Born into a fifth-generation salt producing family in India, Venkatesh Mannar has spent close to four decades working in developing countries around the world to help put an end to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency.

Humble table salt, as it turns out, is a cheap and effective delivery method to get minute quantities of much-needed micronutrients like iodine into the diets of men, women and children.

Introduced in the United States and Switzerland after the First World War, iodized salt has dramatically decreased incidents of goiter and cretinism, which results in development delays and other health problems. Iodized salt has even boosted the IQ and height of modern-day populations.

Since the 1970s, Mannar has been the principal architect of the global salt iodization program now reaching nearly five billion people through his work with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, World Bank and the Canadian International Development Agency. This program has led to a dramatic reduction in iodine deficiency disorders across the world.

Today, the University of Toronto will recognize his career with a Doctor of Science, honoris causa. Humbled and honoured by the recognition from U of T, Mannar is clearly excited about all the ways cutting-edge research and technology can be adapted and scaled up in real world situations.