David Lyon (Sociology) has been honoured with The Canadian Sociological Association’s Outstanding Contribution Award. Dr. Lyon, director of the Surveillance Studies Centre, is the first Queen’s professor to earn the society’s top award.

“There are two ways this recognition is particularly pleasing,” says Dr. Lyon. “One is that it’s good that members of my discipline of sociology have seen fit to acknowledge a contribution that goes well beyond it. Our research is multidisciplinary. The other is that while my work is the focus, it’s really our work. My research team is indispensable.”

In his over three decades of study, Dr. Lyon has placed Canadian sociology on the world stage with his contributions to the understanding of what it means to have personal data collected and processed by organizations. He brings a sociological perspective on issues raised by the surveillance of everyday life and is credited with spearheading the field of surveillance studies.

“Dr. Lyon has made fundamental contributions to Sociology in Canada and internationally, and I am delighted that his efforts have been recognized with this richly-deserved award,” says Vice-Principal (Research) Steven Liss. “For decades he has provided scholarship that is insightful, topical and has a political edge to it that recurrently accentuates the broader ethical concerns raised by new developments in monitoring practices.”

The award honours professors who have significantly contributed to sociology in Canada and recognizes exceptional scholarly merit. Their academic contribution goes beyond their primary specialization and is widely recognized within the Canadian sociological community.

For more information on the Outstanding Contribution Award.