This month, we’re excited to feature Ruth Lue and Fabio Robibaro, two CAnD3 Fellows whose research journeys show how curiosity and reflection can lead to unexpected paths. From rediscovered goals to new beginnings sparked by data, both share how curiosity, mentorship, and the CAnD3 experience have shaped the way they see and study the world.
To start, tell us a bit about your journeys. Was there a defining moment that influenced the way you approach research? And how has your experience with CAnD3 shaped that journey?
Ruth: A pivotal moment in my research journey came when I found an old career plan I’d written more than a decade ago. In it, I had described my goal as becoming a “nurse sociologist.” So much time had passed that I’d forgotten about it, but rereading those words reminded me that I’ve been moving toward this path all along, studying how social structures, adversity, and inequality shape health outcomes.
CAnD3 has strengthened that sense of purpose by teaching me how to think about my research more intentionally – how to plan it out clearly, structure my analyses, and communicate findings effectively. I’ve learned not just new coding skills and visualization techniques, but also how to lay things out neatly and interpret data in a way that connects with policy and practice.
Fabio: When I reflect on pivotal moments, my transition point from philosophy to sociology stands out as a moment when I realized that data was how I communicated with the world. It began right in the middle of the pandemic, after completing my M.A. in philosophy. I remember feeling completely lost, not sure what I wanted to do next. I’ve always been drawn to data, and one day, while browsing Statistics Canada’s website, I came across a job description for Economist/Sociologist/Analyst. That’s when it just clicked; this was what I wanted to build toward. Within four months of starting my sociology degree at McGill, I had an interview at Statistics Canada, and soon after, I joined a team focused on the care economy, a moment that would change my academic trajectory forever.
That experience taught me how deeply the questions behind data collection matter, and how my love for conceptual clarity could come together with my fascination for data. It also connected me with mentors and friends who continue to shape how I think about research and care policy. CAnD3 has been an incredible extension of that journey. It’s given me the space to keep exploring how to be a better storyteller with data and how to bridge complex analysis with narratives that resonate beyond academia. The program has helped me see how data can be mobilized to inform policymakers and shift public conversations about care, well-being, and inequality.
Let's talk about your work. What’s a recent project, presentation, or milestone that you’re particularly proud of? What made it meaningful, or perhaps challenging, to complete?
Ruth: One project I’m especially proud of is my current work as the Global Health Lead at the University of New Brunswick. In this role, I’ve been mapping course outcomes across our nursing program to identify where global and planetary health principles can be meaningfully integrated. The goal is to create a shared framework that helps faculty embed these perspectives into their own courses, supporting a more holistic understanding of health equity, sustainability, and interdependence.
The most exciting part has been seeing colleagues engage with these ideas and explore how global systems influence health at the local level. The biggest challenge has been translating broad interdisciplinary frameworks into tangible curriculum elements, but it’s deeply rewarding to see how this work is shaping a more globally conscious nursing education.
Fabio: Recently, I presented a paper at the American Sociological Association titled, “Taking on an Unpaid Second Shift: The Impact of Employment Type on Caregiver Well-being.” The paper examines how the experience of caregiving differs for people who work in care-related professions compared to those who don’t. The data comes from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence’s 2023 National Caregiving Survey, a project I helped design from the ground up.
I’m especially proud of this work because it combines both sides of my research identity: data design and storytelling. I was able to put a spotlight on double-duty caregivers, a group who are often overlooked in both research and policy. Their dual role propping up both the informal and formal sides of the care economy is unique and needs to be explored further. This project also marked my first real dive into mental health as a dependent variable, which opened up new ways of thinking about how care, work, and well-being intersect. The most rewarding part was seeing how empirical evidence can be used to craft a compelling narrative about people whose struggles often go unseen.
Every researcher needs a recharge. How do you unwind or find balance outside of your academic life?
Ruth: Outside of research and data, I love spending time with friends and family at live events such as theatre performances and comedy shows. There’s something about shared laughter and storytelling that reminds me how powerful connection can be. This photo is from a show with one of my favourite comedians, White Yardie.
Fabio: It might not be the most surprising thing, but I’m a huge coffee person. I love everything about coffee: the culture, the craft, and, of course, the caffeine that keeps me going during long stretches of data analysis. While in my undergrad, like many other students, I worked as a barista for a while, and that passion has stuck with me. I eventually built out a full espresso setup at home, something I once told myself I’d never do, but after a lot of research, it was a worthy investment. One of the perks of being a data person is being able to calculate exactly how much you’re saving by not buying lattes every day.
When I lived in Montreal, I spent a lot of time at Café Myriade, one of the key spots in the third-wave coffee scene. Even now, I love exploring new cities and neighbourhoods through their coffee shops! It also helps that good café’s tend to have good Viennoiserie which are another passion of mine.
Photos Left to right: Ruth with the comedian White Yardie, Fabio with a Viennoiserie
Finally, Ruth, if you could have dinner with any data scientist or researcher, past or present, who would it be, and what burning question would you ask them about their approach?
I would choose Dr. David R. Williams from Harvard University. His development of the Everyday Discrimination Scale has fundamentally changed how we measure and understand the effects of racism and social inequality on health. The scale has been included in several major population datasets, such as the National Survey of American Life, the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, and, most recently, the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY). Its inclusion in these datasets has allowed researchers to link everyday experiences of unfair treatment to both psychosocial and biological health outcomes.
If I had the opportunity to have dinner with him, I would ask how his experiences as an Afro-Caribbean scholar have shaped the questions he asks and the ways he interprets data on race, stress, and inequality. I would want to know what inspired the creation of the Everyday Discrimination Scale and how his personal and cultural perspective informed the decision to measure something as often invisible as daily unfair treatment. I’m also curious how he continues to refine the scale to reflect evolving understandings of bias and social exclusion, and how he balances cultural specificity with the goal of cross-national comparability. Finally, I would ask how he makes sense of the connection between subjective experiences of discrimination and objective health outcomes, including physiological markers of stress.
And Fabio, to wrap this interview up on a fun note, if you were to describe your research as a food, what would it be and why?
I’d say my research is like pizza. The base, quantitative analysis of caregiving, stays the same, but the toppings, the variables of interest, are always changing. Sometimes I’m running a straightforward general linear model looking at how work affects stress levels of caregivers; that’s the classic pepperoni. Other times, I’m diving into something completely different, like topic modeling web-scraped data I didn’t even know I could pull; that’s pineapple on pizza, love it or hate it!
What I love about pizza is how much variation it allows while still being grounded in the same foundation. That’s exactly how I see my research: no matter how the data or topic shifts, the underlying logic, structure, and storytelling stay consistent. Quantitative analysis gives me that base, and from there, the possibilities are endless.
Through their work and stories, Ruth and Fabio embody what CAnD3 is all about, using data to tell human stories and spark meaningful change. Their journeys remind us that research, like connection, is both personal and transformative.
