Stay up to date with the most recent news from the math.epi.lab.
We are happy to announce that one of Guelph's most prestigious scholarships is available for outstanding Doctoral applicants who will be starting their programs in S18, F18 or W19. Please visit our website for further information. If you think that you would be a competitive applicant and are interested in joining the math.epi.lab please contact me to discuss opportunities within our group.
Every year in early December the Veterinary Epidemiology community comes together in Chicago for the Conference for Research Workers in Animal Disease (CRWAD). This year our group contributed three oral presentations (Rachael Milwid, Melanie Cousins, and Kelsey Spence) and one poster presentation (Rachael Milwid) at the conference. I also served as the session moderator for the Modeling and Network Analysis session along with Kristen Davenport from Colorado State. Rachael presented two different projects related to her work on equine contact networks and Melanie presented her work on the development of a mathematical model for Campylobacter in Ontario. Since Kelsey is in the UK, I presented her longitudinal study of equine movement patterns. All of our projects were very well received by the audience and the Department of Population Medicine was well represented with a very large group of attending graduate students.
Melanie giving her oral presentation in the ecology of food-borne pathogens session.
The Magnificent Mile is quite magnificent in December!
This week Dr. Salah Uddin Khan, Dr. Victoria Ng (Public Health Agency of Canada), and I had the great pleasure of attending the first CIHR Health Systems Impact Fellows Cohort Retreat in Toronto. Salah was awarded this prestigious postdoctoral award in the summer and began his fellowship in collaboration with the National Microbiology Laboratory this fall. The goal of these fellowships is to train PhD graduates in a way that focuses on both research and core competencies (such as project management, leadership, and change management) so that they can progress in their careers as leaders within the Canadian Health System. This was the first cohort retreat and it was a really excellent experience for both the fellows and their academic and organizational sponsors. I met many really interesting fellows who I expect will go on to do great things for the Canadian Healthcare system. One of the really amazing things about the inaugural HSI cohort? 80% of the fellows are women! I am looking forward to the next retreat in spring 2018.
We are currently recruiting undergraduate students interested in helping out with a large equine research project that will be running from November until the Christmas break 2017. No horse experience is necessary. This is a great opportunity for students interested in a career in veterinary medicine to learn more about veterinary research and get some experience working in a large animal (equine) environment. You will be providing technical and logistical support to the study coordinator, Dr. Tanya Rossi. Please contact Dr. Amy Greer in the Department of Population Medicine to learn more about this opportunity.
Graduate students interested in joining our team and who have interests related to food should contact Dr. Greer regarding the following scholarship opportunity
The Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph is now accepting scholarship applications for students entering a graduate program in the Summer 2018, Fall 2018 or Winter 2019 semesters. The Institute is seeking emerging scholars who are not only academically outstanding but also passionately committed to ensuring that future generations are well fed, that diets are nutritious and equitable, and that agriculture is sustainable. These scholarships are supported through the Arrell Family Foundation’s generous gift to the University of Guelph, and are valued at $50,000/year for 2 years (master’s students) or 4 years (doctoral students).
As a complement to their graduate research, successful Arrell Scholars will provide leadership within multi-disciplinary teams of graduate students, who will work with community, government and industry partners, and University of Guelph experts linked to the Arrell Food Institute, to address global food issues.
In order to be considered for this opportunity, prospective students must submit both a scholarship application AND a complete application for admission to a graduate program at Guelph no later than December 15, 2017.
For complete eligibility and application details, please refer to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies’ website.
Questions may be directed to the Graduate Awards Officers by email.
Dr. Cate Dewey has recently completed her tenure as the Chair of the Department of Population Medicine and the Department hosted a reception in her honour last week. Cate was my very first contact with the Department when we were arranging my on-campus interview for my current position here at OVC. Since arriving at OVC, I have had the privilege of having Cate as a Department Chair, mentor, and cheerleader for my program of research. She has been incredibly supportive of all early career faculty in our Department and it has been wonderful to have spent my pre-tenure days with Cate as a role model. Our new Department Chair is Dr. Todd Duffield and I expect great things from this Department moving forward.
Iqaluit, Nunavut (photo credit: A. Greer, 2014)
Fall is always a busy time of year and many of the important infectious disease related meetings are held during the autumn months. Over the last several weeks I have attended a number of meetings that I felt were important to highlight on our team blog because they were so incredibly exciting to be a part of. On October 4th and 5th, I travelled to Ottawa to participate in a meeting co-hosted by the Nunavut Government and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). The purpose of the meeting was to develop a comprehensive action plan for the elimination of Tuberculosis across Inuit Nunangat with specific goals and priority areas for action. It was an honour to be asked to participate and I am optimistic that with improved infrastructure and support to Northern health systems, TB elimination is a real possibility.
The meeting was held at the Uppsala castle in Uppsala, Sweden. (photo credit: A. Greer, 2017).
October also marked the 3rd annual Uppsala Health Summit. The Uppsala Health Summit is a recurring international policy arena for dialogue on challenges for health and healthcare, and how we can overcome them. The theme changes each year which makes it a dynamic and exciting event to participate in. Personally invited decision makers, opinion formers and experts participate in active dialogue in thoroughly prepared workshops and plenum sessions. The theme of the summit this year was Tackling Infectious Disease Threats: Prevent, Detect, Respond using a One Health Approach. It was a great opportunity to catch up with some colleagues that I had not seen in many years and also to meet some new researchers working in this area.
Final dinner in Uppsala with great company and discussion. From left to right: Fernanda Dorea (National Veterinary Institute, Sweden), Florence Haseltine (Society for Women's Health Research, USA), Crawford Revie (Atlantic Veterinary College, Canada), Stefan Widgren (National Veterinary Institute, Sweden), Kun Hu (IBM Research, USA), Amy Greer (Ontario Veterinary College, Canada) and Stefan Engblom (Uppsala University, Sweden).
Congratulations to our very own Dr. Salah Uddin Khan! Salah is one of 46 PhD graduates across the country who will receive the first awards funded through a new program developed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute for Health Services and Policy Research and the Canadian Health Services and Policy Research Alliance. Read the full press release here. Salah will be working on a joint project in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada - National Microbiology Lab.
