Hello! My name is Sujane!
My research interests include knowledge translation science & practice, life-course epidemiology, Indigenous health, Newcomer health, Planetary Health, Mixed-methods Designs, and Community engagement.
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I am grateful for a CIHR Vanier Graduate Scholarship for my supporting my doctoral studies (2018-2021).
Sujane Kandasamy, PhD
Intersectional Environmentalist
Knowledge Translation Scientist
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Email:
kandas3 [at] mcmaster.ca
Address:
McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4K1
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RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (RECENT)
2016-2018
Research Coordinator
CENTRE FOR HEALTH ECONOMICS & POLICY ANALYSIS (CHEPA)
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Under the supervision of Dr. Julia Abelson, I coordinated an implementation study that aimed to understand the effective evaluation of Public and Patient Engagement (PPE) in different health care settings across Ontario.
2016-2017
Research Coordinator
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE, MCMASTER UNIVERSITY
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Under the supervision of Dr. Meredith Vanstone, I coordinated Health Service-commissioned projects focused on patient perspectives of health technologies/screening decisions.
2011-Present
Research Assistant
CHANCHLANI RESEARCH CENTRE
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2011-2015: Under the supervision of Dr. Sonia Anand, I managed recruitment, data collection, and community engagement activities for the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study (partner: Six Nations)
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2016-Present: Also under the supervisory guidance of Dr. Sonia Anand, I assist with knowledge translation projects and qualitative sub-studies for the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts & Minds, the South Asian Birth Cohort, Aboriginal Birth Cohort, FAMILY Cohort, and CHILD Cohort.
EDUCATION
2017-2021
PhD Degree
PhD
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact (HEI)
McMaster University
2013-2015
MSc Degree
MSc
Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics
McMaster University
2007-2012
HBSc (Biology) & BA (Anthropology)
HBSc & BA
Department of Biology
Department of Anthropology
McMaster University
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION VIDEOS
I have been involved in several research studies aiming to understand optimal perinatal wellbeing from the perspective of various communities in Ontario:
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Six Nations community:
We worked with a spoken word artist from the Six Nations community to script and produce a short film based on the research findings. The short film, "Dear Granddaughter" received a special commendation prize in the 2015 CIHR IHDCYH Video Talks Competition.
We also published two papers from this project: 1) Methodology case study; 2) Findings of the original qualitative study.
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Data analysis involving a community coder can help researchers enhance the relevance of their research findings . A brief video recounting my experiences with this process was used as a case study in a graduate-level qualitative methods course (HLTHPOL 747: Qualitative and Conceptual Methods for Health Policy), "My experiences with Collaborative Coding."
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South Asian communities of Peel Region:
We developed a short film to highlight the results of this project titled,"South Asian Birth Cohort Grandmothers Substudy," which received a 2016 CIHR IHDCYH Video Talks Prize. The published findings of this study can be found here.
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I have also been involved with the production of a series of recruitment/study information videos (digital stories) for the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts & Minds study, the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study and the Healthy Roots study.
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EXPERTISE
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH SKILLS
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH SKILLS
PUBLIC & PATIENT ENGAGEMENT
LANGUAGES (ENGLISH & FRENCH)
VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION
TEACHING & OTHER ACTIVITIES
TEACHING
Winter 2024-Present: Course Designer and Instructor for Global Health 714: Introduction to Planetary Health
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(2017-2021): Teaching Assistant (Faculty of Health Sciences), McMaster University
-Introduction to Epidemiology
-eHealth: Introduction to the Canadian Healthcare System
-eHealth: Introduction to Research Methods
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QUALIFICATIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS
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Qualifications:
Teaching and Learning Foundations Certificate (Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching)
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Special Projects:
In-school environmental health workshops; grades 3-12 (Toronto District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
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Heart and Stroke Foundation, Women’s Heart Health Network
February 2017-Present
Member
City of Markham, Race Relations Committee
January 2017-Present
Committee Member
Pan-Canadian Citizen Panel
October 2016
Note-taker
(Session: “Making Fair and Sustainable Decisions about Funding for Cancer Drugs in Canada” A collaboration between McMaster University, the McMaster Health Forum, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University & the Canadian Centre for Applied Research In Cancer Control)
Chrysalis Scientific Media
Sept 2016-Present
Co-owner
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Hamilton and Burlington
Nov 2014-Present
Big Sister Mentor
Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics Steering Committee
Sept 2014-Aug 2015
MSc Steering Committee Representative
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The Starfish Canada (Registered Non-profit Organization)
July 2010-Present
Co-founder & Regional Education Manager (Ontario Programs)
University Tutors
Sept 2010-Present
Tutor (Core Subjects: Epidemiology, Biology, Chemistry, Writing)
Student Wellness Centre
May 2010-Aug 2014
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Peer Health Educator, Team Leader, Grad student Leader
Mount Sinai Hospital
May 2008-Aug 2014
Toronto, Ontario
Medical Interpreter, Endocrinology Clinic Assistant, Heart Failure Clinic Assistant
Toronto General Hospital
May 2008-Aug 2009
Toronto, Ontario
Patient Education Assistant
Additional Certifications (Current Only):
Standard First Aid with CPR-C, AED, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation-HCP, Advanced Instructor (Lifesaving Society ID: KASW68)