Meet the team at HELTH
Victoria Bursey
Title: Undergraduate Thesis Student, One Health
Department: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Description of Thesis: My thesis project includes conducting a scoping review of the available literature on the impacts of converting from traditional diesel school buses to electric school buses. I aim to focus on the health and environmental impacts of this transition, noting reductions in diesel air pollutants and the subsequent impact on children’s air pollution exposure. I also aim to incorporate the One Health approach, and examine the Human, Animal, and Environmental impacts of electric school bus adoption.
Emily Airhart
Title/Position: Undergraduate Thesis Student, One Health
Department: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Research Interests: My research aims to assess the effectiveness of car-free Sundays on reducing air pollution levels in Kigali, Rwanda. Utilizing air quality data collected from 2022 to 2024, my research analyzes hourly PM2.5 measurements before, during, and after car-free periods, comparing these findings to normal Sundays when traffic is not restricted. The goal of this research is to evaluate whether car-free Sundays result in significant reductions in PM2.5 levels, contributing to cleaner air and improved human, animal, and environmental health. By providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions, my study aims to inform future urban planning and pollution mitigation strategies.
Augustine Omodieke
Title/Position: Graduate Student, Health Economics
Department: Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Research Interests: My research interest concerns measuring and quantifying the impact of climate-change and air quality/pollution on population health especially maternal and child health in sub-Sahara Africa. This research focus is quite relevant for policy makers both locally and globally to make informed and evidence-driven policy reforms on effective management and monitoring of air quality and its nexus with population health outcomes among the underserved.
Dioumacor FAYE
Title/Position: PhD student in Atmospheric Sciences
Department: Laboratory of Atmospheric and Ocean Physics Siméon-Fongang (LPAO-SF), ESP/UCAD/Dakar/Sénégal
Research Description: My thesis focuses on the application of Machine Learning to improve sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) precipitation forecasts in West Africa. I am particularly interested in forecasting S2S precipitation using atmospheric intra-seasonal signals as predictors, as well as in the verification of models from the Sub-seasonal to Seasonal (S2S) database. The aim of my research is to contribute to better anticipating climate variations in the region, in order to assist in the management of water and agricultural reso
Dorothy Namatovu
Visiting Graduate Student
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Western University
Research Focus
My current research examines the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in reducing stigma among individuals living with HIV/AIDS, with a particular focus on the interventions implemented at the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in Uganda. This research explores how community-based support programs, counselling, and awareness campaigns contribute to stigma reduction and the overall well-being of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.
Goal of the Research
The goal of my research is to identify effective NGO interventions that can be scaled or adapted to different contexts, thereby contributing to broader efforts in reducing HIV-related stigma globally. My work aims to provide insights into improving the quality of life for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, as well as informing policy and practice in public health and social services.
Contact me
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Western University
1465 Richmond Street, PHFM 3129 London, ON, Canada, N6G 2M1
Email : ekalisa2@uwo.ca
Office : 519.661.211 ext: 86262
Mobile : +1 647 507 7136
Egide Kalisa
