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How can we inform the Public Health sector about how climate change influences the spread of vector-borne diseases in Canada?
Project Type
Public Health Project
Duration
5 months
Role
Visual Design Lead
Team
Canada Research Chair
PhD Student in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Visual Design Lead (me🙋🏻♀️)
Project Manager
Program Senior Manager
Project Overview
As part of a national initiative with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID), I supported the design and communication strategy for a campaign on climate change and vector-borne diseases in Canada. I worked with researchers and public health experts to create a 12-page educational comic that translated complex science into clear, engaging visuals. The final piece was widely distributed across public health networks, helping to raise awareness and understanding of climate-related health risks.
Science x Design
Research & Collaboration 🔎
The project began with close collaboration alongside a team of researchers, including the Canada Research Chair and several PhD candidates. We held weekly meetings to align on the scientific research and explore effective communication strategies for presenting the material. These sessions were essential, not only for deepening my understanding of the scientific findings but also for gathering feedback that shaped both the content and the visual approach. This collaborative process ensured the comic would resonate with audiences while remaining rooted in evidence-based research.
Concept Development 💡
The concept phase began with more than 200 hand-drawn sketches ranging from insect anatomy to narrative scenes of transmission between vectors and humans. These early explorations allowed the research team to visualize ideas and provide feedback, refining the direction of the comic’s storyline and overall structure.
Refinement & Illustration
Once initial concepts were approved by the research team and the board of directors, the visuals were developed into clean, vector-based illustrations using Adobe Illustrator, After Effects, and Photoshop. This refinement process ensured the final imagery was scientifically accurate, visually engaging, and tailored for readability across both print and digital platforms.
- Tools used -
An animated visualization of how climate change drives the spread of vector-borne disease habitats
Final Input & Impact
The completed 12-page comic was published digitally and in print. More than 500 physical copies were distributed to primary care clinics across Canada, with the digital version shared widely through national public health networks. The resource received highly positive feedback and became a valuable tool for healthcare professionals and educators in communicating the impacts of climate change on infectious diseases.
Key Takeaways
Given that this was my very first stepping stone into the world of design, I was absolutely proud of the results of this project. Being able to sit at the big table surrounded by individuals who come from prestigious backgrounds, I saw this opportunity as a pivotal learning experience for me. Learning how to work in cross-functional teams at such an early stage of my career showed me the capabilities I had as a designer. This is now used as inspiration to take on more projects like these, to collaborate with others to do something cool.
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