SCHUBOT CENTER FOR AVIAN HEALTH The Schubot Center for Avian Health is an academic center within the CVMBS. Its mission is to conduct research into avian health and conservation issues, spanning pet, wild, and exotic birds. The center's research spans disease ecology, parasitology, genetics, behavior, toxicology, pathology, and more. It is also involved in diagnostic test and vaccine development research. Members teach undergraduates, graduate students, and DVM students about avian health and conservation issues. The Avian Health Complex—with aviaries, isolation facilities, a laboratory, a clinic, and a classroom—is the largest and best equipped of its kind in the United States, currently housing over 200 birds used for teaching, outreach, and research.
Highlights from FY21 include: The Schubot Center membership is growing with over 60 Texas A&M University members including faculty and staff, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, DVM students, and undergraduate students from eight different departments across three colleges. Members contribute to member meetings, research presentations, outreach events, and provide a collaborative support network throughout the year spanning diverse avian topics. In the second year of the Schubot research mini-grant program, the center awarded up to $2,500 in research funds to each of 8 successful applicants, including undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty across five different departments and three colleges. Additionally, one researcher in the travel grant program received funds to defray costs of presenting avian research at a conference. The center looks forward to funding more travel once conferences are back in-person after the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, Schubot Center scientists served as The new graphic element for the Schubot mentors for three veterinary students in the Veterinary Medical Summer Research Center for Avian Health features the Training Program, in which students completed research projects with birds at the onWhooping Crane, the Scarlet Macaw, campus aviary and collaborative facilities. and the Monk Parakeet. External research funding coming into the Center includes awards from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians- Wild Animal Health Fund; the American Ornithological Society; the Pat Palmer Foundation; and more. Ms. Sabryna Scott received the 2021 Schubot Avian Health Director’s Award in honor of Dr. Ian Tizard (Schubot Director from 1999–2017). The award recognizes avian research accomplishments and contributions to the Schubot Center. Sabryna Scott was selected for her dedication as an avian caretaker, contributing to the well-being of the birds used for teaching, research, and outreach. Despite the pandemic, the center has continued the successful Schubot Seminar Series, with all seminars held over Zoom in the past year. External speakers included Dr. Janina Krumbeck of MiDog, LLC, to discuss the dermal microbiome in Monk Parakeets and Dr. Scott Echols of The Medical Center for Birds to discuss avian anatomy research. Schubot Center members were given the opportunity to interact with each speaker to discuss collaborations and careers. Members organized several outreach activities, including bird banding events at local parks, aviary tours, and workshops for visiting teacher and student groups, each providing the opportunity to share avian science with the broader community.
Schubot center graduate students hosted an outreach event to teach community members about bird banding and avian science. 36 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report
Assistant Research Scientist Dr. Caitlin Mencio is working on diagnostic tests and vaccine development for avian bornavirus.
Aviary Manager and Senior Research Associate Debra Turner hosts an outdoor class at the aviary for Animal Science students who learned about animal welfare.
