Uriel Kitron, Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies at Emory University, will speak on the use of GIS to gather data, map, and further analyze the spatial distribution of diseases and their effect of the built environment.

Urban environments provide fertile ground for the transmission of various diseases. A long-term study of the introduction and emergence of the West Nile Virus in Chicago has identified hot spots and characteristics of the urban environment that are conducive to WNV transmission. A study initiated this summer in Atlanta is focusing on CSO's and their contribution to mosquito vector distribution and potential transmission of West Nile Virus. GIS and other spatial tools are used in these filed based eco-epidemiological studies.

Uriel Kitron's Bio is available online at http://www.envs.emory.edu/faculty/kitron.html.