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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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
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
Amy Crandall, BHSc (Hons.)
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:
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BHSc (Hons.) in Biomedical Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 2023
Email: abcranda@ualberta.ca
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:
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Bachelors of Science Kinesiology, University of Alberta, 2022
Email: kaelan@ualberta.ca
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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:
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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:
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BSc. Medical Sciences, Dalhousie University, 2021
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
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:
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BA Criminology, University of Alberta, 2023
Email: muthutho@ualberta.ca
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:
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Bachelor of Science Kinesiology, University of Alberta, 2022
Email: zperala@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
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:
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MSc Epidemiology, University of Alberta, 2023
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BHSc Public Health (After-Degree),
University of Lethbridge, 2020 -
BSc Specialization in Immunology and Infection,
University of Alberta, 2017
Email: jchew@ualberta.ca
Previous Trainees and Research Staff
Previous MSc and PhD Trainees
Brian Steele, MSc, 2024
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
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