معرفی
Dr. Neeta Connally is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), where she leads the Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory. With a PhD in Medical Entomology, her work focuses on preventing Lyme and other tick-associated diseases in the northeastern United States through peridomestic interventions.
- B.S. in Animal Biology from Louisiana Tech University
- M.S.P.H. in Human Parasitology from Tulane University
- Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island
Her research explores how landscape manipulation, tick life cycle disruption, and behavioral changes can reduce tickborne disease risks. The laboratory collaborates with agencies including CDC, EPA, Yale Emerging Infections Program, and local health departments, having trained over 60 undergraduate students since 2011.
The Connally Tick Lab conducts field and laboratory studies, emphasizing skills like GPS mapping, statistical analysis, and community research partnerships. Findings from her team’s work have been published in journals across medical entomology, epidemiology, and public health communication domains.
Students in her lab gain hands-on experience in tick ecology, disease prevention, and health promotion material development. Her projects have received funding from federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Key collaborations include partnerships with Ridgefield Health Department, Nuvance Health, Connecticut Department of Public Health, and regional environmental organizations. The lab’s work spans vector control technology assessment, invasive tick species monitoring, and behavioral risk factor analysis.
