“Amir demonstrates how exceptional scholarship can be combined with impactful leadership to create lasting positive change in higher education”

Mohammadamir (Amir) Moghadam exemplifies the exceptional combination of academic excellence and transformative leadership that the Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award celebrates. As a Vanier Scholar (ranked 3rd nationally) and Connaught Public Impact Fellow in Biomedical Engineering, Amir’s research in Polymer-DNA origami hybrid cancer vaccines pushes the boundaries of therapeutic innovation. His work, published in leading journals including Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews and Biofabrication, has secured over $300,000 in competitive funding and scholarships.

Beyond his academic achievements, Amir has demonstrated extraordinary leadership as President of the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU). Under his leadership, the union secured a historic increase in PhD/SJD funding to $40,000 university-wide, while implementing innovative programs addressing food insecurity that now serve hundreds of graduate students monthly. His tenure saw UTGSU investigating groundbreaking initiatives including a first-of-its-kind non-profit housing corporation for graduate students and achieved record-breaking student engagement levels, with survey participation rates increasing from 2% to over 10%.

As Chair of both the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario Graduate Students Caucus and the CFS International Students Constituency, Amir advocates for over 80,000 graduate students across Ontario, successfully negotiating province-wide student discounts and improved funding policies. His commitment to making research accessible led to innovative programs connecting graduate researchers with cancer patients and high school students. Under his leadership, UTGSU created more than 20 new graduate student employment positions, strengthening both organizational capacity and student professional development opportunities. Through his multifaceted contributions to academic innovation, student welfare, and community engagement, Amir demonstrates how exceptional scholarship can be combined with impactful leadership to create lasting positive change in higher education.