Sayeh Bayat | Top 40 Under 40 2025

Age: 32

Occupation: Director, Healthy City Lab; Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary

Initially, Sayeh Bayat’s interest in space systems led her to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering. But, when her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia, everything changed. Witnessing the gaps in care for older patients and the emotional toll of aging inspired Bayat to pivot toward biomedical engineering.

“There are lots of ways that technology can help diagnose dementia, and support people who are living with dementia to have a better quality of life,” says Bayat, who founded the University of Calgary’s Healthy City Lab in 2021.

Leading what has grown to a team of 22 members, Bayat has secured more than $6 million in research funding and led or co-led 17 major projects at the Lab. Bayat’s projects involve a Dementia Advisory Committee, so those impacted by the condition are part of the conversation.

“Designing with people instead of for them is a big theme in my research,” says Bayat, adding that a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to care would not only alleviate the burden on our health-care systems, but also give patients greater autonomy over their health.

For example, one of Bayat’s projects used sensors and AI machine learning to analyze how different driving patterns can indicate dementia early. These indicators empower patients to manage their symptoms sooner.

Bayat’s work has been recognized with a range of awards, including UCalgary’s Research Excellence Award and the Alberta Immigrant Impact Award, and she’s received international media recognition from the New York Times and the BBC.

Looking toward the future, Bayat will lead a team of 20 investigators — including people with lived experience of dementia — on a national project examining how decision-making around driving can be more person-centred. This research could lead to significant policy implications.

“I’m also excited about working with the next generation of students around the areas of digital health and AI,” she says. “Everything’s changing quickly, but I think there’s a lot of exciting potential.”

Thank yous
“I would like to thank my family for their quiet sacrifices, endless patience, and the kind of love that makes ambition feel safe. I’m grateful to my mentors for believing in me even before I believed in myself. And to my students, whose energy, questions and growth remind me why I do what I do.”