Biography

Shannon MacDonald is a PhD student in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. She previously completed her Bachelor and Masters of Nursing at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and has worked as a pediatric nurse and nursing instructor in Newfoundland, North Carolina, and Nova Scotia. Shannon’s area of research interest is childhood infectious diseases, with a focus on vaccine-preventable diseases and immunizations. Her PhD research project will involve immunization coverage surveillance and investigation of the factors influencing whether parents complete recommended childhood immunizations, with a particular focus on the influence of parental concern about vaccine safety. Her PhD co-supervisors are Dr. Christine Newburn-Cook and Dr. Linda Reutter.