From: Leah Cowen, Associate Vice-President, Research
Date: April 1, 2021
Re: 2021 Recipients of the President’s Impact Award (PDAD&C #59)

I am delighted to announce the recipients of the 2021 President’s Impact Awards. The President’s Impact Awards (PIA) celebrate and honour faculty members whose research has led to significant impact beyond academia. They recognize contributions that emerge from academic scholarship and have fully realized, demonstrable impacts on any domain of society, whether through a single influential contribution or through an ongoing commitment to research translation. PIA nominees are also considered for the Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award, presented annually under the banner of the U of T Awards of Excellence (AWEX).

Recipients of the PIA are designated as members of the President’s Impact Academy for a period of five years, during which they receive an award of $10,000 per year to be used toward their research. The Academy meets to discuss matters relevant to research impact, offers advice to the Vice President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives and advocates for sustained excellence in research and innovation impact within and outside of the University.

I want to thank all the nominators for their support and care in preparing the dossiers. I also want to extend appreciation to the members of the Selection Committee for their time and dedication to the process. Thank you all for your commitment to recognizing excellence in research impact at U of T.

The 2021 PIA recipients are as follows:

Michael Carter
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

For pioneering contributions to the field of healthcare engineering, applying industrial engineering principles to improve the healthcare system in Canada and beyond.

Sidney Kennedy
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine
St. Michael’s Hospital; University Health Network

For contributions to the treatment of people with major mood disorders and enhancement of societal standards for care provision in Canada and around the world.

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Mississauga

For contributions to the study of inequality and criminal justice that have impacted society beyond academia in the areas of law, public policy and public discourse.

Chelsea Rochman
Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science

For plastic pollution research that informs policies at all government levels, inspires youth to take action, builds research capacity and advances this critically important science. Prof. Rochman is also the recipient of the 2021 Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award.

Shelley Stagg Peterson
Professor, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

For ground-breaking impacts on children’s literacy learning in remote Northern Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, through innovative partnerships and collaborative action research with educators, families and communities.

The biographies of this year’s recipients and further information about the President’s Impact Award are available online and on U of T Celebrates