Dear all,

We are pleased to announce that the public lecture on COVID-19: modelling and public health policy, presented by Allen Cheng and Freya Shearer, at the invitation of the SSA Victoria Branch. 

Date: Tuesday 28 April, 2020

Time: 5:00 PM AEST

Venue: Virtually, via Zoom (link available upon registration at https://www.statsoc.org.au/event-3821183?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=4/21/2020.

Speakers: Allen Cheng and Freya Shearer

Title: COVID-19: modelling and public health policy

Abstract: Epidemiological modelling is critical to help make evidence-based decisions about how to handle and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us to hear from two experts who are deeply involved in this effort.

Allen Cheng is an infectious diseases physician, Director of the Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology Unit at Alfred Health and Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He is involved in hospital infection prevention and control, influenza surveillance and public health policy for vaccine-preventable diseases. He is currently an invited expert on several government advisory committees responding to COVID-19.

Freya Shearer is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne. Freya’s primary research interest is in the use of models of infectious disease as tools for public health decision-making. She is involved in developing decision support systems for pandemic influenza and other emerging pathogens. She is currently part of the modelling team supporting the Australian Government response to COVID-19.

Hien Nguyen, on behalf of the Victoria Branch Council:

Damjan Vukcevic, President

Emi Tanaka, Vice-President

Ben Harrap, Secretary

Elizabeth Korevaar, Treasurer

Rheanna Mainzer, Membership Officer

Patrick Robotham, Industry Representative

Hien Nguyen, Communications Officer

Daniel Fryer, Young Statisticians’ Representative

Kohleth Chia, Council Member

Lidiya Turkovic, Council Member