Welcome
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend the annual conference of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (SVEPM); especially if this would be your first SVEPM conference or indeed your first visit to Northern Ireland. The conference will be on 23-25 March 2022.
The state-of-the-art conference venue (Assembly Buildings Conference Centre) is situated in the heart of Belfast, at which you can profit from the opportunities to interact and socialise with the other SVEPM delegates. The conference programme consists of oral presentations, poster pitches and posters as well as two well-known keynote speakers; see the conference programme for details.
There is a choice from six workshops on the Wednesday morning (23 March) prior to the formal conference opening. The social programme comprises of a welcome drinks reception in the iconic Belfast City Hall followed by dinner at the nearby Ten Square Hotel. The Thursday night gala dinner will be hosted in Clayton Hotel. All of these events are included in the on-site conference fee.
Scientific posters form an important part of the conference and posters are accepted on a first come, first served basis. This offers an ideal opportunity to present and discuss your research work to other delegates. An option to have your poster printed in Belfast and delivered to the conference venue is available (cost is £15-£25 per poster).
While the conference is geared towards being an on-site event, the SVEPM Committee are mindful that not everyone will be able to attend in person due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. To accommodate this, a virtual delegate option is available, which will enable virtual attendees to watch and ask questions on the oral presentations and also view the poster pitches and AGM.
To enhance the experience for those new to SVEPM, an informal Young Scientist Event will be held on the Tuesday night (22 March), which will allow attendees to mix with others new to the field of veterinary epidemiology in a relaxed setting. This will enable any newcomers to get acquainted with each other while enjoying some food and drink prior to the start of the conference.
Three bursary awards are also available offering free conference registration and accommodation. Further details of the application process are on the web site.
The conference offers great value for money and this is due to the generosity of our conference sponsors, for which we owe them a big thank you. In particular, I would like to acknowledge our Gold sponsors (Norbrook & Visit Belfast) and our Silver sponsors (Moy Park & Utrecht University).
SVEPM conferences are well-known for being enjoyable and memorable so I trust you take this opportunity to link up with old acquaintances as well as forming some new friendships.
Fraser Menzies
Local organising committee chairperson
On behalf of the SVEPM committee
STOP PRESS:
On 8 November 2021, Belfast became a UNESCO City of Music, celebrating the city’s rich musical heritage and recognising the importance of music to its future. This, combined with the Lonely Planet rating Belfast and the beautiful Causeway Coast as the number one spot to visit during 2018, highlights some of the wider attractions that are available. So why not come along and see for yourself!
About SVEPM
SVEPM was founded in 1982 and comprises approximately 200 members from 27 countries who are actively engaged or interested in veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicines. Members include vets, modellers, statisticians, economists and other experts in animal health and of course one health approaches to disease control.
Mission
The objects of the Society are to promote veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine. This is mainly achieved through our annual conference and its proceedings which enable professionals to meet and share knowledge to improve the health of animals, humans and the environment.
Committees
Gerdien van Schaik
Marie McIntyre
Philip Robinson
Fernanda Dórea
David Brodbelt
Luis Carmo
Egil Fischer
Carla Gomes
Timothée Vergne
Fraser Menzies
The Local Organising Committee consists of current and past members of the Veterinary Epidemiology Unit of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland.