Michaela Smith
PhD Student

Profile

Biography

Michaela is a public health epidemiologist with experience in quantitative analysis, applied research methods, and survey design. She has a Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) focusing on environmental determinants of health and a Master of Science (MSc) focusing on epidemiology and research methods.

Michaela has worked on a wide range of research initiatives, from the health impacts of climate change to the determinants of human papillomavirus coinfections among university students. In her work as a public health epidemiologist, she has led research on youth mental health resiliency and on food-related beliefs and behaviours in rural Ontario, Canada.

In her current role, Michaela is completing a PhD in Health Sciences where she is examining individual behaviours that will promote both population health and the health of the natural environment. This research will provide evidence on the social patterning of these behaviours and help identify the scope as well as the challenges for ‘win-win’ policies in the linked domains of public health and environmental sustainability.

Qualifications

• BASc (Honours) - Environment, McGill University, Canada
• MSc - Epidemiology, Queen’s University, Canada

Research

Overview

Michaela is interested in the linkages between human health and the natural and social environments. Particular research interests include: health outcomes of environmental change, socioeconomic and gender influences on health, and knowledge translation and scientific communication.

Projects

• Health of Populations and Ecosystems

Research group(s)

• Public Health and Society
• Mental Health and Addictions Research Group (MHARG)

External activities

Invited talks and conferences

• Smith, MA, Dupuis, N, and Davidson, L. (2013). “Community Food System Assessment: Using Community-Based Research to Inform Local Food Policy.” Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) 2013 Annual Conference. Ottawa, Ontario.
• Smith, MA, Franco, EL, and Richardson H. (2011). “Occurrence and dynamics of HPV coinfections among Montreal university students.” EUROGIN 2011: HPV Associated Diseases and Cancer from Reality Now to the Future. Lisbon, Portugal.
• Smith, MA. (2010). “Examining the occurrence and determinants of HPV coinfections in a cohort of Montreal university students.” Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CSEB) National Student Conference. Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.
• Smith, MA and Goldberg, M. (2009). “Excess Mortality Due to Tropospheric Ozone: Projections for Montreal Using Climate Change Scenarios.” Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CSEB) National Student Conference. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario.

Publications

Selected publications

• Smith, MA, Tellier, P, Roger, M, Coutlee, F, Franco, EL, and Richardson, H. (2014). Determinants of Human Papillomavirus Coinfections among Montreal University Students: The Influence of Behavioral and Biologic Factors. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention; 23(5).
• Smith, MA and Goldberg, M. (2009). Excess Mortality Due to Tropospheric Ozone: Projections for Montreal Using Climate Change Scenarios. (Abstract). Chronic Diseases in Canada; 30(2).