Rôle actuel
Parcours académique
- 1996-2000 Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
B.Sc. (Honours) in Science (geography, biology, education) - 2001-2002 University of Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
M.Sc. in Geographical Information Science - 2003-2008 Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
Ph.D. in Environmental Science (epidemiological, statistical and mathematical modelling of infectious disease) - 2008-2009 University of Alberta
Postdoctoral researcher (modelling occurrence and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease) - 2009-2011 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal
Postdoctoral research (modelling occurrence and spread of raccoon rabies)
Parcours professionnel
- 2011-2013 Research Scientist for Canadian Excellence Research Chair (CERC) program in Aquatic Epidemiology at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island. There I developed quantitative methods to measure the spread and impact of pathogens shared among wild and farmed salmon populations. I also ran field studies and analysed data to measure the effect of human and agricultural effluent in the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in oyster and mussel populations.
- 2014-2017 Private consultant providing analytical support for academic, government and industry research on population health for wild and farmed animals, and issues for zoonotic diseases.
- 2016-present Researcher with the PHAC; first hired to help evaluate the risk of Zika virus transmission to Canadians travelling abroad. From which my role has expanded to include modelling of rabies and Lyme disease, and developing the risk assessment capacities of internet-based surveillance systems (see GPHIN)
Intérêts de recherche
I have developed my career specialising in geographical epidemiology through the study of infectious diseases affecting wildlife, aquatic and human populations. I am interested in how space-time patterns in disease incidence are influenced by networks of infected individuals and underlying environmental, social and biological attributes.
My quantitative modelling approaches range from statistical (risk mapping), mathematical (spatially explicit individual based modelling), to machine learning (regression modelling and natural language processing of text).
My research outcomes include advising raccoon rabies disease control programs in Canada and the US, regional coordination of pathogen control in salmon farming in Canada and Chile, and enhancement of internet-based surveillance systems for the Government of Canada and the World Health Organization.