Academic Career
Chun received a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto, an M.A. in Geophysics at Columbia University and a Ph.D. at Berkeley. He joined the University of Toronto as a research associate in 1985. His research was in seismology.
Chun was allegedly promised a tenure-track position with the department when he accepted. His duties matched or exceeded the senior professors of the department. Chun brought in $1.4 million in research grants, had 26 research publications in international journals, represented Canada at a United Nations conference, supervising graduate students, and teaching classes.
As a research associate, he was not on the university's payroll. He depended upon research grants to fund his work and cover his living expenses as well. Chun remained a research associate for ten years, while being passed over for tenure four times. One time, when he applied, the other candidates were given a month to prepare for the presentation, while he was only given a few days. In another instance, Chris Chapman was selected over him but only stayed for a short time before leaving for the private sector, while the position was eliminated after his departure, leading to allegations that Chapman was given the job in order to preempt Chun from getting it. Up to 1992, as Full Member of the Graduate Faculty, Chun held the responsibilities of a professor, as he supervised graduate students and taught lectures, but not the pay and benefits that accompany such a position.
In 1994, Chun complained to the Dean of Arts & Sciences, stating that he would commit suicide if the search process continued to be unfair, and his suicide threat would later be frequently used against him.
Read more about this topic: Kin-Yip Chun
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