagement, delivering outreach lectures at schools and colleges across Quebec.

Award Highlights: 2011 SSC Gold Medalist, 2015 Royal Society of Canada Fellow, 2023 CRM-Fields-PIMS Prize, and 2024 Emanuel and Carol Parzen Prize for Statistical Innovation.

Grants and Leadership: Coordinated the CRM Risk in Complex Systems thematic program (2017), edited major statistical journals, and chaired departmental interim leadership (2022-2023).