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Introduction to Epidemiologic Simulation Modeling: August 9 - 13, 2010

Sponsored by
The NAADSM Development Team
The Animal Population Health Institute at Colorado State University
The US Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Veterinary Services - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health

Course description

Simulation modeling is an increasingly well established and essential tool for many epidemiologic investigations, including studies of population disease dynamics and evaluation of mechanisms of disease control. This course will serve as an introduction to the principles, methods, and applications of simulation models of epidemiological systems.

This course will address concepts of disease spread and control from the perspective of the modeler. These epidemiologic principles will be presented and developed in the context of disease models, beginning with simple, deterministic models of disease spread within a population. Several approaches to disease modeling, including chain binomial, Markov chain, and state transition models will be covered. Additional levels of complexity will be incorporated as stochasticity and concepts of spatial and temporal aspects of disease spread modeling are introduced. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the economic aspects of disease control.

The course will culminate in the use of and development of parameters for a detailed stochastic, temporal, spatial simulation model of contagious disease using NAADSM, a freely distributed disease spread model developed by the Animal Population Health Institute at Colorado State University, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the United States Department of Agriculture - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, and the University of Guelph Department of Computing and Information Science.

Target audience

This course is intended for epidemiologists, veterinarians, graduate students, and other workers in the fields of animal health and preparedness planning. Previous experience with modeling is not required. Participants should be familiar with basic operations in Microsoft Excel (including the use of formulas, the use of relative and absolute cell references, and production of charts).

Course logistics

Registration information

Registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested individuals should be in touch as soon as possible, as the course is limited to roughly 30 participants and it has historically filled quickly. When the course is full, we will establish a waiting list, and will notify individuals of any cancellations. If we cannot accommodate everyone, priority for attendance at the next course (likely to be held in January 2011) will be given to those still on the waiting list.

Registration costs

The course itself is offered free of charge. However, each course participant is responsible for the costs associated with his/her own travel, room, and board. Some suggestions for travel and lodging are provided below.

Students at Colorado State University or at the Colorado School for Public Health who choose to take the course for academic credit at these institutions (see below) will be responsible for normal tuition and fees.

Registration deadlines

For employees of the US Department of Agriculture: Please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves no later than May 3, 2010 to reserve a place in the course.

For all others: Please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves as soon as possible, but no later than June 30, 2010 to reserve a place in the course.

Course schedule

This course will be held August 9 - 13, 2010. The course will meet from 8:00 AM to approximately 5:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon on Friday.

Travelers should plan to arrive in Fort Collins prior to Monday the 9th, and plan to depart no sooner than noon on Friday the 13th.

Course credit

Academic credit

Students at Colorado State University (CSU) or at the Colorado School of Public Health may take the course for 2 hours of academic credit during the Spring 2010 semester. CSU students should register for VS 796 (Group Study - Medicine) for 2 credits. Students enrolled in the Colorado School of Public Health should register for 2 credits of VSCS 7960 (Group Study - Medicine).

Continuing education credit

Veterinarians who complete the course are eligible for Continuing Education (CE) credit.

Location

The course will be held in Fort Collins, Colorado, at the Natural Resources Research Center (NRCC), a research campus that houses several federal agencies. The NRRC is located at 2150 Centre Avenue, just south of the main Colorado State University campus. The US Department of Agriculture - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health is located in Building B on the NRRC campus. The NRRC is within easy walking distance of several local hotels (see below).

Photo IDs are required to enter the building.

Guest parking is available at no charge.

Travel to Fort Collins

The nearest major airport to Fort Collins is Denver International Airport (DIA) in Denver, Colorado, about 60 miles away. Rental cars (available at the airport) are one option for travel to and from the airport. The Fort Collins Area SuperShuttle airport shuttle is another. The airport shuttle costs approximately $35 each way. It leaves DIA approximately every 90 minutes and offers door-to-door service between the airport and several major hotels in Fort Collins (please see the recommended hotels below). For a small additional charge, door-to-door service is available to any address in Fort Collins. Reservations for the shuttle are recommended. There is a ticket counter in the airport (see the web site for directions). All passengers, even those with reservations and pre-paid tickets, are required to check in that the ticket counter.

Please see the Fort Collins SuperShuttle web site for more information and to make reservations.

If you plan to rent a car, you will likely encounter E-470, a toll road connecting DIA with other major highways. E-470 is a cashless toll road: you will not have the opportunity to stop to pay tolls. Please see the E-470 Express Toll website and check with your rental car company to make any necessary arrangements for tolls.

Recommended hotels

A block of rooms will be reserved for course participants in a nearby hotel. Please check back on this website for further information at a later date.

Estimated expenses

The US Department of Agriculture allows a per diem for Ft. Collins of US$146, which includes a maximum of $90 per day (excluding taxes) for lodging (hotel) and $56 per day for meals and incidental expenses.

Visitors should plan on US$125 to US$150 per day in expenses, excluding travel and rental car expenses.

August weather in Fort Collins

August in Colorado is warm and sunny, with cooler nights and a small possibility of afternoon thunder showers. Visitors should be prepared for warm weather. Sun screen is an important accessory for those planning to spent time outdoors during the day. The average high temperature in Fort Collins in August is between 80º and 85º F. Average nighttime low temperature is around 55º F.

Fort Collins has an elevation of about 5000 feet above sea level. Occasionally, visitors to Fort Collins may experience slight elevation sickness. Drinking plenty of water and remaining well hydrated are the best ways to avoid elevation sickness. Visitors are advised to refrain from strenuous physical activity until they have had a few days to acclimate to the higher elevation.

For further information

For information or questions not addressed above, please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves.


