Tracking the Spread of Vaccine Hesitancy - with Prof Stacey Smith?

About this episode

The episode discusses how mathematical modeling can help understand vaccine hesitancy and the social dynamics behind it.

Mathematics is often used to model how diseases spread. But what about the spread of information – or misinformation – about those diseases and their vaccines? Professor  Stacey Smith?  from the University of Ottawa is a trans mathematician whose research focuses on modelling infectious diseases. Increasingly, her work has turned to the social and behavioural dynamics that shape anti‑vaccination sentiment. In this conversation, we explore how mathematical approaches can help make sense of attitudes ranging from vaccine hesitancy to outright resistance, and why understanding these dynamics is critical for effective public health responses. The episode is hosted by  Eva Stadler , a postdoctoral research fellow in the Infection Analytics Program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney. Together, Eva and Stacey discuss how tools from the mathematical sciences can be applied well beyond traditional epidemiology, intersecting with psychology, sociology, and communication science. This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with  Women in Mathematics Day (12 May) , celebrating the contributions of women – and those who…

People in this episode

Host: Eva Stadler

Guest: Prof Stacey Smith

Topics covered

• vaccine hesitancy
• mathematical modeling
• public health
• social dynamics
• women in mathematics

Keywords

• vaccine
• hesitancy
• mathematics
• public health
• misinformation
• infectious diseases
• psychology
• sociology
• communication science

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Ottawa, Kirby Institute

Places: UNSW Sydney

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