Saba Safdar is an Iranian-born scholar whose formative years in Tehran were shaped by the turbulence of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, before she and her family made Canada home. Having lived most of her life in the Great White North, she embraces her Canadian identity, though she’ll admit her winter wardrobe is always a little too optimistic for the climate. Still, she secretly marvels at the breathtaking beauty of a Canadian winter.
Saba’s journey from Tehran to Toronto is one of resilience, adaptation, and gratitude. She feels incredibly fortunate to have moved to a country that has offered her the freedom to thrive, build a voice, and pursue her passions. Canada has provided the canvas for her academic career, which centers on exploring the psychological and social experiences of immigrants and marginalized groups, from Muslims to sexual minorities. Combining global insights with a local lens, Saba has built a body of work that includes 100+ journal articles, books, chapters, and research reports, along with two TEDx talks, and over 250 presentations and keynotes at professional conferences worldwide.
With experience living in multiple countries and holding visiting academic positions at over a dozen universities across the Americas, Asia, and Europe, Saba’s global outlook continues to shape her scholarship and advocacy for social justice. She is particularly excited to serve as the third Director of the Social Practice and Transformational Change (SOPR) program, which aligns perfectly with her values of intersectionality and social change.
Outside academia, Saba is an avid runner, dog lover, and self-proclaimed terrible drummer, though in an alternate universe, she’s convinced she’s a rock star. Living in Toronto, one of the world’s most multicultural cities, fuels her research and worldview. With more than 180 languages spoken and over half the population born outside of Canada, the diversity that surrounds her shapes both her personal and professional life, keeping her inspired and grounded in the ever-evolving global landscape