Sara Saadat and Saba Saadat were sisters who were coming back from Iran with their mother, Shekoufeh Choupannejad, a gynecologist who practised in Edmonton.

After graduating last spring from the U of A with a science degree in psychology, Sara Saadat, 23, had moved from Edmonton to San Diego to start a clinical psychology program at Alliant International University.

Sara’s strong work ethic shone during her studies at the U of A, said psychology professor Peter Dixon, who supervised her undergrad research project. She showed a keen interest in research and an attitude that promised a successful career in graduate school and beyond, he said.

Friends say Sara’s decision to pursue a career in clinical psychology fit her to a T, given her ability to listen to problems and then come up with brilliant solutions.

“If you had problems and you thought nobody else would understand, she would make you feel warm and that everything is going to be OK,” said Sirous Ghafuri, a fourth-year psychology student at the U of A.

To everyone who knew her sister Saba Saadat, it was clear she was destined for great things.

The 21-year-old Iranian-Canadian was on track to graduate from the U of A this spring with a bachelor of science in biological sciences, and a larger goal of following in her mother’s footsteps to one day become a doctor.

A brilliant student, selfless volunteer and compassionate friend, Saba left her mark on all she touched.

“She was like a little light,” remembered Meghan Riddell, a research supervisor at the U of A and friend to Saba who saw a spark of brilliance in the young woman. “She was a PhD disguised as an undergraduate. She was completely exceptional.”

Aside from her intellectual brilliance, Riddell said it was Saba’s capacity for empathy and kindness that will stick with her—a way of bringing others together and lifting them up.

It was a talent she shared freely, both at the university and outside of it. Saba was an active volunteer who devoted her free time to causes close to her heart.

“She was driven, but at the same time she was this absolutely caring person and had this incredibly rich life outside of academics,” said Denise Hemmings, an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology who, along with Luke Eckersley, co-supervised Saba as a summer student in 2018.

“She had this smile that went from her mouth all the way up to her eyes and it never left,” added Hemmings. “She had that all the time. That's the picture that I'll always remember of Saba.”

Read more about Saba Saadat.

Read more about Sara Saadat.