Texas A&M University’s Department of Statistics recently announced that Christian Genest is the 2024 recipient of the Emanuel and Carol Parzen Prize for Statistical Innovation. This prestigious award, established in 1994, honours trailblazers in the field whose work has significantly advanced statistical innovation, bridging theoretical and practical applications. The award reflects Professor Parzen’s vision of strengthening the discipline’s societal impact by celebrating statisticians who balance rigorous theoretical research with influential, real-world applications.

A professor of statistics and Canada Research Chair in stochastic dependence modelling at McGill University, Christian is the 17th recipient of this award. The prize recognizes his pioneering work in copula modelling, extreme-value theory, and nonparametric statistics, the impact of his contributions in numerous fields, including environmental science and insurance, as well as his continued community involvement, notably as president of the SSC and editor in chief of The Canadian Journal of Statistics and the Journal of Multivariate Analysis. Christian is, after Nancy Reid in 2008, the second person based in Canada to receive this prize.