The EMERGE Research Team
Principal Investigator
Roman Pabayo, PhD
Principal Investigator
Canada Research Chair (Tier II)
Dr. Pabayo is an Associate Professor in Epidemiology and Public Health at The University of Alberta's School of Public Health. He is also a Canada Research Chair, Tier II, in Social and Health Inequities Throughout the Lifespan. As the principal investigator of the EMERGE Lab, Dr. Pabayo’s research focuses on how contextual factors of our social and economic environments influence various aspects of our health.
Training:
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PhD Public Health Epidemiology, University of Montreal, 2010
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MSc Nutrition Epidemiology, McGill University, 2003
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BASc Human Nutrition, Ryerson University, 2001
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BSc Honours Biochemistry, McMaster University, 1997
Email: pabayo@ualberta.ca
Online: University of Alberta Page
Current Trainees
Stephen Hunter, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Stephen's research interests include the ecological correlates and determinants of health and health behaviour across the lifespan. Stephen's PhD research focused on identifying supportive neighbourhood features for physical activity in young families, school-aged children, and adolescents.
Training:
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PhD Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, 2022
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MSc Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, 2016
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BA Sport, Health, and Physical Education, Vancouver Island University
Email: stephen1@ualberta.ca
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Claire Benny, MSc
PhD Candidate
Claire is a PhD student in Epidemiology with research interests on the impacts of social inequities on mental health. Claire's PhD work focuses on the relationship between income inequality and adolescent mental health outcomes, as well as 'Deaths of Despair' among Canadians.
Training:
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MSc Population and Public Health (Concentration: Epidemiology), University of British Columbia, 2019
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BHSc Community & Population Health (Hons), University of Northern British Columbia, 2017
Email: cbenny@ualberta.ca
Jo Lin Chew, BHSc, BSc
MSc Student
Jo Lin is pursuing her MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. Her research topics of interest include social epidemiology, health equity, and infectious diseases. Her research focuses on the association between public health funding and influenza vaccine coverage in Ontario.
Training:
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BHSc Public Health (After-Degree), University of Lethbridge, 2020
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BSc Specialization in Immunology and Infection, University of Alberta, 2017
Email: jchew@ualberta.ca
Urvi Rai, BSc
MSc Student
Urvi is an MSc student in Epidemiology with a research interest in the health of children and youth. Urvi's thesis work focuses on the role of public health units in addressing adolescent substance use. Specifically, she is studying public health unit spending, and public health unit engagement in secondary schools.
Training:
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BSc Biological Sciences (Minor Sociology), University of Alberta, 2018
Email: urvi@ualberta.ca
Mohamed Mohamed, BA
MSc Student
Mohamed is pursuing his MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. His research interests concern the social determinants of health, particularly the impact of race and class in health disparities among communities.
Training:
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BA Sociology, MacEwan University, 2019
Email: mmohame3@ualberta.ca
Priya Patel, BSc
MSc Student
Priya is pursuing her MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. Her research topics of interest include social epidemiology, child mental health, healthy policy, and adverse childhood experiences
Training:
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BSc Health Studies (Health Research Specialization; Aging Studies Option), University of Waterloo, 2021
Email: ppatel5@ualberta.ca
![IMG-20211110-WA0001[18086][2305843009276975916].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/120664_ec669ec711994ce2b46bd5b437c2c998~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_371,y_70,w_839,h_1136/fill/w_461,h_624,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/IMG-20211110-WA0001%5B18086%5D%5B2305843009276975916%5D.jpg)
Brian Steele, BA (Hon)
MSc Student
Brian Steele is an MSc student with the EMERGE Lab. He is broadly interested in the social determinants of health outcomes and the use of administrative data in epidemiological research.
Training:
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BA Psychology (Hons), University of Alberta, 2016
Maria Wong, BA
MSc Student
Maria Wong is an MSc Epidemiology student with the EMERGE lab. She is interested in researching the social determinants of health as her background professional work was related to violence against women, mental health, housing insecurity, and poverty. She is also interested in interventions that address poverty such as basic income and its impact on individual and population health.
Training:
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BA Health and Community Services, University of Victoria
Email: maria9@ualberta.ca
Luc Sauze, BSc
MSc Student
Luc Sauze is a first year MSc Epidemiology student with the EMERGE lab. Luc is interested in investigating how social determinants of health influence youth and adolescents health outcomes.
Training:
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BSc. Medical Sciences, Dalhousie University, 2021
Research Staff
Alex Loverock, MSc
Research Associate
Alex is a PhD candidate in Public Health with research interests in addiction, mental health, and behavioural interventions. Alex's work in the EMERGE lab investigates the influence of mental health conditions on income inequality and deaths of despair.
Training:
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MSc Epidemiology, University of Alberta, 2019
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BSc Specialization in Psychology, University of Alberta, 2015
Email: aloveroc@ualberta.ca
Derek Akateh, MD, MPH
MSc Student
Derek is pursuing his MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. He is interested in studying the
social determinants of health affecting maternal, child and adolescent health. He is also interested in
infectious epidemiology.
Training:
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MD, University of Buea, Cameroon, 2012.
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MPH (Reproductive and Family health), University of Addis Ababa, 2017.
Email: akateh@ualberta.ca
Samuel "Sammy" Lowe, MSc
Research Associate
Sammy is a research associate with the EMERGE lab who completed his MSc on maternal mental health and income inequality under the supervision of Dr. Pabayo. In his current role, Sammy provides analytical, writing, and administrative support for various EMERGE projects and research activities. He also works with the CHEER research group as a Research Project Coordinator and supports their use of environmental epidemiology methods to address complex health and equity issues.
Training:
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MSc Epidemiology, University of Alberta, 2021
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BA Biology and Drama, University of Alberta Augustana Campus, 2018
Email: salowe@ualberta.ca
Previous Trainees
Edwina Veerasingram - MSc, 2021
Gregory Farmer - MSc, 2021
Neighbourhood income inequality and internalizing and externalizing problems at
3-years of age
Sammy Lowe - MSc, 2021
A Longitudinal Analysis of the Relationship between Neighbourhood Income Inequality and Maternal Mental Health in Calgary, Alberta
Sujan Basnet - MPH, 2021
Project exploring the link between income inequality and alcohol consumption using data from the COMPASS study
©2020 Emerge Research Lab