Program
PhD Public Health and Health Systems
Supervisor
My thesis
My thesis is examining novel methods for characterizing dietary patterns and their relationships with markers of inequity in Canada. We know that nutrient and food intakes differ among individuals experiencing inequity, with poorer dietary intakes observed among vulnerable groups. However, humans rarely consume single nutrients or foods. While researchers are trying to better understand overall eating patterns, existing methods for doing so are limited in their ability to fully explain the complexity of dietary patterns and its relation to markers of inequity. My research is examining the potential of deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to expand our ability to discover dietary patterns and how they interact with markers of inequity. This research has the potential to inform targeted, evidence-based nutrition policies to improve health and reduce inequities.
My time at the School of Public Health Sciences
I joined the department in Fall 2020, so I have been online for my entire PhD so far! I have appreciated the support from the staff, professors, and students within the department, who have all made the experience of online learning so much easier. Particularly, I have enjoyed becoming involved with the SPHS Graduate Student Association this year and getting to meet so many likeminded, passionate students.
In 2021, Joy was awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
“I am honoured to have been selected as a recipient of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. I hope to contribute meaningfully throughout my career to the public health and nutrition research communities.”