About the CEMPPR Lab

Dr. Eric Kennedy is the founder and director of the CEMPPR Lab. Kennedy (PhD/MSc Arizona State University, BKI University of Waterloo) is an Assistant Professor at York University in the Disaster and Emergency Management program. His research focuses on the intersection of decision-making, expertise, and emergency management. He works primarily on topics related to wildfire management, incident management, and research/evaluation, although teaches in an all-hazards program and is happy to support students working on a variety of topics.

Sarah Cowan (MDEM York University,  BA University of Waterloo) is the Lab Manager and a researcher at the CEMPPR Lab. Her research interests include decision-making, risk perception, and public policy. Her Major Research Paper (MRP), explored the public perceptions of government decisions  during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta. Sarah works as an Emergency Preparedness Specialist for Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC), and sits on the Board of Directors for CRHNet.

Tricia is enrolled as a part-time student in the Master of Disaster and Emergency Management (MDEM) at York University. She works as an Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada where she specialises in knowledge synthesis on zoonotic public health issues. In her thesis she is exploring the evolution and adaptation of knowledge synthesis during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada through qualitative interviews. 

Faridah Mazhar is an undergraduate research assistant in her second year at York University studying English and Professional Writing with a passion for climate change advocacy. She is working with Dr. Eric Kennedy under the university's Dean's Award for Research Excellence, analysing media representations of the Fort McMurray Wildfire in 2016.

Alisha Gauhar is a masters student in public health at the University of Waterloo having graduated from McMaster University in Spring 2023. She previously worked on research projects with Dahdaleh Insitute for Global Health Research and PHRI McMaster. Alisha is interested in pursuing a career in health research. In the CEMPPR Lab, Alisha is a Research Assistant within the literature review team for the Wildfire Science Policy Blueprint project. 

James completed his Honours Bachelor in Environmental Studies at York University and is a current student in Confederation College's Aviation Flight Management program. Once he receives his commercial pilot's license, James will work as a bush pilot to do medical evacuations and water-bombing for forest fires. In the CEMPPR Lab, James is a Research Assistant within the literature review team for the Wildfire Science Policy Blueprint project.