SFU experts available on rising COVID-19 cases, new restrictions, vaccines

The third wave in B.C. continues to accelerate as COVID-19 variants spread prompting the introduction of new restrictions, which were announced today.

New recommendations around the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine were also announced.  

SFU experts are available for interviews on the impacts of the new restrictions, rising cases, vaccines, travel and other topics of interest.

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERTS 

VIRUS & VACCINES

FIONA BRINKMAN, professor, molecular biology and biochemistry

778.386.4713 | brinkman@sfu.ca

Expertise: Infectious diseases, vaccines, viral variants, aiding study of the COVID-19 impacts on children & families through the CHILD Cohort study

CAROLINE COLIJN, Canada 150 Research Chair in Mathematics for Evolution, Infection and Public Health, ccolijn@sfu.ca

Expertise: Importance of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in older age groups, role of data modeling in predicting disease spread, effectiveness of physical distancing COVID-19 variants, vaccines & vaccinations  

JAMIE SCOTT, professor, health sciences
626.567.2345| jkscott@sfu.ca
Expertise: Development of vaccines & vaccinations

RALPH PANTOPHLET, associate professor, health sciences
rpantophlet@sfu.ca
Expertise: Anti-viral neutralizing antibodies, antibody-mediated immunity & vaccine immunology

SCOTT LEAR,  Pfizer/Heart & Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Prevention Research, professor, health sciences
slear@providencehealth.bc.ca
Expertise: Public health measures (masks, distancing, restrictions), public health messaging & communication, vaccine rollout

TANIA BUBELA, dean, health sciences
778.782.5361| fhsdean@sfu.ca
Expertise: Communications & coverage of COVID-19 related science, vaccines. Tania can also discuss public representations of COVID-19 science in her co-authored report. 

COVID-19 DIS/MISINFORMATION:

AHMED AL-RAWI, professor, communication, The Disinformation Project
aalrawi@sfu.ca
Expertise: Mis/disinformation in the COVID-19 pandemic

ECONOMY & URBAN ISSUES:

ANDREY PAVLOV, professor, Beedie School of Business   
604.763.3696 | apavlov@sfu.ca

Expertise: Trends in the housing market & rising prices, impact of pandemic on finances, stock markets & long-term economic prospects

ANDY YAN, director, The City Program                    
ayan@sfu.ca
Expertise: Housing market trends - low interest rates & changing demographics (aging Millennials), rental market, uneven & unequal economic effects of COVID-19

JEREMY STONE, director of SFU’s community economic development program jeremy_stone@sfu.ca
Expertise: Economic recovery after disasters, resilience planning & development for community well-being

MEGHAN WINTERS, associate professor, health sciences 
604.315.0484 |mwinters@sfu.ca
Expertise: The impacts of COVID-19 street reallocation programs in Vancouver & Seattle, transportation, mobility, slow streets, walking & cycling

TRAVEL & BORDERS:

JULIANNE PIPER, research fellow & project coordinator for Pandemics & Borders research team
julianne_piper@sfu.ca
Expertise: Cross-border measures, travel/border policies, public health intelligence/global public health intelligence network (GPHIN)

KELLEY LEE, professor, health sciences 
kelley_lee@sfu.ca
Expertise: Pandemics and Borders project, COVID-19 variants, vaccines & vaccinations

VALORIE CROOKS, Canada Research Chair in Health Service Geographies
604.417.9007 |crooks@sfu.ca
Expertise: Neighbourhood risks & vulnerability to COVID-19, the impending return of Canadian snowbirds, ongoing travel & border measures, vaccine tourism, geographic understandings of the pandemic

OLDER ADULTS & SENIORS:

GLORIA GUTMAN, professor emeritus, gerontology
gutman@sfu.ca
Expertise: Impacts of the pandemic on Canadians aged 55+ 
Her research team’s national survey showed more than 4,300 Canadians aged 55 - 64 experiencing more detrimental effects due to the pandemic

IMPACTS ON YOUTH:

JEREMY CARPENDALE, professor, developmental psychology
jcarpend@sfu.ca
Expertise: The impacts of physical distancing on children & child development, including his most recent book: What Makes Us Human? How Minds Develop Through Social Interactions

PAOLA ARDILES, professor, health sciences 
pardiles@sfu.ca 
Expertise: Adapting to online education, how the community engages with teaching & how learning has shifted during the pandemic

CONTACT

MELISSA SHAW, SFU  Communications & Marketing 
236.880.3297 | melissa_shaw@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University 
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory 
778.782.3210 

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