President's Impact Award

From informing Ontario’s pandemic response to shaping the fields of education, social policy, robotics and entrepreneurship, the ��Ƶ is recognizing researchers for the impact of their work across Canada and beyond.

Among the winners of this year’s President’s Impact Awards – which honour individual U of T faculty members and teams for research that has led to significant impacts beyond academia – are 13 leaders of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

The group was recognized as a team for “outstanding contributions and dedication to supporting evidence-informed decision making and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario and nationally.”

Fahad Razak

Fahad Razak, who served as the Science Table’s scientific director, says he is grateful to be celebrated alongside his colleagues, noting that it was only through their collective expertise and efforts that the Science Table was able to provide transparent scientific analysis and evidence-based, equity-minded guidance in response to an ever-shifting crisis.

“I'm really happy that ��Ƶ has recognized that much of the consequential work that is done is not done by individuals – it's done by teams,” says Razak, an internist and epidemiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto and an assistant professor in the department of medicine in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine and at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME).

“That multidisciplinary composition of our table was one of the critical drivers of success of putting out modelling scientific briefs or other recommendations that were thoughtful and comprehensive about the effects that could happen across society.”

The other Science Table members sharing the honour with Razak are:

Peter Jüni, an affiliate scientist at Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health, who was the table’s scientific director and a professor of medicine and epidemiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and IHPME before leaving for University of Oxford in 2022.
Co-chairs Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Brian Schwartz, a professor in the department of family and community medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and Upton Allen, the head of infectious diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children and a professor of pediatrics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and at IHPME.
Assistant scientific directors Nathan Stall, a physician at Sinai Health and an assistant professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and Karen Born, assistant professor of health administration at IHPME.
Director of communications Robert Steiner, assistant professor and director of the Dalla Lana Fellowship in Global Journalism at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Modelling consensus table co-chairs Beate Sander, a senior scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, and a professor at IHPME, and Kumar Murty, a professor of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
Chair of the congregate care setting working group Paula Rochon, senior scientist at the Women’s College Hospital Research Institute and professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Co-chair of the drugs and biologics clinical practice guideline working group Andrew Morris, medical director of the antimicrobial stewardship program at Sinai Health/University Health Network and professor of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Mental health working group chair Linda Mah, a senior clinician scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences Centre and an associate professor of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

The team joins four other U of T researchers recognized this year. They are:

Ajay Agrawal, professor of strategic management and Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Rotman School of Management. He is recognized for his “application of economic theory to the problem of market failures associated with transforming scientific inventions into scalable companies that benefit society,” which inspired the founding of the Creative Destruction Lab – a model that has been adopted by business schools around the world.

George Dei, professor in the department of social justice education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Dei was recognized for his “influential work advancing anti-racism, equity, anti-colonial thought and African Indigeneity in education and sustained impact on policies, practices and advocacy for inclusive schooling and Black youth’s educational success.”

Yu Sun, a professor in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and founding director of U of T’s Robotics Institute. He is honoured for “outstanding contributions to robotics at micro-nano scales, whose far-reaching impacts include transformative infertility treatments for patients and materials characterization techniques for industry.”

Ito Peng, a professor of sociology in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Munk School for Global Affairs & Public Policy. She is credited for global “social policy leadership informing national and international policy bodies on issues of gender, the work of care and care migration.” Peng, whose expertise has been sought out by policymakers across the globe, was also named the recipient of the Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award, presented annually to a faculty member whose scholarship has had a significant impact on public policy as part of the Awards of Excellence Program.

Winners of the President’s Impact Award are designated as members of the President’s Impact Academy, which advocates for sustained excellence in research and innovation impact within and outside of the university.

“These awards represent how U of T’s research community is coming together tackle some of today’s toughest problems and making breakthroughs that result in real-world change,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“From global issues to micro-scale innovations, this year’s laureates have shown themselves to be visionaries in their respective fields and consummate collaborators – working with scholars across disciplines and partnering with community members, public stakeholders, industry leaders and policymakers to address our current challenges and drive progress toward a brighter future.”

U of T neurosurgeon among 2019 President's Impact Award winners

perry.king — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 14:54:45 +0000

U of T neurosurgeon among 2019 President's Impact Award winners

perry.king Fri, 02/22/2019 - 09:54

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Neurologist and surgeon Michael Cusimano is one of five winners of the President's Impact Award (photo by Perry King)

Perry King

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From youth-level hockey to professional football, neurosurgeon Michael Cusimano’s research has influenced policy across the sporting world to reduce concussions and save players’ lives.

