Dr. Prativa Baral

Biography

Prativa Baral is an epidemiologist and global health scholar working at the intersection of health systems, crisis readiness, and science communication. She serves as an Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Global Public Health at McGill University, where she collaborates closely with Dr. Joanne Liu to support the strategic direction of the Pandemic Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL). Additionally, she is a Faculty Associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Baral has a robust educational background, having completed her BSc at McGill University, her MPH at Columbia University, and her PhD at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research primarily focuses on strengthening health systems and improving readiness for health emergencies, with a particular emphasis on infectious diseases, data infrastructure, and misinformation. Dr. Baral's work spans academic, policy, and public arenas, where she has advised important institutions including the World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nations, and Gates Foundation, contributing to both domestic and global COVID-19 response efforts. She is recognized as a trusted media voice and has received several accolades including the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar and the CIHR Fellow designation, as well as the King Charles III Coronation Medal, demonstrating her commitment to addressing pressing health challenges.

Research Interests