Contributions of Mathematical Modelling to Controlling Infectious Diseases

Dr. Pauline van den Driessche | Wednesday, April 16, 2014

7 p.m. in UVic's Hickman Building room 105

The University of Victoria Retirees Association and the Centre on Aging with support from the university presents Masterminds 2014, a free lecture series running each Wednesday evening from April 9 to April 30.

Ever wonder how public health officials determine their response to infectious diseases? During her career at UVic Dr. Pauline van den Driessche has applied new mathematical methods to study the dynamics of epidemics. In her presentation she'll explain how mathematical models are used to predict and monitor the spread of infectious diseases such as influenza, measles and malaria, and to estimate the percentage of the population requiring vaccination.

Van den Driessche is an internationally recognized mathematician for her work in mathematical biology and linear algebra. Her major impact in mathematical biology is the application of new mathematical methods to study the dynamics of epidemics. She has developed tools to analyze disease outcomes and the impact of vaccination methods on influenza, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and West Nile Virus. She joined UVic's Department of Mathematics in 1965 and retired in 2006. She has published more than 200 papers and has earned national and international prizes, including the Krieger-Nelson Prize from the Canadian Mathematical Society (2007) and the inaugural Olga Taussky Todd Award by the International Congress of Industrial and Applied Mathematical Society.

Text and picture from the Masterminds 2014 lecture series website.