I think it's also worth linking to schools in biosecurity/health security hubs outside the US T20 where there are many relevant and accessible professionals, experts and programs. Many of these are land-grant universities which have a special historical legacy of teaching, research, public service, and partnerships to achieve those ends.
Here's a brief landscape for anyone in these areas or keen about connecting across geographies. There may not be a strong EA prescence at these, but all the better to introduce that. An agentic person/group could build some strong relationships with these anchors (some already engage with undergraduate students):
Metro Area
Undergrad Uni (w/ US rank)
Civilian Biosecurity / Health Security Anchors
Military / Federal Biodefense Anchors
New Orleans/ Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Tulane (#69),
LSU (#169)
Tulane National Primate Research Center + Regional Biocontainment Lab (BSL-3)
Tulane Biocontainment Institute;
LSU-Tulane Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR)
Louisiana Dept of Health; strong public health/disaster-response culture post-Katrina
LSU-Tulane CEIDR is an NIH: NCRR-supported Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)
Omaha/ Lincoln, Nebraska
Creighton (#117),
UNL (#158),
UNO (#301),
UNMC Global Center for Health Security + National Biocontainment Unit;
UTMB Galveston National Laboratory (BSL-4 capable; NIAID-supported)
UTMB Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases;
See also A&M College Station (#51) Scowcroft Institute's Biosecurity and Pandemic Policy Center
Manhattan, Kansas
Kansas State University (#158),
Kansas City ~ 2hrs away (10+ Unis)
Biosecurity Research Institute
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Biosecurity and Chemistry
Kansas City Animal Health Corridor
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (BSL-4 lab, jointly federally run by DHS and USDA)
....and doubtless many others I've missed.
Note: I used Gemini and Claude to collate and organize this table based on my existing knowledge of Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and Kansas hubs, and I independently verified all data points.
I think it's also worth linking to schools in biosecurity/health security hubs outside the US T20 where there are many relevant and accessible professionals, experts and programs. Many of these are land-grant universities which have a special historical legacy of teaching, research, public service, and partnerships to achieve those ends.
Here's a brief landscape for anyone in these areas or keen about connecting across geographies. There may not be a strong EA prescence at these, but all the better to introduce that. An agentic person/group could build some strong relationships with these anchors (some already engage with undergraduate students):
Tulane (#69),
LSU (#169)
Tulane National Primate Research Center + Regional Biocontainment Lab (BSL-3)
Tulane Biocontainment Institute;
LSU-Tulane Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR)
Louisiana Dept of Health; strong public health/disaster-response culture post-Katrina
Creighton (#117),
UNL (#158),
UNO (#301),
UNMC Global Center for Health Security + National Biocontainment Unit;
WHO GOARN Collaborating Center (UNMC COPH);
NETEC;
Nebraska Public Health Laboratory
STRATCOM HQ at Offutt Air Force Base;
NSRI (Omaha-based) + Collaborative Biosecurity Lab (UNL);
Colorado State University (#151),
Denver ~1hr away (10+ Unis)
CSU Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (NIAID-supported);
CSU Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (CVID);
BioMARC (BSL-2 and BSL-3 biologics)
Texas A&M Galveston,
Houston ~1hr away (12+ Unis)
UTMB Galveston National Laboratory (BSL-4 capable; NIAID-supported)
UTMB Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases;
See also A&M College Station (#51) Scowcroft Institute's Biosecurity and Pandemic Policy Center
Kansas State University (#158),
Kansas City ~ 2hrs away (10+ Unis)
Biosecurity Research Institute
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Biosecurity and Chemistry
Kansas City Animal Health Corridor
....and doubtless many others I've missed.
Note: I used Gemini and Claude to collate and organize this table based on my existing knowledge of Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and Kansas hubs, and I independently verified all data points.