Fernando Morales/The Globe and Mail
Tom Chau is senior scientist and Canada Research Chair in pediatric rehabilitation and engineering at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto. One of the country's leading biomedical engineers, Dr. Chau's breakthrough technologies in the field of pediatric rehabilitation have touched the lives of thousands of children with disabilities worldwide, giving children with bright minds and physical challenges a form of communication adapted to their needs, allowing them to control their environment and giving them a means of self expression.
Using Dr. Chau's 'virtual instrument,' children with severe disabilities learn music using the Suzuki method - waving their hands or blinking an eye to activate computer screens that play notes. It's often their first experience with music - and success.
His innovative research has attracted graduate students from top schools in the UK, Australia, China, France and Mexico, fostering a new, global generation of health care providers.
Dr. Chau is based in Toronto.
Nominator: Valerie McMurtry, President and CEO, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation and Donna Cappelli, mother of Julian, a 10-year-old boy living with Cerebral Palsy who has benefitted from Dr. Chau's research.
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