News

Dr. Jeanna Parsons Leigh, assistant professor in the School of Health Administration, is among researchers from the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Engineering, Science, and Health, that have been named as Dalhousie’s newest Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Chairs. The Killam Chairs are awarded to academics of the highest distinction at Dalhousie with appointments of up to five years.

Dr. Parsons Leigh’s primary area of expertise is enhanced health systems performance, health communication, and knowledge translation. Since joining the Faculty of Health in January 2020, she has honed this expertise to establish a successful cross-national research program focused on optimizing public health emergency preparedness in Canada. The program studies the needs and capabilities of health systems, communities and individuals to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from, public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Parsons Leigh also has advanced training in equity, diversity, and inclusion and applies this lens across the spectrum of her research. Notably, her work has been a catalyst for national and international professional associations to make evidence-informed improvements towards gender equity.

Dalhousie is one of five recognized Killam Institutions. Since Izaak Killam was originally from Yarmouth and had many business interests in his home province, the university was a logical choice to receive Killam funds (and was the largest single recipient).

“Dalhousie University is proud to be a Killam Institution and we are thrilled to have these outstanding individuals as members of our research community,” says Alice Aiken, Dalhousie’s vice-president research and innovation.