EpiBio Seminar Series | Richard Munang, PhD

"From Data to Decision: Embedding Public Policy Practice in Epidemiology and Biostatistics: Applications across Global, Planetary, and One Health"

Presented by Dr. Richard Munang an Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Westren University, as a part of the EpiBio Seminar Series 2025/26.

Attend in person: PHFM 3015
Attend online: please request the Zoom link at epibio@uwo.ca 

Abstract: How does epidemiological data become a decision that changes lives?

This seminar introduces Public Policy Practice (PPP) as a practical, evidence-driven framework that enables epidemiology and biostatistics to reach the “last mile” into governance, financing, enterprise development, and community action.

Drawing on field-tested examples, including women-led solar dryer cooperatives, youth-driven biogas enterprises, value-chain early warning systems, and AI-enabled flood risk mapping, the seminar will show how integrating PPP with epidemiology produces measurable gains in health, climate resilience, and socio-economic outcomes.

The talk presents the Public Policy Practice Ladder Framework, a scalable method that transforms exposure data, surveillance insights, and environmental trends into standards, budgets, and locally owned enterprises.

By embedding PPP within teaching and research, the seminar will outline new pathways for student engagement, policy experimentation, and faculty collaborations, positioning Western University as a Canadian and global leader in evidence-to-impact translation.