Faith Davis was recently celebrated for her meaningful contributions to promoting health science in Canada.
Davis, professor and vice-dean in the School of Public Health, was elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences at a ceremony in Ottawa. Individuals are elected on the basis of their demonstrated leadership, creativity, distinctive competencies and commitment to advance health sciences.
Davis is an internationally recognized cancer researcher and leader in academic public health. (See U of A-led registry to eliminate brain tumour unknowns.) Among the recognition she has received during her distinguished career, Davis was elected Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology in 2008, the highest honour bestowed on an epidemiologist in North America.
In 2012, Davis left a distinguished career at the University of Illinois-Chicago in 2012 to return to Canada. The same year, the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine in Russia recognized her contributions to international cooperation in the field of radiation epidemiology. (See Russian research centre grants honourary professorship to School researcher.) Three years later, she became the 2015 recipient of the Geoffrey R. Howe Outstanding Contribution Award from the Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics. (See Researcher recognized for outstanding contributions to epidemiology.)
Davis has identified factors that influenced the occurrence and survival of rare cancers, especially brain and ovarian cancers. She has also made major contributions in characterizing the cancer risks of low dose exposure to ionizing radiation.
"My goal in coming back to Edmonton has been to help move forward the discipline of public health in any way I can," says Davis. "I would like to help ensure that rigorous training in public health is available, that future generations will be able to use new knowledge, and that it is translated into better health for all.
School of Public Health researchers previously elected to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences include Kue Young (2009), Walter Kipp (2010) and Kim Raine (2012).