Annual Spotlight - Volunteer Appreciation
In honour of National Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 19 - 25, 2026), UHN STEM Pathways would like to recognize the invaluable impact of volunteer contributions. STEM Pathways volunteers comprise of a diverse network of research trainees, staff and scientists from across UHN’s hospitals and research institutes.
Volunteers continue to impact and inspire the next generation of researchers and health care workers – the STEM Pathways team thanks ALL those at TeamUHN who have supported these efforts. This year, special recognition goes to the following individuals and teams for their above and beyond contributions to youth outreach programming.
Volunteers of the Year
Asides from their leading volunteer hours, the following individuals were selected in recognition of their outstanding commitments. Their dedication to participating in outreach events, leadership skills and engagement with students has been critical to inspiring student interest in STEM.
Top Row: Michael Howard, Jenny Zhang, Yongran (Kary), Yang
Bottom Row: Ramsha Mahmood, Skerdi Progri, Lauren Hong
Team of the Year
The Advanced Optical Microscopy Facility (AOMF) has been hosting engaging sessions for students since program launch in 2022. This effort has been led by staff scientist James Jonkman, who works with AOMF staff to host interactive demonstrations of ongoing work.
Back row: Judith Cathcart, James Jonkman, Henrietta Bennett
Front row: Tag Yu, Courtney McIntosh, Wesley Walker
Research Lab of the Year
Graduate students of the Robbins lab routinely team up to deliver classroom visits, workshops and lab tours to students all year round. Special shoutout to Isabel Lim, who leads their efforts as a 2025-2026 Outreach Ambassador.
Volunteers photographed: Taylor Ireland, Ash Hagerman, Isabel Lim
Mentors of the Year
We are so fortunate to be surrounded by the most amazing team of health care staff at UHN, many of whom have supported our experiential learning programs over the years.
We would like to especially thank Dr(s). Jean Wang and Tatyana Mollayeva for all whom they have inspired over the years. They have welcomed every student with kindness and provided invaluable mentorship experiences in the field of health care.