Christine Yanagawa

PhD Candidate

Christine is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. She holds a Master of Public Health from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor’s degree in Human-Environment Geography and Anthropology from Concordia University, and is also a Registered Veterinary Technician. Her research focuses on urban health and equity at the human-animal-environment interface. Using mixed methods, she examines how social and physical environmental conditions shape interactions between people and urban rats and related health risks. Her work aims to inform urban health research, public health policy, and zoonotic disease surveillance and prevention by integrating social and ecological perspectives to support healthier cities. 

In her free time, Christine enjoys running, hiking, spending time in green spaces people- and animal-watching, and puzzling. 

Research interests: health equity, healthy cities, social determinants of health, One Health, spatial epidemiology, social-ecological systems, human-animal interactions.

Projects: Mobilizing Justice