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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:

  • PhD Public Health Epidemiology,          University of Montreal, 2010

  • MSc Nutrition Epidemiology,                      McGill University, 2003

  • BASc Human Nutrition,                              Ryerson University, 2001

  • BSc Honours Biochemistry,                    McMaster University, 1997

Email: pabayo@ualberta.ca

Online: University of Alberta Page

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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:

  • PhD Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation,        University of Alberta, 2022

  • MSc Physical Education and Recreation,            University of Alberta, 2016

  • 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:

  • PhD Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
    Western University, Canada

  • MSc Geography (Global Health Systems in Africa), Western University, Canada

  • MMASc (Global Health Systems in Africa), Western University, Canada

  • BSc Biology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya

Email: were@ualberta.ca

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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:

  • BA Sociology,
    MacEwan University, 2019 

Email: mmohame3@ualberta.ca

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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:

  • BA Psychology (Hons),                            University of Alberta, 2016 

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Maria Wong, BA

MSc Student

Maria Wong is an MSc Epidemiology student with the EMERGE lab. Maria is interested in researching the social determinants of health as this interest comes from working in emergency shelters and advocating for basic income. Currently, Maria's research interests are on interventions that mitigate life-threatening harms of mental unwellness and substance-use.

Training:

  • BA Health and Community Services,                    University of Victoria

Email: maria9@ualberta.ca

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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:

  • BSc. Medical Sciences,                             Dalhousie University, 2021

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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:

  • MD, University of Buea, Cameroon, 2012

  • MPH (Reproductive and Family health), University of Addis Ababa, 2017

Email: akateh@ualberta.ca

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Amy Crandall, BHSc 

MSc Student

Amy is pursuing her MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. She is interested in researching the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care accessibility and quality for those living with chronic diseases.

Training:

  • BHSc (Hons.) in Biomedical Studies,      University of Northern British Columbia, 2023

Email: abcranda@ualberta.ca

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Kaelan Findlay, BKin

MSc Student

Kaelan is a first year MSc in Epidemiology student with the EMERGE Lab. Kalean’s primary research interest is in social epidemiology and the social determinants of health, particularly in the impact of income inequality within communities. 

Training:

  • Bachelors of Science Kinesiology,                        University of Alberta, 2022

Email: kaelan@ualberta.ca

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Kesia Muthuthotatil, BA

MSc Student

Kesia Muthuthotatil is an MSc Epidemiology student with the EMERGE lab. She is interested in exploring the impact of social determinants of health on maternal and child well-being. 

Training:

  • BA Criminology,                                            University of Alberta, 2023

Email: muthutho@ualberta.ca

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Zack Perala, BKin

MSc Student

Zack Perala is pursuing his MSc in Epidemiology with the EMERGE Lab. His research interests concern the social determinants of health. Specifically, he is interested in the relationship between income inequality and adolescent behavioural outcomes

Training:

  • Bachelor of Science Kinesiology,            University of Alberta, 2022

Email: zperala@ualberta.ca

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Research Staff

Jo Lin Chew, MSc

Research Assistant

Jo Lin is a research assistant with the EMERGE research lab. She previously completed her MSc, which examined the association between Ontario public health funding and influenza vaccine uptake under the supervision of Dr. Roman Pabayo. Currently, she supports the lab by assisting in grant applications, research projects, and data collection/ management of the Ontario Public Health Information Database (OPHID).

Training:

  • MSc Epidemiology,                                  University of Alberta, 2023

  • BHSc Public Health (After-Degree),
    University of Lethbridge, 2020

  • BSc Specialization in Immunology and Infection,
    University of Alberta, 2017

Email: jchew@ualberta.ca

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Urvi Rai, MSc

Research Assistant

Urvi is a research assistant with the EMERGE Lab. She completed her MSc under the supervision of Dr. Roman Pabayo, studying the role of public health units in addressing adolescent substance use. Currently, she is exploring public health unit engagement and substance use in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Urvi is a member of the Ontario Public Health Information Database team. She is working to build a database on public health unit funding and staffing that can be linked with secondary health data to study the association between public health investment and population health outcomes. 

Training:

  • MSc Epidemiology,                                  University of Alberta, 2023

  • BSc in Biology with a Sociology Minor,                  University of Alberta, 2019

Email: urvi@ualberta.ca

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Previous Trainees and Research Staff 

Previous MSc and PhD Trainees

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 Research Staff

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 

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