On July 22nd our very own Austin Hertel masterfully delivered his Ph.D. defense to a jam-packed conference room here at the CVR! After years of dedication to learning and honing his skills, Austin successfully defended his work, “Defending the vulnerable: Maternal vaccination with live-attenuated Rift Valley fever virus prevents maternal disease, in utero transmission and neonatal mortality in rats.” Austin earned his doctorate as a candidate in Pitt’s Program in Microbiology and Immunology while advised by Dr. Amy Hartman to a committee consisting of chair Dr. Anita McElroy, MD, PhD, Dr. Kevin McCarthy, PhD, Christina Megli, MD, PhD, and Kerry Empey, PharmD, PhD.
Afterwards, the lab joined Austin, his family, and friends to celebrate this momentous occasion. Congratulations, Dr. Hertel!
