Q&A with Alum Hassan Moghadam

Hassan Moghadam 0T2 MSc OMFS recently made a major gift in honour of Dr. Howard Holmes, a professor at the Faculty of Dentistry who passed away this year. We spoke to Hassan about why he made this important donation.

Why did you choose to make this gift to U of T Dentistry?
A very special person in our Faculty passed away – he was very compassionate toward the students. I spoke to his partner and asked her what Dr. Holmes would have wanted and this is how we came to this idea to give back to the students that he cared so much for.
 
Tell us more about what the gift is set up to do.
It’s to help inspire students to strive for academic excellence in their research project.
 
Why did you want it to go to a student specifically?
This is what Dr. Holmes would have wanted, and looking back at my time as a student, we had little funds to promote research. My supervisor had taken me to a conference when I was in my first year, even though he didn't have to as I was only in the first year of my program. When I saw a PhD student up on the stage speaking about how he had changed the way we now understand bone formation, explaining his own Biotechnology company, it was the greatest inspiration I had ever had. In that moment I knew how I wanted my career to unfold. It was a simple trip to Boston that changed my life, listening to that presentation, now 20 years later I still remember the exact moment, the exact speech. We all need to be inspired.
 
How do you see research as being critical to student learning?
It allows a totally different career path to grow and something we are not exposed to in a very clinically demanding specialty. Some of the greatest minds will be stimulated and bring amazing things to our profession.
 
What do you hope your own family will understand or learn from your gift to the Faculty?
Give back, inspire and allow students to dream. I hope my three children can one day give back in their own way as they remember this gift. 
 
What impact has the Faculty of Dentistry had on your life or your career?
It's the reason for my success. I was allowed to be creative – I remember the last night writing my thesis and then handing it in the next day (after tracking my car down that got towed on Yonge Street for illegal parking with my thesis in the car!) I had this idea of a novel medical device and today, we actually have my prototype at the University. It’s still a dream and far away but it’s exciting and U of T has allowed me to do this. This is how research can still inspire a person 20 years later.
 
What do you hope for the Faculty of Dentistry in the future?
I am very excited to be part of the school at this stage; the future is fantastic. U of T is at the forefront of technology. The Faculty today is a powerhouse of the best minds in the field. I think in the next five to seven years there are great advances that U of T will be pioneering.

Photo: Hassan Moghadam (provided by Hassan Moghadam)