This month, we鈥檙e excited to feature Ruth Lue and Fabio Robibaro, two CAnD3 Fellows whose research journeys show how curiosity and reflection can lead to unexpected paths. From rediscovered goals to new beginnings sparked by data, both share how curiosity, mentorship, and the CAnD3 experience have shaped the way they see and study the world.
To start, tell us a bit about your journeys. Was there a defining moment that influenced the way you approach research? And how has your experience with CAnD3 shaped that journey?
Ruth: A pivotal moment in my research journey came when I found an old career plan I鈥檇 written more than a decade ago. In it, I had described my goal as becoming a 鈥渘urse sociologist.鈥� So much time had passed that I鈥檇 forgotten about it, but rereading those words reminded me that I鈥檝e been moving toward this path all along, studying how social structures, adversity, and inequality shape health outcomes.
CAnD3 has strengthened that sense of purpose by teaching me how to think about my research more intentionally 鈥� how to plan it out clearly, structure my analyses, and communicate findings effectively. I鈥檝e learned not just new coding skills and visualization techniques, but also how to lay things out neatly and interpret data in a way that connects with policy and practice.
Fabio: When I reflect on pivotal moments, my transition point from philosophy to sociology stands out as a moment when I realized that data was how I communicated with the world. It began right in the middle of the pandemic, after completing my M.A. in philosophy. I remember feeling completely lost, not sure what I wanted to do next. I鈥檝e always been drawn to data, and one day, while browsing Statistics Canada鈥檚 website, I came across a job description for Economist/Sociologist/Analyst. That鈥檚 when it just clicked; this was what I wanted to build toward. Within four months of starting my sociology degree at 海角社区, I had an interview at Statistics Canada, and soon after, I joined a team focused on the care economy, a moment that would change my academic trajectory forever.
That experience taught me how deeply the questions behind data collection matter, and how my love for conceptual clarity could come together with my fascination for data. It also connected me with mentors and friends who continue to shape how I think about research and care policy. CAnD3 has been an incredible extension of that journey. It鈥檚 given me the space to keep exploring how to be a better storyteller with data and how to bridge complex analysis with narratives that resonate beyond academia. The program has helped me see how data can be mobilized to inform policymakers and shift public conversations about care, well-being, and inequality.
Let's talk about your work.聽What鈥檚 a recent project, presentation, or milestone that you鈥檙e particularly proud of? What made it meaningful, or perhaps challenging, to complete?
搁耻迟丑:听One project I鈥檓 especially proud of is my current work as the Global Health Lead at the University of New Brunswick. In this role, I鈥檝e been mapping course outcomes across our nursing program to identify where global and planetary health principles can be meaningfully integrated. The goal is to create a shared framework that helps faculty embed these perspectives into their own courses, supporting a more holistic understanding of health equity, sustainability, and interdependence.
The most exciting part has been seeing colleagues engage with these ideas and explore how global systems influence health at the local level. The biggest challenge has been translating broad interdisciplinary frameworks into tangible curriculum elements, but it鈥檚 deeply rewarding to see how this work is shaping a more globally conscious nursing education.
贵补产颈辞:听Recently, I presented a paper at the American Sociological Association titled, 鈥淭aking on an Unpaid Second Shift: The Impact of Employment Type on Caregiver Well-being.鈥� The paper examines how the experience of caregiving differs for people who work in care-related professions compared to those who don鈥檛. The data comes from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence鈥檚 2023 National Caregiving Survey, a project I helped design from the ground up.
I鈥檓 especially proud of this work because it combines both sides of my research identity: data design and storytelling. I was able to put a spotlight on double-duty caregivers, a group who are often overlooked in both research and policy. Their dual role propping up both the informal and formal sides of the care economy is unique and needs to be explored further. This project also marked my first real dive into mental health as a dependent variable, which opened up new ways of thinking about how care, work, and well-being intersect. The most rewarding part was seeing how empirical evidence can be used to craft a compelling narrative about people whose struggles often go unseen.
Every researcher needs a recharge.聽How do you unwind or find balance outside of your academic life?聽
搁耻迟丑:听Outside of research and data, I love spending time with friends and family at live events such as theatre performances and comedy shows. There鈥檚 something about shared laughter and storytelling that reminds me how powerful connection can be. This photo is from a show with one of my favourite comedians, White Yardie.
贵补产颈辞:听It might not be the most surprising thing, but I鈥檓 a huge coffee person. I love everything about coffee: the culture, the craft, and, of course, the caffeine that keeps me going during long stretches of data analysis. While in my undergrad, like many other students, I worked as a barista for a while, and that passion has stuck with me. I eventually built out a full espresso setup at home, something I once told myself I鈥檇 never do, but after a lot of research, it was a worthy investment. One of the perks of being a data person is being able to calculate exactly how much you鈥檙e saving by not buying lattes every day.
When I lived in Montreal, I spent a lot of time at Caf茅 Myriade, one of the key spots in the third-wave coffee scene. Even now, I love exploring new cities and neighbourhoods through their coffee shops! It also helps that good caf茅鈥檚 tend to have good Viennoiserie which are another passion of mine.
Photos Left to right: Ruth with the comedian White Yardie, Fabio with a Viennoiserie
Finally, Ruth,聽if you could have dinner with any data scientist or researcher, past or present, who would it be, and what burning question would you ask them about their approach?
I would choose Dr. David R. Williams from Harvard University. His development of the Everyday Discrimination Scale has fundamentally changed how we measure and understand the effects of racism and social inequality on health. The scale has been included in several major population datasets, such as the National Survey of American Life, the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, and, most recently, the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY). Its inclusion in these datasets has allowed researchers to link everyday experiences of unfair treatment to both psychosocial and biological health outcomes.
If I had the opportunity to have dinner with him, I would ask how his experiences as an Afro-Caribbean scholar have shaped the questions he asks and the ways he interprets data on race, stress, and inequality. I would want to know what inspired the creation of the Everyday Discrimination Scale and how his personal and cultural perspective informed the decision to measure something as often invisible as daily unfair treatment. I鈥檓 also curious how he continues to refine the scale to reflect evolving understandings of bias and social exclusion, and how he balances cultural specificity with the goal of cross-national comparability. Finally, I would ask how he makes sense of the connection between subjective experiences of discrimination and objective health outcomes, including physiological markers of stress.
And Fabio, to wrap this interview up on a fun note, if you were to describe your research as a food, what would it be and why?聽
I鈥檇 say my research is like pizza. The base, quantitative analysis of caregiving, stays the same, but the toppings, the variables of interest, are always changing. Sometimes I鈥檓 running a straightforward general linear model looking at how work affects stress levels of caregivers; that鈥檚 the classic pepperoni. Other times, I鈥檓 diving into something completely different, like topic modeling web-scraped data I didn鈥檛 even know I could pull; that鈥檚 pineapple on pizza, love it or hate it!
What I love about pizza is how much variation it allows while still being grounded in the same foundation. That鈥檚 exactly how I see my research: no matter how the data or topic shifts, the underlying logic, structure, and storytelling stay consistent. Quantitative analysis gives me that base, and from there, the possibilities are endless.
Through their work and stories, Ruth and Fabio embody what CAnD3 is all about, using data to tell human stories and spark meaningful change. Their journeys remind us that research, like connection, is both personal and transformative.
