Jason Blackburn

Jason Blackburn is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Florida, serving as Principal Investigator at the Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI) and Director of the Spatial Epidemiology & Ecology Research Laboratory (SEER Lab). His research focuses on zoonotic diseases, particularly bacterial pathogens like anthrax, brucellosis, plague, and tularemia. He employs ecological niche modeling, spatio-temporal analysis, and field data to study disease transmission dynamics across regions such as the former Soviet Republics, Botswana, and the American West. His lab is funded by agencies including the NSF, NIH, and USDA. He also investigates marine biology (sharks, marine mammals) and large predators. Teaching emphasizes GIS applications in disease ecology, with courses like GIS4424C and GEO6938.

• Education: PhD (2006), M.S. (2003), B.S. (2001) in Medical/Physical Geography from Louisiana State University
• Key Focus Areas: Medical Geography in Global Health (MGGH), anthrax transmission, ecological modeling
• Current Funding: CRDF Global, DOE, DTRA, NSF, NIH, USDA

Research highlights include anthrax surveillance in Vietnam, climate-driven disease shifts, and vector-borne disease ecology. Students gain field experience and co-authorship opportunities in international projects. Recent work addresses anthrax hotspots, brucellosis exposure, and spatial epidemiology of dengue and Campylobacter.