Panelists
Dr. Rachel Krause
Assistant Professor of Biology at Canadian Mennonite University
Rachel Krause received her BSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of British Columbia in 2006. She went on to complete graduate studies in biology, receiving a MSc in Biology from Concordia University (Montreal), and a PhD in Parasitology from McGill University, where she studied at McGill’s Institute of Parasitology and the McGill School of Environment and held a graduate fellowship at the Institute for Health and Social Policy.
Dr. Krause joined the faculty of Canadian Mennonite University in 2015, where she is Assistant Professor of Biology. She teaches organismal biology, ecology, evolution, and global health. She also sits on the Science Advisory Board of A Rocha Canada, a Christian Environmental NGO, and on the Faith and Life Sciences Reference Group of the Canadian Council of Churches, which advises various Christian denominations in Canada on emerging biotechnologies.
Dr. Krause maintains research programs in Manitoba and Panama, focused on disease ecology of wildlife and human populations. In Manitoba, she is collaborating with researchers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to examine parasite infections as environmental stressors on an endangered local fish species, the Carmine Shiner. In Panama, she has a long-term research project to examine the combined impacts of undernutrition and environmentally-transmitted infections on preschool children’s growth within a rural, subsistence farming context.
Dr. Shailly Varma Shrivastav
Chief Scientific Officer at Oncodrex. Inc.
Dr. Shailly Varma Shrivastav is the Chief Scientific Officer at Oncodrex. Inc. Oncodrex is a Winnipeg-based pharma company. Dr. Varma Shrivastav obtained her B.Sc. from St. Francis Degree College for Women in India, where she studied Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry. She has a Masters in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Hyderabad in India. During her Ph.D., she received the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research scholarship. She was also a recipient of the United Nations Organization’s Junior Research Associateship. Pursuing her research career, she did postdoctoral studies at Lund University in Sweden, where she obtained a fellowship from the Swedish Institute. Her research during Ph.D. and postdoctoral studies at Lund University was on the generation of protein-based biosensors.
She moved to Canada and joined the University of Saskatchewan as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry, studying protein kinases and phosphatases. Following this, she moved to Winnipeg and joined the Department of Endocrinology at the University of Manitoba as a Research Associate. Dr. Varma Shrivastav joined the Department of Biology at the University of Winnipeg as Assistant Professor and Instructor-III and has taught several undergrad biology courses. During this period she has trained several B.Sc. honour’s students and one graduate student.
Ms. Shannon Foster
Research Coordinator at University of Manitoba, Clinician at Red River North Counselling and Therapy Services
Shannon Foster is a Registered Social Worker, having completed a Masters of Social Work degree and a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Manitoba. She also earned an Advanced Bachelor of Arts degree, with a specialization in Psychology. Shannon is registered with the Manitoba College of Social Workers and is a member of the Canadian Association of Social Workers.
Shannon’s focus of study and the majority of her experience has been upon intervention with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder inclusive of the use of alternative therapeutic modalities with children and youth with disabilities. Shannon has enriched her experience by working for multiple Indigenous agencies, has first-hand knowledge of working with multi-agency involvement and the fields of healthcare, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention and intervention, child neurodevelopment, Child and Family Services, suicide assessment, crisis management and identifies as a Métis woman.
Shannon is a Research Coordinator with the Looking After Each Other project at the University of Manitoba which focuses on building cross sector knowledge and understanding of dignity-promoting approaches for children, adults, families, and communities impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.