The professor in the ��Ƶ's department of surgery has been raising awareness about the severity and prevalence of concussions in sport for more than a decade, and his research has helped inspire rule changes in the NHL, NFL and FIFA.

“There's still an attitude out there that brain injury is like a broken arm,” he told the Canadian Press in 2011. “We take our brains for granted, and we need to have people realize that you can't take your brain for granted.”

He has also helped develop surgical techniques that have improved the quality of life for people around the world.

Cusimano, who is also a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, is one of five winners of this year's President’s Impact Award. He is being honoured for his significant contributions to traumatic brain injury research, the development of neurosurgical procedures, and for his professional and public education and advocacy.

The President’s Impact Award celebrates and honours faculty members whose research has led to significant impact beyond academia, including on society, culture, public policy and law. Winners receive a monetary award of $10,000 per year for five years to be used toward their research.

“Each of the winners took their ideas outside the university community and brought positive and impactful change to the local, national and international community,” says Vivek Goel, U of T's vice-president of research and innovation.

“The ��Ƶ is incredibly proud of its five President’s Impact Award winners.”

Cusimano first joined the neurosurgery team at St. Michael’s Hospital in 1992. Three years later, he became the first neurosurgeon to use endoscopic techniques – a tiny camera entered through the nose – to remove brain tumours. In 2012, Cusimano was the first Canadian surgeon to use a 3D camera to perform a similar operation.

He has also published in journals about the number of traumatic brain injuries in youth hockey, and collaborated on assessing whether athletes had suffered concussions at the 2014 World Cup.

Cusimano was also honoured with the Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award, a $2,000 prize presented annually to a U of T faculty member whose scholarship has had a significant impact on public policy.

Chatting at his office at St. Michael’s Hospital, Cusimano says that, when it comes to sports-related concussions, the scholarship has barely scratched the surface. Even so, the work is having an impact as evidenced by Ontario's new laws around concussion management and the steps taken by governing bodies in hockey, football and other sports to refine their rules.

“I think the discourse has changed, [but] we have a long way to go still,” he says. “I think there are very powerful forces that continue a certain discourse that takes time to change.”

The other four President's Impact Award winners have also made a significant mark in their respective fields. University Professor Tania Li, a renowned cultural anthropologist, has done first-hand research on plantations to examine endemic poverty and the forces that drive villagers off their land.

Her work has exposed flaws in development policies and has influenced policy in Indonesia and beyond. She’s spoken to the European Parliament, the World Bank in Jakarta and Washington, D.C. and the former Canadian International Development Agency. What’s more, she’s led training sessions with policy-makers and NGOs.

“This research has attracted the attention of policy-makers and advocacy groups because very few scholars have had the opportunity to study the plantation world up close,” she said last year after winning an Insight Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Li is the first U of T researcher to win the prestigious SSHRC award and was recently named a University Professor, the highest rank for U of T academics.

Tania Li is presented with a plaque honouring her University Professor appointment by U of T President Meric Gertler, Chancellor Rose Patten and Susan McCahan in February 2019 (photo by Nick Iwanysyhn)

As for Cusimano, he's modest in acceptance of his President's Impact Award and tips his cap to his many colleagues over the years.

“One of the downsides of awards is that there are a lot of people who are doing very good work, and very meritorious work, but there’s only one award,” he says, referring to his fellow surgeons, students and staff. “There are a lot of people doing things everyday that have a very important role.”

Cusimano is grateful to his students and the feeling is shared. Throughout his office are notes from former students thanking him for his impact on their budding careers.

“I respect all those people who [have contributed],” Cusimano says. “They are the unsung heroes.”

Here is the full list of recipients for the President’s Impact Award for 2019:

Michael Cusimano, professor in the department of surgery and scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital, “for his significant contributions to traumatic brain injury, development of neurosurgery, and for his professional and public education and advocacy.” Cusimano is also the winner of the Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award.
Kamran Khan, associate professor in the department of medicine and scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital, “for pioneering research on the globalization of infectious diseases that has informed international policy, and for founding BlueDot, a Toronto-based tech company that protects people around the world from infectious diseases with data-driven technologies.”
Tania Li, University Professor in the department of anthropology, “for research that has demonstrated fatal flaws in growth-promoting development policies and outlined more equitable alternatives, shaping rural development research and policy internationally.”
Jeffrey Rosenthal, professor in the department of statistical sciences, “for contributions to public discourse about the importance of quantitative reasoning, and efforts to improve a variety of societal problems through application of statistical analysis.”
Karan Singh, professor in the department of computer science, “for contributions in computer graphics, design and animation, through the creation of commercial software, companies, and the Oscar-winning animation Ryan.”