Professor Christl Donnelly explores the important roles for statisticians and epidemiologists in controlling outbreaks such as Ebola, Zika, SARS and foot and mouth disease, all of which are diseases that she has worked on. She studies the spread and control of infectious diseases to ensure that the strategies used to combat and control outbreaks of infection are as effective as they possibly can be.

Professor Donnelly has given talks and interactive presentations at schools, the Big Bang Fair, in addition to public lectures at the University of Bath, Cambridge Science Festival and elsewhere. Professor Donnelly is the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) William Guy lecturer for 2016-17, and has been given RSS support to deliver lectures to school students throughout the UK.