Renowned linguist Gary Libben has been awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Canada King Charles III Coronation Medal. The honor, presented on April 24, 2025, recognizes his contributions to language processing research and public knowledge sharing. Libben was among just 30 recipients nationwide selected for this distinction.
The award celebrates Libben’s work mentoring young scholars and his advisory roles with governments and non-profit groups. It builds on his earlier recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2008 for his significant impact in linguistics.
As a Professor of Applied Linguistics at Brock University since 1998, Libben has built an impressive career studying how words work in the human mind. After earning his PhD from McGill University in 1986, he went on to lead major research initiatives, including founding the Centre for Comparative Psycholinguistics at the University of Alberta.
Libben’s research explores how people process words across multiple languages. His research experiments span multiple languages and populations, including studies in English, French, German, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Kannada with diverse groups such as older adults with aphasia and children. His work on compound words (like “teacup” or “blackboard”) has been published in top journals. He’s known for developing his “quantum metaphor” theory about how words are organized in the brain.
With over 100 academic articles to his name, Libben has made his mark on the field. His 2017 book, “The Quantum Metaphor and the Organization of Words in the Mind,” stands as a key contribution. He also co-founded the journal “The Mental Lexicon” in 2006, where he continues to serve as Editor-in-Chief.
Libben’s global impact extends across seven languages and ten countries. He’s advised UNESCO on language preservation and collaborated with researchers worldwide. His work has been cited over 5,000 times by other scholars.
Currently, Libben serves as Secretary of the Royal Society of Canada while continuing his research at Brock’s Language, Mind, and Brain Lab. He also sits on the board of the International Neurolinguistics Association and advises Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Academic leaders like Libben demonstrate how research rooted in Niagara can have a worldwide influence. Their contributions help raise the region’s profile across global scholarly communities. Learn more about local achievements in education, science, and innovation on Marketplace Niagara.
