Primary Collaborators
Professor Coates, a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Regional Innovation, and the Director of the International Centre for Northern Governance and Development, is the one of the senior collaborators of DEPtH Lab. Professor Coates brings his extensive experience in working with communities in the circumpolar region to our research endeavours. He also provides guidance and advice in scaling-up our digital innovations to address health inequities.
Dr. Ferguson is a Métis scholar and a Co-Investigator of the Smart Platform and Saskatchewan NEIHR. She is also a Co-Principal Investigator on a CIHR Pathways to Health Equity for Aboriginal Peoples. She is a mixed methods researcher with experience in a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods and analyses. Dr. Ferguson provides her expertise in respectfully engaging with Métis communities, with a particular emphasis on active living and eudaimonic well-being.
Professor Malcolm King is a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. From 2009 to 2016, Dr. King led the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health as its Scientific Director, spearheading the development of a national health research agenda aimed at improving wellness and achieving health equity for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples of Canada. He provides his expertise and guidance in co-conceptualizing and co-implementing culturally-responsive initiatives with Indigenous communities.
Professor Leatherdale’s research focuses on advancing a systems approach to primary prevention activities, evaluating population-level health interventions across multiple risk factor domains, and creating research infrastructure to facilitate large population studies in chronic disease prevention. His research is designed to engage numerous stakeholders at multiple levels (regional, provincial and national) to positively impact the health and well-being of Canadian youth. He brings this expertise in advising DEPtH Lab endeavours.
Dr. Liu is a mathematician interested in developing statistical models and methods motivated from scientific applications. In particular, she focuses on interactions in regression models, errors-in-variables models, and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methodology. Her current projects include: Bayesian adjustment of misclassification in matched case-control studies; measurement error models in survival analysis; and measurement error models in longitudinal data analysis. Dr. Liu provides this statistical expertise in managing and analyzing big data generated by DEPtH Lab projects.
Dr. Skinner’s main research focuses on community-based health and social projects related to food, nutrition, food security, and the broader context of food systems and environments. This research has primarily been with people living in northern locations in Canada and more recently with Indigenous organizations located in urban settings. This work has involved dietary assessment with youth, program evaluation, and community development, and in the past several years, has begun to move towards social justice and social policy for improving food security and advocacy for food sovereignty. Dr. Skinner is playing a significant role in not only engaging respectfully with Indigenous communities partnering with DEPtH Lab, but also in providing her expertise in the areas of nutrition and food security.