SFU women research chairs share what it takes to close the gender gap in science

Ailene MacPherson, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair at Simon Fraser University, uses mathematical models to study how global change affects disease evolution. She highlights mentorship, community and diversity as key elements in building a scientific career.

Ailene MacPherson is an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University and a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in theoretical evolutionary epidemiology. She works at the intersection of mathematics, ecology and evolutionary biology and uses theoretical models to study how infectious diseases evolve. The piece appears in the context of SFU profiles of women research chairs on closing the gender gap in science. MacPherson connects her research interests with a broader emphasis on mentorship and diversity in research. Key points: - MacPherson holds appointments in the Departments of Mathematics and Biological Sciences and focuses on theoretical approaches to evolutionary epidemiology. - Her research examines how climate change, pollution and other global pressures shape how diseases evolve and affect populations. - She traced her path from a lifelong love of math to interdisciplinary biology after a mentor steered her toward a math–biology program. - She credits multiple mentors and says community has been essential for coping with self-doubt and building a career in science. - She describes maintaining curiosity as a daily practice and noted an early-career award as a meaningful professional milestone. Summary: MacPherson’s profile links her scientific work on disease evolution with personal experiences about mentorship, role models and belonging in science. She emphasizes the importance of community and diverse representation and expresses confidence that current and future generations can address challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change.