Alinde Fojtik

Background

About Alinde Fojtik

For as long as I can remember, I have loved both wildlife and a challenge. For the past ten years, I have worked as a field biologist and laboratory technician for the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS). My job allows me to travel to many beautiful places where I have the privilege of working alongside some of the field’s most talented and passionate professionals. The invaluable opportunity to learn from them over the years has helped me grow my expertise and build a career of which I am truly proud. My first job after graduating college was as a Waterfowl Bander for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Through connections I made during my time there, I received an invitation to work as a field biologist at SCWDS. My primary responsibility was to collect samples from wild waterfowl that would be tested for avian influenza virus (AIV) at the AIV laboratory at SCWDS. Once fully processed, the surveillance results produced from these samples were integrated into one of the world's oldest and largest continuous AIV surveillance databases. My introduction to the laboratory side of AIV surveillance began with running ELISAs on the blood samples I collected in the field. Over time, my skills expanded to include every aspect of sample processing, from initial virus isolation to subtype identification via RT-PCR. I also help facilitate live animal studies conducted by graduate students at the University of Georgia and field trials in coordination with our collaborators that explore various aspects of AIV perpetuation in the environment.I am often surprised by just how many aspects of my life have been enriched by my career. If I had to name my single greatest passion, it would be animal rescue, an effort in which I am active and which is greatly facilitated by the knowledge and connections I have secured through my work. My lifelong love affair with all creatures, great and small, has culminated in a career where I can feed my passions for both wildlife and learning.