Dr. Yang Gao
Positions
Professor
Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Geomatics Engineering
Contact information
Phone number
Office: +1 (403) 220-6174
Location
Office: Engineering Building, ENE 225
For media enquiries, contact
Joe McFarland
Media Relations and Communications Specialist
Cell: +1.403.671.2710
Email: Joe.Mcfarland@ucalgary.ca
Background
Credentials
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), 2024
Fellow, Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), 2023
Fellow, UK Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN), 2023
Fellow, US Institute of Navigation (ION), 2020
Fellow, International Association of Geodesy (IAG), 2007
PEng., Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), 1997
Educational Background
PhD. University of Calgary, 1992
M.Sc. Wuhan University, 1985
B.Sc. Wuhan University , 1982
Biography
Dr. Yang Gao is a Professor and Associate Head (Research & Graduate Studies) in the Department of Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. His research interests focus on precise positioning and navigation with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and integration with other enabling sensors.
Prior to joining UC as an Assistant Professor in 1998, his career comprised periods in government and industry sectors, including Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) where he was a NSERC post-doc fellow and Pulsearch Navigation Systems Inc/Position Inc where he held positions of Research Scientist, Manager of GPS R&D and Manager of Asia-Pacific.
As a world leading academic in Satellite Navigation, Dr. Gao has 350 plus journal and conference publications and 10 plus patents who is one of top 2% most widely cited scientists by Stanford. He has supervised 50 plus PhD/MSc students, 20 plus visiting PhD students, 20 plus postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars as well as numerous undergraduate students. He received Graduate Education Award for graduate student supervision and several awards for teaching excellence.
Dr. Gao is very active in technology transfer of his research results to the industry. He founded two successful startup companies, serving as CEO for one until its acquisition and CTO presently for one who has led the development of advanced precise navigation technologies and products.
Dr. Gao’s academic and leadership contributions have been recognized by major national and international awards, including the prestigious Thurlow Award from the US Institute of Navigation (ION), the Intermap Award from the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG), the Research Excellence Summit Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), the US Institute of Navigation (ION), the UK Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN), and the International Association of Geodesy (IAG).
Dr. Gao has provided many years of distinguished service to international society and professional community such as International Association of Geodesy (IAG), US Institute of Navigation (ION), International Association of Chinese Professionals in Global Positioning Systems (CPGPS), International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). He has served as Editor for ten international journals. He is currently the President-Elect of CIG and Vice Chair of the ION Alberta Section.
Research
Areas of Research
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| ENGO 465 | Satellite Positioning | Winter 2025 |
| ENGO 563 LEC 01 01 | Data Analysis in Engineering | Fall 2024 |
| ENGO 629 | Advanced Estimation Methods & Analysis | |
| ENGO 697 | Directed Studies |
Awards
- Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE). 2024
- Schulich Graduate Supervision Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2023
- ASTech Award Winner for Innovation in Aerospace, Alberta Science and Technology Foundation (ASTech). 2023
- ASTech Award finalist for Researcher of the Year, Alberta Science and Technology Foundation (ASTech). 2023
- Fellow, UK Royal Institute of Navigation, for exceptional international leadership and significant educational impact in the field of high-performance PNT. 2023
- Fellow, Engineering Institute of Canada, https://eic-ici.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-Fellow-Citation-Gao.pdf. 2023
- Schulich Research Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2023
- Geomatics Department Teaching Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2021
- Fellow, US Institute of Navigation, for significant contribution to the development, dissemination and commercialization of high-precision GNSS technologies; and for significant educational and training impact, https://www.ion.org/awards/2020-ionfellow-Gao.cfm. 2020
- Teaching Achievement Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2020
- Teaching Achievement Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2019
- Geomatics Department Research Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2019
- First Prize Best Paper Award, 2019 Ubiquitous Positioning Indoor Navigation and Location Based Service (UPINLBS), Beijing, China. 2019
- Research Excellence Summit Award, The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), https://www.apega.ca/summit-awards/recipients/2018/research-excellence. 2018
- Research Achievement Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2018
- Thomas L. Thurlow Award, US Institute of Navigation, for significant and sustained contributions and leadership in the development and application of Precise Point Positioning (PPP) and high-precision GNSS technology, https://www.ion.org/awards/2017-Thurlow.cfm. 2017
- Research Achievement Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2017
- Teaching Achievement Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2017
- Second Prize Geomatics Science and Technology Award, National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation of China. 2015
- Geomatics Department Teaching Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2014
- Outstanding Teaching Performance Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2014
- Best Paper Presentation Award, the US Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 2012
- Best Paper Presentation Award, the US Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ Meeting, Portland, Oregon, USA. 2010
- Outstanding Faculty Research Project Award, US National Homeland Security Project. 2009
- Outstanding Service Award, International Association of Chinese Professionals in Global Positioning Systems. 2007
- Fellow, International Association of Geodesy. 2007
- Visiting Changjiang Chair Professorship, Wuhan University. 2007
- Intermap Award, Canadian Institute of Geomatics. 2006
- Best Paper Award, International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists, Hong Kong. 2006
- Graduate Education Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2006
- Visiting Luojia Scholar, Wuhan University. 2005
- Best Paper Presentation Award, the US Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ Meeting, Long Beach, California, USA. 2004
- Sangster Award, 19th CODATA International Conference, The Information Society: New Horizon for Science, Berlin, Germany. 2004
- Visiting Professorship, University of New South Wales. 2004
- Best Paper Presentation Award, the US Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS+ Meeting, Portland, Oregon, USA. 2002
- International Fellowship, State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University. 2002
- Geomatics Engineering Research Excellence Award, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. 2002
- Intermap Award, Canadian Institute of Geomatics. 2001
- Innovation Researcher, Canadian Foundation for Innovation. 1998
- Visiting Fellowship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 1992
- Province of Alberta Graduate Fellowship, Alberta Students’ Finance Board. 1991
- Student Paper Merit Award, Faculty of Engineering, University of Calgary. 1991
- Student Paper Competition Winner, the US Institute of Navigation. 1991
- Student Paper Competition Winner, the US Institute of Navigation. 1990
Publications
In the News
- Schulich faculty members named Fellows of Canadian Academy of Engineering. (2024)
- Dr. Yang Gao elected as Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. (2024)
- Dr. Yang Gao elected as President-Elect of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics. (2024)
- UCalgary faculty, alumni recognized at 2023 ASTech Awards. (2023)
- Dr. Yang Gao received ASTech Award for Innovation in Aerospace. (2023)
- Dr. Yang Gao named the finalist for ASTech Awards for Researcher of the Year and Innovation in Aerospace. (2023)
- Dr. Yang Gao awarded Fellowship of the UK Royal Institute of Navigation. (2023)
- Strong UCalgary presence among Engineering Institute of Canada awards and fellowships. (2023)
- PhD student from PMIS group selected as Killam Pre-doctoral Laureate. (2023)
- Dr. Yang Gao elected to ION 2020 Fellow Membership. (2020)
- Terrific trio: Schulich professors honoured at APEGA Summit Awards. (2018)
- Dr. Yang Gao received APEGA Research Excellence Award. (2018)
- Dr. Yang Gao received US Institute of Navigation (ION) Thurlow Award. (2018)
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