Research Interests
My research focuses on epidemiology, specifically the mathematical and statistical modeling of disease, with an emphasis on control. I am particularly interested in the ways that data can be used for real-time response to disease.
Education
epidemiology, PhD, Cornell University
biosecurity and risk analysis, MS, Kansas State University
veterinary, DVM, Cornell University
Courses Taught
I teach Principles and Methods of Epidemiology, PATH 517, every fall. I also lead the discussion-based Epidemiology/Parasitology Seminar, PATH 527, most springs, with a changing topic each semester. I co-facilitating a new course on Global One Health: Infectious Diseases, being held in Fall 2019 under PATH 494. I am also available for independent studies related to epidemiology and disease modeling.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Associate Professor, Pathobiology
Associate Professor, Biomedical and Translational Sciences
Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Community Health
Associate Professor, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Associate Professor, Center for Digital Agriculture, National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)
Associate Professor, National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)
Affiliate, Center for Social and Behavioral Science
Associate Professor, Women & Gender in Global Perspectives
Recent Publications
Chakraborty, S., Kopsco, H., Evans, C., Mateus-Pinilla, N., & Smith, R. L. (2024). Assessing knowledge gaps and empowering Extension workers in Illinois with information on ticks and tickborne diseases through KAP surveys. Heliyon, 10(3), Article e25789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25789
Farjo, M., Koelle, K., Martin, M. A., Gibson, L. L., Walden, K. K. O., Rendon, G., Fields, C. J., Alnaji, F. G., Gallagher, N., Luo, C. H., Mostafa, H. H., Manabe, Y. C., Pekosz, A., Smith, R. L., McManus, D. D., & Brooke, C. B. (2024). Within-host evolutionary dynamics and tissue compartmentalization during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Journal of virology, 98(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.01618-23
Iacaruso, N., Kopsco, H., Gronemeyer, P., Merkelz, S., Smith, R., & Davis, M. (2024). Design and partial validation of novel eDNA qPCR assays for three common North American tick (Arachnida: Ixodida) species. Environmental DNA, 6(2), Article e537. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.537
Wan, G., Allen, J., Ge, W., Rawlani, S., Uelmen, J., Mainzer, L. S., & Smith, R. L. (2024). Two-step light gradient boosted model to identify human west nile virus infection risk factor in Chicago. PloS one, 19(1 January), Article e0296283. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296283
Chakraborty, S., Steckler, T. L., Gronemeyer, P., Mateus-Pinilla, N., & Smith, R. L. (2023). Farmers’ Knowledge and Practices About Ticks and Tickborne Diseases in Illinois. Journal of Agromedicine, 28(4), 756-768. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2023.2199003