In the recent STSM, the team achieved significant contributions to ESFLU’s objectives. They cleaned and organized survey data, creating an inventory of surveillance systems across Europe, and actively participated in scientific discussions. Preliminary descriptive analyses were conducted, focusing on the Swine Influenza Surveillance Program. Moreover, the STSM featured field visits, including university facilities and the Royal GD laboratory.
TThe team also prioritized networking during their STSM, fostering connections within the Farm Animal Health unit at Utrecht University. They collaborated closely with Tijs Tobias as the welcoming host institution and established a productive working relation, including Gavrila A. Puspitarani and Kasper Pedersen from The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni) and University of Copenhagen, respectively. Interactions with other ESFLU STSM participants further enriched their collaborative efforts.
The STSM participants also had the opportunity to experience the Dutch culture during their stay. They explored Utrecht by bicycle, which was made easy by the city’s bike-friendly infrastructure. They also indulged themselves in Dutch cuisine, enjoying local specialties like pancakes and Indonesian dishes, which added a rich cultural dimension to their experience. The STSM wasn’t just about research; it was a fun and immersive cultural adventure. Their future plans are to provide cleaned R scripts for transparency in data processing, hold remote meetings to refine our findings, results dissemination, and prepare a document for conference submission.
