Gerry Ryan
Senior Research Officer
BSc (Hons) MEnv PhD
gerard.ryan@thekids.org.au
Gerry develops and applies quantitative methods to support decision-making in public health and conservation science.
Gerry has a background in quantitative ecology and his work encompasses species distribution and population dynamics, risk assessment, infectious and vector-borne diseases, behaviour, effectiveness evaluation, Bayesian hierarchical modelling, social research, wildlife monitoring, demography, and basic ecology.
At The Kids, Gerry is focussed on understanding the transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic and the distribution and population dynamics of malaria vectors in Africa through the Vector Atlas.
Projects
The Vector Atlas
The Vector Atlas aims to update and create vector species maps and spatial products that improve disease prediction, mitigation and preparedness.
January 2024
Published research
Opportunities to strengthen respiratory virus surveillance systems in Australia: lessons learned from the COVID-19 response
Disease surveillance data was critical in supporting public health decisions throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. At the same time, the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic revealed many shortcomings of surveillance systems for viral respiratory pathogens. Strengthening of surveillance systems was identified as a priority for the recently established Australian Centre for Disease Control, which represents a critical opportunity to review pre-pandemic and pandemic surveillance practices, and to decide on future priorities, during both pandemic and inter-pandemic periods.
Estimating measures to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia to guide a ‘National Plan’ to reopening
The availability of COVID-19 vaccines promised a reduction in the severity of disease and relief from the strict public health and social measures (PHSMs) imposed in many countries to limit spread and burden of COVID-19. We were asked to define vaccine coverage thresholds for Australia's transition to easing restrictions and reopening international borders.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Master of Environment
- Doctor of Philosophy
Active Collaborations
- Honorary Fellow in the Infectious Disease Dynamics Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne
- The Vector Atlas with the University of Oxford (UK) and the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (Kenya)