Category: Slider

Funded Research Exchanges

Posted on by Leah Johnson

We are pleased to announce funding for research exchanges for those working on behavioral and ecological aspects of vector borne diseases. The aim of these awards is to allow VectorBiTE network members the opportunity to spend time working intensively away from their home institutions, within a group with complementary expertise, to pursue VBiTE related research. 

In the spirit of the RCN, example exchanges could include learning about a different vector system, exchange between a theoretically and empirically based group, or a gathering of researchers to identify data standards or consolidate data for use. Exchanges must be completed before December 15, 2022. 

To apply please send your CV, Letter of support from host, a <2000 word description of the research, requirement for exchange (why can’t you do this virtually?), timeline and specific activities associated with the exchange, and a budget. 

The total budget should be no more than $5,000 USD and can cover economy travel, lodging, and subsistence. Due to the nature of the funding we can only support travel for US-based persons (of any nationality), usually to travel within the United States, although in some cases we may be able to fund limited international travel. 

Please send application materials to ve***********@gm***.com . Applications for funding are rolling and will be reviewed as they come in. The last review will take place in November 2022, if funds are still available. Note that the total number of awards will be based on funding availability and demand, so we recommend applying early.

Board Meeting and Updated Operating Principles and Procedures

Posted on by Leah Johnson

The VectorBiTE Network Steering Committee and Advisory Board had it’s first meeting from 3-4 August 2022. During the meeting we began formulating long term plans for the Network and updated our OPP document. We are posting the OPP and soliciting feedback before the next meeting of the Steering Committee, scheduled for mid-September. If you have comments or feedback on the OPP document, please submit those through the VectorBiTE gmail account OR e-mail one of the steering committee members (see below).

Operating-Principles-And-Procedures-for-the-VectorBiTE-Network

Current Steering Committee

  • Leah Johnson (Chair)
  • Lauren Cator (Chair Elect)
  • Nicole Gottdenker
  • Peter Hudson
  • Cynthia Lord
  • Samraat Pawar
  • Catherine Lippi (trainee representative)

Current Advisory Board

  • Mike Boots
  • Shannon LaDeau
  • Sunny Power
  • Sadie Ryan
  • Sam Rund
  • Matt Thomas

VectorBiTE 2021

Posted on by Miles Nesbit

Hello VectorBiTE members,

We are planning to hold virtual events this summer. These will include a symposium focusing on VectorBiTE related research topics and a training workshop. We are holding the symposium on July 8-9th and training on July 28-30th. Please apply on google forms for the symposium and for the training.

Similar to previous years we will be providing training in:

  1. Introduction VectorByte databases
  2. Data Wrangling
  3. Model Fitting Introduction
  4. Time Series
  5. Likelihoods
  6. Bayesian on Traits 
  7. Bayesian on Time Series

We hope you are all well and we look forward to seeing you again!

Best,

VectorBiTE Team

VBiTE 2020 Update

Posted on by Zach Gajewski

Due to the current circumstances of COVID-19, we will not be meeting before this year’s Ecological Society of America meeting. We will postpone an in-person meet up until spring 2021. We will provide more details when we have them. In the meantime, we are looking into providing some small virtual meetings. We will be sending out an email soon about what these meetings will entail.

VectorBiTE 2019 Survey

Posted on by Zach Gajewski

Please remember to take the VectorBiTE 2019 Survey. This survey is for all VectorBiTE members, whether you participated in the last meeting or not. We are looking for feedback from members about how VectorBiTE should move forward. The survey should only take 5-10 minutes to fill out and would help us figure out the future of VectorBiTE.

The survey can be found here.

VectorBiTE 2019: Meeting Recap

Posted on by Zach Gajewski
  • Fondazione Edmund Mach in Trento, Italy

VectorBiTE 2019 just finished at Fondazione Edmund Mach in Trento, Italy! Just like last year, the meeting was split into two parts; training and then a general working group meeting. The first three days were the training session where graduate students and postdocs came to advance their data management and statistical skill set. The last two and half days were set aside for working groups to meet and continue making progress on their research projects.

The training session started off with general linear and non-linear models and moved on to time series and eventually fitting Bayesian models. The trainees worked extremely hard during the first two days to learn a bunch of new skills and then on the third day they applied what they had learned to a group project on either their own data sets and data from Vectorbyte’s VecDyn or VecTraits database. The training material can be found here.

  • Tuesday night, the training participants and the board members were treated to an amazing dinner on one of the mountain near Fondazione Edmund Mach.

On Thursday morning, all the VectorBiTE 2019 participants met up and the training participants shared what they had been working on. The working group leaders then gave a brief overview of what each working group has been doing and what they hope to accomplish at the meeting. Trainees were able to join working groups and apply their new skill sets to help the working groups. Check out the working group one page summaries to find out about what each group accomplished in this year’s meeting!

  • Presentation from E-STAR

During the working group portion of the meeting, we also got a video presentation from E-STAR, on mosquito prevention in Italy. The group showed us one of their videos that they use in their elementary school outreach events. The video focused on Ms. Mosquito and an elementary school child learning about how to prevent Ms. Mosquito from permanently moving to Trento, Italy. The video shared mosquito prevention methods that students can use and teach their parents.

This year’s meeting was at a stunning location filled with great scientific discussions. We are looking forward to seeing the outcomes of each working group from this year’s meeting!

  • Group photo from VectorBiTE 2019! Thanks Marta for taking the photo.