Daniel Oloumi, seen here with his UAlberta Golden Bears wrestling teammates, has won silver on the wrestling mat and earned a PhD in electrical engineering. He's now working as a postdoctoral fellow, continuing his research into new cancer-detection technology.
(Edmonton) This fall, Daniel Oloumi scored major wins in two of his favourite sports: electrical engineering and freestyle wrestling. He came out on top earning his PhD, and picked up silver in the Canadian Interuniversity Sports wrestling championships.
Oloumi graduates this week after completing exciting research exploring the use of radar imaging as a possible new breast cancer screening device. He's now working as a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
And he just happens to be a five-time Academic All-Canadian athlete preparing to compete at the national level.
"Daniel doesn't accept anything but perfection. He wants to be No. 1 in the classroom and outside the classroom," said Owen Dawkins, coach for the U of A Bears and Pandas wrestling teams and Edmonton Wrestling Club Head Wrestling Coach. "He's very tenacious. He definitely doesn't shy away from hard work."
Oloumi's PhD research, conducted under the supervision of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Rambabu Karumudi, explores the biomedical applications of radar imaging to develop a new breast cancer screening system. His findings could lead to a safe, fast, radiation-free, and non-contact breast imaging technique.
"With the current screening method, patients aren't comfortable. Our technique is contactless. Moreover, we aren't using ionized radiation. So, this could potentially complement mammography, or maybe even replace it," said Oloumi.
"If we perfect the technology, it could be a new screening device," said Karumudi.
The radar imaging method Karumudi and Oloumi are developing has a vast area of biomedical and industrial applications, and can be custom-designed to screen other types of cancerous tumours.
For Oloumi, wrestling, and life outside the ring, is all about accepting and tackling challenges. "It's either you challenge your partner, or you get challenged by your partner. It's just like in real life. Life is a competition, you have to compete."
He has certainly been successful at both. Among scholarships he has won are the prestigious Honorary Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship, the Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures award and the Andrew Steward Memorial Graduate Prize.
How he managed to get perfect academic scores of 3.9 out of four and major wrestling titles-he picked up gold in the 2015-2016 Canada West Championship and silver in CIS in 2016-remains a secret even to his supervisor.
"My supervisor thought I couldn't manage it. But in the end, I had six publications in respectful journals," says Oloumi.
Dedication to excellence in engineering and wrestling is the driving force behind many of Oloumi's victories. With numerous titles and scholarships under his belt, he's hoping to bring the radar screening device to the clinical trial stage, and to compete for Canada at the Senior National Championships, an entry- point to the Olympics.
"I'll stay in wrestling for as long as my body says yes," said Oloumi.
When not wrestling in the ring or lab, he spends time with his wife and helps others.
"Daniel's a great team lead. He is one of those students who always have time to help others," said Dawson of Oloumi's leadership skills.