Dr. Nadia Akseer is an Epidemiologist-Biostatistician with 10+ years experience leading research and analyses of clinical and population health datasets. She is currently part of the Scientist faculty at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Akseer is also Scientific Advisor to the Exemplars in Global Health Program at Gates Ventures (private office of Mr. Bill Gates [Kirkland, WA]), and Associate Editor of Nutrition Reviews journal.
Dr. Akseer is the Founder, Scientist and Director of Research at Modern Scientist Global. Dr. Akseer’s research interests and publications generally span reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) and nutrition in Afghanistan and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, with the majority in high profile medical journals such as The Lancet, The Lancet Global Health, The BMJ, JAMA, and the Annals of the New York Academy of Science. Nadia was identified as a Canadian Women Leader in Global Health jointly by The Lancet, Government of Canada and Canadian Society for International Health in 2018. She was subsequently awarded the 2019 Emerging Public Health Leader Alumni Award from the Public Health Alumni Association of the University of Toronto. The CEO Publication recognized Dr. Akseer as one of the top 20 Dynamic CEOs in Canada in 2021.
Dr. Akseer completed her Masters in Science (focused on Biostatistics and Epidemiology) from Brock University (St. Catharines, Canada) and her PhD in Epidemiology from University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada).
Outside of work, Nadia enjoys spending time with her family especially her 21 nieces and nephews (!), traveling to faraway destinations like the Brazilian Amazon rain forest and super hot places on earth (Dallol, Ethiopia). She also enjoys eating diverse cuisine, listening to hip-hop music and rapping about public health 🙂
contact: nakseer@modernscientistglobal.com
Hana Tasic graduated from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto with a Global Health Emphasis. Hana has since worked on numerous projects in the global public health field related to maternal, child and newborn health and nutrition. Past projects Hana has worked on include the stunting exemplars project spanning five country case studies in Phase I, and the 2019 Model Disability Survey in Afghanistan. Hana's skills include hierarchical model building, working with large household datasets, and excellent teamwork. Hana’s research interests include maternal and child health with a particular focus in reduction of inequalities.
Outside of work, Hana loves to spend time outdoors, practices yoga, and is an avid reader. She volunteers at organizations in Toronto providing assistance to young pregnant and parenting girls and women, as well as those in need of mental health support.
contact: htasic@modernscientistglobal.com
Ramraj Rajakumar is a Data Scientist and Researcher with a graduate certificate in Data Science & ML and possesses a post-graduate diploma in quantitative methods. Ramraj is also a Software developer with over 8 years of experience in the industry. In addition, Ramraj has worked on numerous projects at the University Health Network related to machine learning and has delivered innovative and cutting-edge ML solutions to the organization.
Ramraj's skills include the design, development and deployment of several AI/ML models into existing production/cloud environment. He loves working in a challenging environment with high functional teams. Ramraj’s research interests include ensemble learning, prediction, and pattern recognition among the transplant population.
Outside of work, Ramraj loves to spend time hiking, going to music festivals, and weight training.
Xue Luo is a geospatial data scientist with more than 10 years experience providing full-stack data solutions including data management, statistical analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) consulting services. Xue holds a BCs and MSc in Geography with Geomatics specialization from the University of Waterloo. Xue's interests include using GIS and data analysis to support equity and social justice and she has conducted a wide range of research projects on issues related to food access, urban environments, public health, indigenous population, and higher education. The results of her past research have been published through peer-reviewed articles, web applications, online dashboards, and story maps.
Outside of work, Xue enjoys running, kick-boxing, mountain climbing and travelling.
Sabah Husain graduated with a Master of Science from the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto with a focus on genetics and childhood-onset psychiatric disorders. Sabah’s research interests have evolved into maternal and child global health and she has since worked on studies involving maternal, newborn and childhood health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Muslim majority countries. Sabah is passionate about girls/women’s empowerment and has worked with initiatives that promote female leadership and education.
In her spare time, Sabah enjoys hiking, baking and spending time with family and friends.
Jacob Mardian obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo and his Master’s degree from the University of Guelph where he is currently pursuing his PhD. His research focuses on hydrology and climate science, especially modelling the impact of climate extremes on agriculture. His work has been published in peer-reviewed articles and presented at international conferences. He is also a geospatial data scientist specializing in remote sensing (satellite image analysis) and machine learning with extensive experience in government and industry.
Outside of work, Jacob enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and playing sports.
Chrissa Gregorio graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Environment and Urban Sustainability. Chrissa has experienced working on research projects regarding various topics on environmental issues, sustainable development, and social inequalities throughout her undergraduate studies. She is highly organized with strong communication skills as well as proficient in refining study designs. Chrissa has an interest in climate change and health and has volunteered for organizations that promote climate change solutions/actions and sustainability.
Outside of work, Chrissa likes to spend time with her family and friends, going on walks to the park, cooking, and traveling to new places.
Simmi is a graduate from the Toronto Film School with a diploma in Fashion Design. Developing sketches and abstract ideas into physical products is one of her biggest passions. Her skills include patternmaking, draping, and technical design and working with several different textiles. She is especially interested in evening and partywear! She has worked for a number of small and large scale fashion brands in Toronto and is familiar with the development process of garment creation.
Outside of work, Simmi loves to go hiking, dance, bake, meditate and explore metaphysics.
Ramizah Rafik recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Health Studies and Psychology at the University of Toronto. During her undergraduate studies, Ramizah was part of research projects encompassing fields of global, public, and mental health. Such projects included working as a research assistant at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto which was a COVID-19 study that documented and intervened around coronavirus stigma, discrimination, and misinformation. She also completed her internship at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research in Bangladesh where she received training to assist for research being conducted on Child Development and Maternal Mental Health, engaged in field work and theoretical research in psychometric assessments conducted on underprivileged children to analyze their developmental progress and also advised mothers in marginalized communities on maternal care for their children and aiding them with their mental health.
Ramizah enjoys hiking, reading, writing, and traveling in her leisure.
Nate MacDuff graduated from the University of Guelph with an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and is currently in the final stages of a Consecutive Master of Business Administration and Public Health at Brock University. Nate tutored students in statistics, physics, and molecular biology courses before and after graduating from the University of Guelph. He also completed an independent research project in a behavioural neuroscience lab, focusing on the role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAchRs) in post-reactivation memory modification in mice. Nate is currently under his second contract with the Emergency Management & Business Continuity branch of the WSIB, where he works to update the organization’s emergency specific protocols, regional response plans, and hazard identification and risk assessment (HIRA) tool. Nate’s skills include quantitative research, data analysis and visualization, and project management. Nate’s research interests include health economics, traumatic brain injury prevention and treatment, and health-promoting nutrition and lifestyles.
Outside of work and school, Nate loves to hike, camp, travel, watch and play sports, and spend time with Bourbon (his Australian Shepherd).