Veterinary Epidemiology Down Under

Editor’s note: Each semester, students in the Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. program can apply for a Geospatial Analytics Travel Award that supports research travel or presentations at conferences. The following is a guest post by travel award winner Felipe Sanchez as part of the Student Travel series.

I had an amazing time attending the 17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (ISVEE) in Sydney, Australia. Held every three years, ISVEE brings together a global community of experts dedicated to advancing research in veterinary epidemiology and
economics. This incredible opportunity was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Center for Geospatial Analytics, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate Student Association at NC State, for which I am sincerely grateful.

At ISVEE, I had the opportunity to present my research in the “Technology Meets Epi” session, where I showcased how deep learning and aerial imagery can be used to identify swine farms across the contiguous United States. This work focuses on detecting swine premises to enhance the input data used in epidemiological models, ultimately supporting more
effective disease surveillance and monitoring strategies. Having my presentation recognized as one of the Best Student Presentations at the conference was a truly humbling experience and a highlight of my academic journey.

Beyond presenting, ISVEE offered a platform to connect with researchers and professionals from all over the world, each contributing valuable perspectives to veterinary epidemiology. It is bittersweet knowing that this ISVEE will be my last as a Ph.D. student. However, I look forward to attending future conferences, wherever my career path takes me. I
am grateful for the connections I have made through this incredible event and will cherish the opportunity to stay in touch with the amazing people I’ve met along the way.