Lassonde Professor Jinjun Shan elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts

Jinjun Shan, an eminent researcher and Professor in the Earth & Space Science & Engineering Department at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, was recently elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts – Technical and Environmental Sciences class.

This prestigious academy unites hundreds of scholars and practitioners across the globe to stimulate cross-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging members to analyze complex societal challenges and cultivate solutions. The European Academy of Sciences and Arts is composed of members spanning a range of disciplines, from humanities to natural sciences, helping to promote exchange and dissemination of diverse knowledge.

New members are elected based on their capacity to support and advance the academy’s objectives. Members are also recognized for exceptional standing in their respective fields, resulting from outstanding research outcomes and achievements.

Professor Shan’s research focuses on both space engineering and autonomous systems, while intersecting additional disciplines like computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI). In ongoing work, he developed an optical instrument to monitor and measure greenhouse gases to help evaluate climate change. On June 28, 2024, the instrument was successfully launched on a high-altitude balloon flight from Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden, which validated its outstanding performance.

In other work, Professor Shan is innovating autonomous systems, including emerging technologies like drone transportation and self-driving cars, by addressing challenges with control, navigation and planning. Specifically, this research focuses on programming these autonomous systems to make safe and efficient decisions like humans do when operating a vehicle, increasing users’ trust and overall experience.

Professor Shan’s research contributions continue to grant him esteemed recognition, and his recent election as member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, is an honourable addition to his achievements. He has also been named Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), American Astronautical Society (AAS) and Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), as well as Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

As a new member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Professor Shan will extend his research impact and help contribute to solutions for diverse societal challenges, while engaging in cross-disciplinary collaboration with scholars and practitioners around the world.

Congratulations, Professor Shan!