NAADSM About NAADSM Download the NAADSM application Documentation Support Online support forums Download source code Experimental versions How to cite NAADSM Training Other applications, scripts, and utilities Contact information Beta tester/website login Search this site:	View Introduction to Epidemiologic Simulation Modeling: August 9 - 13, 2010 Sponsored by The NAADSM Development Team The Animal Population Health Institute at Colorado State University The US Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Veterinary Services - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health Course description Simulation modeling is an increasingly well established and essential tool for many epidemiologic investigations, including studies of population disease dynamics and evaluation of mechanisms of disease control. This course will serve as an introduction to the principles, methods, and applications of simulation models of epidemiological systems. This course will address concepts of disease spread and control from the perspective of the modeler. These epidemiologic principles will be presented and developed in the context of disease models, beginning with simple, deterministic models of disease spread within a population. Several approaches to disease modeling, including chain binomial, Markov chain, and state transition models will be covered. Additional levels of complexity will be incorporated as stochasticity and concepts of spatial and temporal aspects of disease spread modeling are introduced. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the economic aspects of disease control. The course will culminate in the use of and development of parameters for a detailed stochastic, temporal, spatial simulation model of contagious disease using NAADSM, a freely distributed disease spread model developed by the Animal Population Health Institute at Colorado State University, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the United States Department of Agriculture - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, and the University of Guelph Department of Computing and Information Science. Target audience This course is intended for epidemiologists, veterinarians, graduate students, and other workers in the fields of animal health and preparedness planning. Previous experience with modeling is not required. Participants should be familiar with basic operations in Microsoft Excel (including the use of formulas, the use of relative and absolute cell references, and production of charts). Course logistics Registration information Registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested individuals should be in touch as soon as possible, as the course is limited to roughly 30 participants and it has historically filled quickly. When the course is full, we will establish a waiting list, and will notify individuals of any cancellations. If we cannot accommodate everyone, priority for attendance at the next course (likely to be held in January 2011) will be given to those still on the waiting list. Registration costs The course itself is offered free of charge. However, each course participant is responsible for the costs associated with his/her own travel, room, and board. Some suggestions for travel and lodging are provided below. Students at Colorado State University or at the Colorado School for Public Health who choose to take the course for academic credit at these institutions (see below) will be responsible for normal tuition and fees. Registration deadlines For employees of the US Department of Agriculture: Please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves no later than May 3, 2010 to reserve a place in the course. For all others: Please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves as soon as possible, but no later than June 30, 2010 to reserve a place in the course. Course schedule This course will be held August 9 - 13, 2010. The course will meet from 8:00 AM to approximately 5:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon on Friday. Travelers should plan to arrive in Fort Collins prior to Monday the 9th, and plan to depart no sooner than noon on Friday the 13th. Course credit Academic credit Students at Colorado State University (CSU) or at the Colorado School of Public Health may take the course for 2 hours of academic credit during the Spring 2010 semester. CSU students should register for VS 796 (Group Study - Medicine) for 2 credits. Students enrolled in the Colorado School of Public Health should register for 2 credits of VSCS 7960 (Group Study - Medicine). Continuing education credit Veterinarians who complete the course are eligible for Continuing Education (CE) credit. Location The course will be held in Fort Collins, Colorado, at the Natural Resources Research Center (NRCC), a research campus that houses several federal agencies. The NRRC is located at 2150 Centre Avenue, just south of the main Colorado State University campus. The US Department of Agriculture - Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health is located in Building B on the NRRC campus. The NRRC is within easy walking distance of several local hotels (see below). *Photo IDs are required to enter the building.* Guest parking is available at no charge. Map to the NRRC Map of the NRRC and vicinity Travel to Fort Collins The nearest major airport to Fort Collins is Denver International Airport (DIA) in Denver, Colorado, about 60 miles away. Rental cars (available at the airport) are one option for travel to and from the airport. The Fort Collins Area SuperShuttle airport shuttle is another. The airport shuttle costs approximately $35 each way. It leaves DIA approximately every 90 minutes and offers door-to-door service between the airport and several major hotels in Fort Collins (please see the recommended hotels below). For a small additional charge, door-to-door service is available to any address in Fort Collins. Reservations for the shuttle are recommended. There is a ticket counter in the airport (see the web site for directions). All passengers, even those with reservations and pre-paid tickets, are required to check in that the ticket counter. Please see the Fort Collins SuperShuttle web site for more information and to make reservations. If you plan to rent a car, you will likely encounter E-470, a toll road connecting DIA with other major highways. E-470 is a cashless toll road: you will not have the opportunity to stop to pay tolls. Please see the E-470 Express Toll website and check with your rental car company to make any necessary arrangements for tolls. Map from DIA to Fort Collins Fort Collins SuperShuttle web site E-470 Express Toll website Recommended hotels A block of rooms will be reserved for course participants in a nearby hotel. Please check back on this website for further information at a later date. Estimated expenses The US Department of Agriculture allows a per diem for Ft. Collins of US$146, which includes a maximum of $90 per day (excluding taxes) for lodging (hotel) and $56 per day for meals and incidental expenses. Visitors should plan on US$125 to US$150 per day in expenses, excluding travel and rental car expenses. August weather in Fort Collins August in Colorado is warm and sunny, with cooler nights and a small possibility of afternoon thunder showers. Visitors should be prepared for warm weather. Sun screen is an important accessory for those planning to spent time outdoors during the day. The average high temperature in Fort Collins in August is between 80º and 85º F. Average nighttime low temperature is around 55º F. Fort Collins has an elevation of about 5000 feet above sea level. Occasionally, visitors to Fort Collins may experience slight elevation sickness. Drinking plenty of water and remaining well hydrated are the best ways to avoid elevation sickness. Visitors are advised to refrain from strenuous physical activity until they have had a few days to acclimate to the higher elevation. For further information For information or questions not addressed above, please contact course coordinator Aaron Reeves.