Students in the Hampton Bays High School Science Research program were given a unique opportunity to visit the federal Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Oct. 5.

During their visit to the facility, which is run by the Department of Homeland Security, students learned about the foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever that affect many animals around the globe. The full day of research discussions included a guest talk by Dr. Luis Rodriquez, research leader of the Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

“It was a fantastic day for our Science Research students,” said teacher Dr. Stephanie Forsberg. “They learned from leading researchers in the field at a facility that is very close to Hampton Bays.”