Conference is now cancelled

From meteorology to epidemiology via statistics

Rachel Lowe (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)

My academic studies and career have been devoted to exploring ways to mitigate disasters. During my BSc ‘Meteorology & Oceanography’ and MSc ‘Geophysical Hazards’, I became fascinated with the ability of statistical models to simplify complex processes. Statistical models can be used to explain and predict real-world disasters, from tropical storms and volcano collapse, to heat waves and infectious disease epidemics. This led me to study a PhD and peruse postdoctoral research on the impacts of environmental change on infectious disease risk. An important challenge of my work has been the effective transformation of scientific knowledge into 'usable' information, to support decision-making and protect vulnerable populations. The most rewarding and enjoyable component of my career has been collaborating with researchers and stakeholders working across many disciplines and countries, including volcanologists, climate scientists, medical doctors, ecologists, social scientists and public health officials in Barbados, Brazil, Ecuador, Italy, Malawi, Mexico, and Spain. In this talk, I will touch on the partnerships I have built over years with a wide range of scientists and practitioners to link climate prediction via spatio-temporal statistical modelling to disaster and disease risk management.