Five researchers recognized with 2024 President’s Impact Awards

Clockwise from top left: Professor Gillian Hadfield, Professor M. Murphy, University Professor David Jenkins, Professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik and Associate Professor Yvonne Bombard

Five ��Ƶ researchers have received President’s Impact Awards for their important work in AI governance, environmental justice, genomics policy, nutritional sciences and quantum computing.

The awards celebrate and honour faculty members whose research has led to a significant impact beyond academia. Laureates are designated as members of the President’s Impact Academy, and receive a monetary award of $10,000 per year for five years to be used toward their research.

“I would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s President’s Impact Awards for their outstanding work in tackling some of the biggest challenges of our time,” said Barbara Fallon, U of T's associate vice-president, research.

“From informing and improving dietary choices to fostering greater alignment between environmental justice and Indigenous communities, these scholars are generating knowledge and ideas that stand to have a tremendous impact beyond academia.

“Their exceptional contributions speak to the important role that U of T researchers play in improving lives in Canada and around the world.”

This year’s winners are:

Gillian Hadfield, professor in the Faculty of Law and Rotman School of Management, “for contributions impacting access to justice, innovative design for legal and dispute resolution systems in advanced and developing market economies, and governance for artificial intelligence.”

M. Murphy, professor in the Women & Gender Studies Institute and department of history in the Faculty of Arts & Science, “for contributions that consistently move environmental justice research along a collaborative trajectory with Indigenous communities, data practices, and policy-making.”

Yvonne Bombard, scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto and associate professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, “for her significant contributions in enacting national law against genetic discrimination, improving healthcare options for Canadians, and advancing clinical practice and genomics research.”

Alán Aspuru-Guzik, professor in the department of chemistry and department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, “for his pioneering work in the fields of artificial intelligence and quantum computing for materials discovery.”

David Jenkins, University Professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, “for his studies on the health effects of food that have changed how the world makes healthy dietary choices.”

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:09 +0000

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/05/2023 - 15:43

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Medicine

Department of Philosophy

Department of Psychology

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

landscape

Thirteen faculty members from across the ��Ƶ have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The ��Ƶ congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “Across a diverse array of disciplines, they are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – and their contributions to their respective fields continue to break new ground.”

The new Fellows are:

Ryan Balot of the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Bloom of the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Robert Gerlai of the department of psychology at U of T Mississauga
Alberto Leon-Garcia of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jason Moffat of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Amit Oza of the University Health Network (UHN) and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Daniela Rotin of SickKids and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Aaron Schimmer of UHN and the department of medical biophysics in in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
William Seager of the department of philosophy at U of T Scarborough
Valerie Tarasuk of the department of nutritional sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
R. Paul Thompson of the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Daniel Trefler of the Rotman School of Management

They join more than 350 Fellows of the Royal Society affiliated with U of T.

Department of Nutritional Sciences

Five researchers recognized with 2024 President’s Impact Awards

Read more about the President's Impact Academy

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada