Since the start of this project in 2022, the Gulf South VECTOR team of collaborators has worked to strengthen the region’s capacity to prevent and respond to vector‑borne diseases.
Training at Every Level
By training professionals on the front lines and the next generation of students, we have helped communities stay ahead of threats from mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, mites, and rodents. In that time, we delivered 875 training and outreach events across the Gulf South and beyond.
Our training meets people where they are: we have offered 164 awareness sessions for general audiences, 120 beginner training courses to build foundational skills, 183 intermediate training events to strengthen competencies, and 319 advanced courses for vector control and public health professionals. That advanced category is our largest, reflecting how strongly our partners value deeper technical expertise to prevent outbreaks and respond quickly when they occur.
Extending Our Reach
Most of our work happens in the Gulf South, with Louisiana, Florida, and Texas hosting the majority of events, though we have also trained audiences across the country and around the world. Most sessions were conducted in person (707), supplemented by 96 virtual and 25 hybrid events that extend our reach.
Together, these efforts have reached more than 12,700 students and roughly 59,000 professionals, while media features and podcasts, including an NPR segment in 2025, carried our message to an estimated 100,000 listeners. Each person reached contributes to a stronger, better‑prepared public health workforce.
Resources Designed for Real-World Outreach
In addition to training, Gulf South VECTOR provides a growing library of public‑facing educational tools, including downloadable posters, social media toolkits, and fact sheets designed to support agencies, districts, and communities.
These unbranded resources were developed directly in response to surveys and needs assessments that identified a clear demand for accessible, ready‑to‑use outreach materials. New resources are added each week, and partners are encouraged to visit vectoroutreach.org regularly to access the latest materials.
Contributing Author
Claudia Riegel, PhD
Director, City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board
