Mathematics Faculty Seminar by Prof. Julie Blackwood, Friday, March 3

Transboundary Management of Ecological Systems with Applications to Diseases by Prof. Julie Blackwood, Mathematics Faculty Seminar, Friday, March 3, 1 – 1:45 pm, North Science Building 015, Wachenheim.

Abstract: The development of public health policy is inextricably linked with governance structure.  In our increasingly globalized world, human migration and infectious diseases often span multiple administrative jurisdictions that might have different systems of government and divergent management objectives. In this talk, I’ll introduce two examples in which spatial coordination may be critical for disease control. The first is in the management of rabies in vampire bats, where we demonstrate that spatial interactions likely play a key role in driving disease persistence. The second will describe a more general infectious disease in humans.  We show that successful management may depend on both the actions of multiple managers and their desired objectives.

This talk is eligible for colloquium credit.