The Pathogen Data Network contributed to the 2025 IndigiData data science education workshop, held in Maricopa, Arizona. Held at the Ak-Chin community water reclamation facility, the workshop familiarized attendees with resources for managing and analyzing pathogen data and wastewater surveillance. The workshop included exercises for developing data management plans and identifying metadata standards. A feature of the workshop was illustrating how Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology serves as an accessible platform allowing communities to generate and easily analyze data. Several educators at the workshop will receive sequencing startup kits and be provided with resources and support to help bring this technology into their classroom teaching and workforce development programs.
“PDN’s emphasis on education is unique in that many other projects tend to focus only on professionals at later stages of their careers. By exposing students to advanced techniques early, we broaden their career perspectives and give them the opportunity to become familiar with cutting-edge technologies from day one of entering the workforce.“
Jason Williams
PDN’s co-Principal Investigator
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (NY, US)
Workstreams involved: WS5 Training, Outreach & Community