Telfer Emerging Researcher Award 2025 — Christopher Sun

The Telfer School of Management is delighted to present Professor Christopher Sun with the 2025 Emerging Researcher Award, an honour that recognizes outstanding potential to produce original and impactful research.

Sun’s cutting-edge research sits at the crossroads of AI, optimization, and public health, where he harnesses machine learning and simulation to reinvent healthcare by building faster, fairer, and inclusive systems for both hospitals and patients. He is turning algorithms into real-world impact!  

Sun joined Telfer in 2022 and was appointed Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Data Analytics for Health Systems Transformation. This milestone strengthened Telfer’s partnership with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). He has since secured major CIHR, NSERC, and CFI funding to drive cutting-edge research that brings together medicine, data science, and management to revolutionize healthcare. Notably, Sun was recently awarded a $1.45 million CIHR Project Grant to develop predictive models that improve the detection and prevention of in-hospital cardiac arrests.

His high-impact research published in top journals like Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology is shaping the future of clinical care. Using predictive models and real-time data, his AI-powered tools help hospitals anticipate emergencies, allocate resources more efficiently, and respond faster when every second matters.

But Sun’s work goes beyond efficiency. He is tackling systemic biases in healthcare head-on, building algorithms that expose and correct inequities in care for marginalized and underserved patients. His groundbreaking work has set him apart as a rising international leader in leveraging AI to create a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system for all.

His cross-appointments with the UOHI, the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Royal’s Institute of Mental Health expand the reach of his work and deepen its impact across sectors and disciplines.

Sun has already earned several prestigious awards, including the 2022 William H. Montgomery Excellence in Education Award from the Citizen CPR Foundation and a 2021 spot on the Citizen CPR Foundation's 40 Under 40 class list for his leadership in cardiac arrest care.

Sun offers world-class, interdisciplinary training that empowers students at all levels to turn theory into real-world AI solutions. His trainees have gone on to win awards, reflecting his exceptional mentorship and role in shaping the digital future of health.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to research innovation and dedication to student development, Telfer congratulates Professor Sun on receiving the 2025 Emerging Researcher Award.