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Sarwan Sahota Distinguished Scholar Award Recipients

The Sarwan Sahota Distinguished Scholar Award is presented annually to one or more established faculty members (mid to late career) who have made an outstanding contribution to knowledge or artistic creativity in their area(s) of expertise while employed at Toronto Metropolitan University. The contribution to SRC activity may be a notable, significant, cumulative contribution or a particularly insightful or formative body of work (which may include  discovery, application, interpretation, or creative or artistic work), either of which has had great impact or significant outcomes and/or has changed the nominee’s field/discipline.

Award recipient(s) will receive a certificate of recognition and a monetary award of $3,000 as a one-time payment (subject to applicable deductions).

The Distinguished Scholar Award is made available through the joint contributions of professor emeritus Sarwan Sahota and Toronto Metropolitan University.

Key criteria: Scholarly, research and creative activity

2025 recipient

Michael Olson

Faculty of Science

Dr. Michael Olson is a leading cancer researcher focusing on cellular mechanisms and the development of new cancer therapies. Since joining Toronto Metropolitan University in 2018, he secured $6.3M in research funding and made several key discoveries reflected in his extensive publication record. His research explores Rho GTPase proteins and the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton on cancer cell death, immune cell function, and cancer cell motility. He developed innovative research tools and inhibitors for cancer treatment. Dr. Olson's impact is reflected in many invited talks and leadership roles, thus contributing significantly to cancer biology and therapeutic advancement.

Past recipients

  • Sharareh Taghipour
    Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Ojelanki Ngwenyama
    School of Business Management, Ted Rogers School of Management
  • Ebrahim Bagheri
    Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Alagan Anpalagan
    Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Lorraine Janzen Kooistra
    Department of English, Faculty of Arts
  • Michael Arts
    Department of Chemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science
  • Xiao-Ping Zhang
    Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Trevor Hart
    Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
  • Mehrab Mehrvar
    Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Farrokh Janabi-Sharifi
    Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
  • Ruth Panofsky
    Department of English, Faculty of Arts
  • Dérick Rousseau
    Department of Chemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science