Society for Risk Analysis - Australia New Zealand
  • News
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Archive
    • Scholarships
    • Regulatory Sciences Network (Australia)
    • Conference 2019
    • AGM 2018
    • AGM 2017
    • AGM 2016
    • Conference 2016
    • Conference 2015
    • Conference 2014
    • Conference 2013
  • Join

Angela Scott 2016 Best Student Paper prize winner describes her risk assessment journey

12/1/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
I was first exposed to the concept of risk analysis during my veterinary science degree. During our fourth year we had a unit of study called veterinary public health, where we learnt about veterinary epidemiology. In all honesty, I wasn’t particularly interested in risk analysis at the time. Instead I was interested in poultry health and was offered a PhD in avian influenza risk mitigation by our senior poultry lecturer, an offer at the time I believed I couldn’t refuse. Little did I know that this PhD would force me to delve deep into the risk analysis world.

The skills and tools I have learnt to use during my PhD have opened my eyes in how adaptable risk analysis is; the fields of work it can be used in are limitless. So, despite the fact that my work focuses on the risk of avian influenza getting into Australian chicken farms, I can go to a risk analysis conference and understand a variety of topics because we all have risk analysis in common. However, I have faced challenges, especially since mathematics is not my strongest skill. My PhD involves creating scenario trees to assess the risk of avian influenza exposure and spread; the entire concept of this method had to be explained to me from the very beginning. In addition, learning new software to assess risk has also been a challenge.

The first risk analysis conference I visited was the recent Society for Risk Analysis Australia and New Zealand (SRA-ANZ) conference, held in Adelaide in November 2016. I found the experience very enjoyable, thanks to both the people and the interesting presentations. I did not know such a community existed prior to my visit. It is good to have a society understand the technical methodology I used. I learn best from example, and a society like SRA-ANZ helps me by knowing what else is out there; what software and methodologies people are using. This enables me to assess both my work and theirs and ask questions such as “why did you choose that method”?  

I signed up as a member of SRA-ANZ and am keen to continue my membership. I am looking forward to visiting more conferences in the future, particularly those held internationally, so that I can meet more members of the SRA community.
In the future, I see myself continuing to use the skills and tools I have learnt during my PhD. I’m not sure exactly where I will end up after my PhD—whether it is at a university, industry or government—but I feel I will still be involved in the risk analysis world. Because of my background in veterinary science, I may end up in a position relating to veterinary public health or veterinary epidemiology. Risk analysis tools are essential in both of these fields and I am thankful I have been introduced to these.

1 Comment
Jada Cook link
1/11/2021 05:09:45 am

Appreciate your blog post

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2020
    November 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    AGM
    Events
    Newsletter
    SRA ANZ 2016
    Webinar

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.