Instructors: Dirk Pfeiffer, Dr Med Vet MACVSc PhD DipECVPH Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology The Royal Veterinary College University of London and Javier Sanchez, DVM PhD CFIA Research Chair- Risk Analysis Canadian Regulatory Veterinary Epidemiology Network CRVE Net Atlantic Veterinary College Course Content: The goal of this course is provide a practical guide for handling spatial data using open-source software. At the end of the course the participants should have developed a set of skills to manipulate spatial information. Although limited, the participants will be provided with basic concepts of geographical information systems and spatial epidemiology such as spatial data representation, different types of spatial information, and a short introduction to spatial data analysis. The course will focus on the practical aspects of data management, data processing and data visualization of the main types of spatial data: point patterns, aggregated and continuous spatial data using open source software. The main software used will be Quantum GIS, including some of its main add-in applications. Where appropriate, other open-source tools will be briefly introduced. Participants are encouraged to bring their own data so that they have an opportunity to practice some of the concepts covered in the course with their own data.