Professor emeritus John Fox was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Career Award for the Practice of Sociology by the American Sociological Association this month, recognizing his longstanding contributions to the field. 

Fox, who was a professor emeritus in the department of Sociology at McMaster, passed away in November 2025. 

The award reflects Fox’s important legacy, said Tina Fetner, chair of Sociology. 

“John’s contributions will continue to make a significant impact well beyond his lifetime,” said Fetner. “This is one of the top awards in Sociology and I’m so glad that he was honoured in this way.” 

Colleagues shared tributes reflecting the impact Fox had on their professional and personal lives. 

Bob Anderson, a professor at Western University, said he first met Fox when he started his PhD program at McMaster in the fall of 1994; Fox was his dissertation supervisor. “He challenged me intellectually in ways I never thought possible. Thirty years later, I have still not encountered a person who was smarter,” Anderson said. “Few people have taught me more, both professionally and personally.” 

Allison Leanage, a researcher at Statistics Canada, said that nominating Fox for the ASA award was a small way of recognizing the extraordinary impact he had on so many people.

Leanage is a former research assistant, teaching assistant and mentee of Fox. “Dr. Fox exemplified humility, integrity, and an extraordinary passion for his work. His contributions to scholarship—from developing the R Commander to authoring influential books and articles—have shaped sociology and many other disciplines,” Leanage said.

“Yet, it was his generosity and openness to different perspectives that left the greatest impression on me. He showed me that a quiet and humble person can have a profound impact—not by being the loudest voice in the room, but through academic excellence, generosity of mentorship, and commitment to helping others.” 

Read more tributes here.