Savannah Shooter is a Berry alumnus (20c) who is currently a fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working with tickborne pathogens in the Rickettsia group. She will be discussing her work at the CDC and how she leveraged her time at Berry College as an Animal Science major into a research fellowship. Tick-borne diseases present a significant public health concern, especially from those who are frequently outdoor in tick habitats. The Rickettsia are a group of bacterial pathogens that are responsible for significant, life-threatening diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. This lecture will present relevant scientific information concerning the current work occurring at the CDC in the Rickettsia division of the Tick-borne Diseases Branch and the necessity of research and education into vector-borne illnesses for public health.