The EMERGE Research Team
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator
Roman Pabayo, PhD
Principal Investigator
Canada Research Chair (Tier II)
Dr. Pabayo is a 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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Jason Were, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Jason is a postdoctoral follow whose area of research includes nutrition transition, social determinants of health, and global health. Jason's PhD focused on exploring the mechanisms through which sociodemographic factors influence the epidemiology of the double burden of malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Training:
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PhD Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Western University, Canada -
MSc Geography (Global Health Systems in Africa), Western University, Canada
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MMASc (Global Health Systems in Africa), Western University, Canada
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BSc Biology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
Email: were@ualberta.ca
Xinyue "Ashley" Chen, MSPH
PhD Student
Xinyue is a PhD student in the EMERGE lab with a focus on social determinants of health, risk factors for non-communicable disease management, and program evaluation. Xinyue has previously worked on evaluating barriers to bed net use in low malaria transmission settings in southern Africa.
Training:
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MSPH Global Disease Epidemiology and Control
Johns Hopkins University, 2024
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BSc Global Health/Public Policy + BA Interdisciplinary Studies
Duke Kunshan University + Duke University (Dual-degree), 2022
Email: xc35@ualberta.ca
Jarod Benoit, BSc
MSc Student
Jarod is pursuing his MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. His research interests broadly encompass the social determinants of health outcomes through an epidemiological lens.
Training:
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Bachelor of Science in Psychology,
MacEwan University, 2024
Email: jnbenoit@ualberta.ca
Yuvika Dandiwal, BA
MSc Student
Yuvika is a first-year MSc Epidemiology student at the EMERGE Lab. Broadly speaking, she is interested in researching how social determinants of health affect mental health outcomes.
Training:
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Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honours), McGill University, 2022
Email: ydandiwa@ualberta.ca
Fatima Mekioui, BScH
MSc Student
Fatima is interested in child and adolescent health, with a focus on the impacts of social determinants such as income inequality on health outcomes. She completed her undergraduate thesis at Queen’s University exploring the association between parental separation due to work-related reasons and loneliness among Canadian adolescents and is currently pursuing her MSc Epidemiology at the University of Alberta. Fatima hopes to contribute to research that informs equitable public health policies and interventions for vulnerable children and families.
Training:
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Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences (Honours), Queen's University, 2025
Email: fmekioui@ualberta.ca
Massimo Rigatto, BA
MSc Student
Massimo is a first-year MSc Epidemiology student at the EMERGE Lab. Massimo has a background in political science, and is especially interested in the intersection between politics and public health outcomes.
Training:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Honours), University of King's College, 2024
Email: rigatto@ualberta.ca
Khushleen Dhindsa, BSc
MSc Student
Khushleen is a first-year MSc Epidemiology student at the EMERGE Lab.
Training:
Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours), University of Alberta, 2026
Email: khushlee@ualberta.ca
Research Staff
Research Staff
Derek Akateh, MD, MSc, MPH
Research Assistant
Derek is a research assistant with the EMERGE research lab. Derek's research interest includes social and surveillance epidemiology; addressing maternal and child health, adolescent reproductive health, infectious diseases, and health inequities. His MSc research examined the effect of income inequality on contraceptive non-use among Canadian youth using linked survey and census data under the supervision of Dr. Roman Pabayo. Currently, he supports the lab by assisting in various research projects including data collection, analysis, and scientific writing.
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
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MSc Epidemiology, University of Alberta, 2024.
Email: akateh@ualberta.ca
Research Staff
Previous Trainees and Research Staff
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Kaelan Findlay - MSc, 2026
Exploring the association between income inequality and physical and mental health among American adults and the mediator role of public health funding: A mediation analysis
Amy Crandall-Nickolet - MSc, 2025
The association between Public Health Unit funding per capita and the use of conventional tobacco and e-cigarettes in Ontario, Canada
Zack Perala - MSc, 2025
Examining the association between income inequality and physical activity among Canadian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic
Mohamed Mohamed - MSc, 2025
Public health funding per capita and type 2 diabetes among adults in 2013-14 in Ontario, Canada
Kesia Muthuthotatil - MSc, 2025
Social fragmentation and maternal mental health: a longitudinal analysis of depression and anxiety among pregnant women and mothers in Alberta, Canada
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Maria Wong - MSc, 2025
Public health funding, self harm, alcohol consumption, drug poisoning before and during COVID-19
Derek Akateh - MSc, 2025
Income inequality and contraceptive non-use among youths in Canada, 2015-2016
Luc Sauze - MSc, 2025
The association between income inequality and body mass index among Canadian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal analysis
Brian Steele - MSc, 2024
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Priya Patel - MSc, 2023
Exploring the association between income inequality and sleep in Canadian teens
Jo Lin Chew - MSc, 2023
Public health unit funding per capita and seasonal influenza vaccination among youth and adult in Ontario, Canada in 2013/14 and 2018/19
Urvi Rai - MSc, 2023
Association between public health unit engagement in secondary school and per capita public health spending and adolescent substance use
Claire Benny - PhD, 2023
Investigating the association between income inequality and mental health and deaths of despair in Canadian Youth
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
Previous MSc and PhD Trainees
Jo Lin Chew - MSc, 2023
Urvi Rai - MSc, 2023
Project investigating public health unit engagement and substance use in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; provided support for the OPHID database.
Alex Loverock - PhD 2023
Project investigating the influence of mental health conditions on income inequality and deaths of despair
Sammy Lowe - MSc, 2021
Provided analytical, writing, and administrative support for various EMERGE projects and research activities
Edwina Veerasingram - MSc, 2021
Sujan Basnet - MPH, 2021
Project exploring the link between income inequality and alcohol consumption using data from the COMPASS study
Previous Research Staff