Biography:

Vivien Runnels was a Senior Researcher with the Globalization and Health Equity Research Unit in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.  She holds a Ph.D. in Population Health (2011) from the University of Ottawa and an Ontario Training Centre Diploma in Health Services and Policy Research (2011). She also has carried out post-doctoral work with the Population Health Improvement Research Network based at the University of Ottawa. Her Master’s degree from City University, London, UK is in Disability Management in Work and Rehabilitation (1999). Prior to her doctoral studies, Vivien was Research and Operations Coordinator for the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa.

Vivien’s current research activities and publications related to globalization and health include a focus on health human resources (health workers) and migration; medical tourism and out of country care; and health in foreign policy (global health diplomacy). She worked extensively with Dr. Ronald Labonté on the Globalization Knowledge Network of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Her ongoing population health research includes studies concerning sex and gender analysis (with the Sex and Gender Methods Group affiliated to the Campbell and Cochrane Equity Methods Group); youth engagement with the post-secondary sector (Youth Futures) with Caroline Andrew; and governance of community-based research. She has carried out research on youth with disabilities and employment, homelessness, food insecurity, and she was on the planning committee and evaluation team for Discovery University, a university-level educational program for people who are homeless or have low-income.  As a vocational rehabilitation professional, she worked with people with developmental disabilities, chronic pain and mental health difficulties. Vivien has been a community volunteer for many years, and presently is a board member of the Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, and Human Rights Internet.