Annakate Schatz is an ORISE Research Program Participant at the United State Department of Agriculture National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. She is studying foot and mouth disease among hooved animals – pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and water buffalo – in Vietnam. Foot and mouth disease is not present in United States, but it is endemic around the world. The disease has some significant economic consequences for farm productivity and potential trade restrictions. As a result, the USDA wants to make sure that we have a good understanding of how the disease functions and how it might spread. By building resilience to that disease in other countries, we can prepare for how the US might respond, should there be an outbreak. In her off hours, Schatz enjoys roller derby, a conversation about which could have been an episode all by itself.

To learn more about ORISE Research Participation Programs at the USDA, visit https://orise.orau.gov/usda-ars/index.html