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Outreach

Outreach

Consistent with Virginia Tech’s mission as a leading land-grant university, CeZAP will work on important local and state issues in infectious diseases such as microbial contamination in drinking water in Appalachian rural areas, Lyme disease, bat white-nose syndrome in Virginia, microbe-related food safety, COVID-19 prevention and control, etc.

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CeZAP will develop science-based solutions for issues related to infectious diseases, and educate graduate students to effectively communicate their research results to policy-makers and the general public.

Our outreach and extension activities include:

  • Monthly CeZAP newsletter
  • Annual Research Symposium
  • Public Lecture Series: SPARK: Seminar Series on Pathogens, Advancements, and Research Knowledge
  • Pathogems Podcast
  • Educational events with schools and science fairs
  • Working with citizens on issues of regional significance

Monthly CeZAP newsletter

Stay connected with everything happening at the CeZAP. Our monthly newsletter brings together the latest news, events, and accomplishments from our faculty, students, and research teams. Each issue highlights upcoming seminars and activities, showcases ongoing research and publications, and features outreach efforts that strengthen our partnerships within the community.

  • Read the latest issue and subscribe to keep up with all the news and information going on within the Center

CeZAP Annual Infectious Diseases Research Symposium

The annual CeZAP Infectious Diseases Symposium is a great opportunity for faculty and students to network and learn about the outstanding infectious disease research being performed at Virginia Tech. At each annual symposium we hear from faculty, students, and other renowned guest speakers about their research and future plans. From poster presentations, keynote sessions, breakout sessions, and more, this event is full of learning opportunities and scientific fun.

  • Save the date - the 2026 Annual CeZAP Infectious Disease Research symposium wll be October 30, 2026

SPARK: Seminar Series on Pathogens, Advancements, and Research Knowledge

The Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens (CeZAP) proudly presents the CeZAP SPARK Seminar Series on Pathogens, Advancements, and Research Knowledge — a continuing, university-wide initiative at Virginia Tech that highlights cutting-edge research in infectious diseases. This ongoing series brings nationally recognized scientists to campus to share their expertise with CeZAP and the broader university community, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.  The diversity of seminar topics is central to the mission of SPARK, ensuring broad coverage of emerging issues and innovations in infectious disease research.

Pathogems Podcast

Pathogems is an infectious disease podcast created by Aryn Wright, Caroline Clark, and Avery Kaye, first-year PhD students in the CeZAP ID-IGEP program.  We invite professors, graduate students, and others here at VT to chat about their research experiences, while also trying to make science more fun.

Our goal is to make scientific communication more approachable and to build community within CeZAP and beyond!

COVID-19 Research and Outreach

CeZAP faculty affiliates were active in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through research, education, and outreach activities, including developing vaccines and antivirals, studying the biology of the virus, providing undergraduate and graduate course lectures on COVID-19, and educating he public about aerosol transmission, vaccine, and public health measurers in a large number of news media. 

outreach activities by CeZAP affiliates