Skip to content Skip to main navigation

Newsmaker of the Year Award

The FASS Newsmaker of the Year Award recognizes continuing FASS faculty members who, based on their research expertise, have demonstrated an impact on advancing public knowledge and shaping public opinion in the previous calendar year.

One Newsmaker of the Year award may be presented annually, depending on the nominations received. Award winners shall receive $500 towards professional development and a plaque recognizing their achievements. They will also be honoured at the FASS Fall Reception.

2026 award winner

Jason Stearns

International Studies

Jason Stearns is associate professor at Simon Fraser University’s School for International Studies and a scholar of conflict and politics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is the co-founder of two research institutes : the Congo Research Group, based at New York University, and Ebuteli, based in Kinshasa. His research focuses on armed conflict, social movements, and international intervention in Africa. He is the author of two books, Dancing in the Glory of Monsters (PublicAffairs 2010) and The War That Doesn't Say Its Name (Princeton 2022). He has conducted research in the Great Lakes region for more than two decades and regularly contributes to policy and public debates on African security and governance.

Nominations closed

Please check back here again for next year's nomination period.