Before coming to WCSU, she worked with Dr. Tom Mather at the University of Rhode Island’s Tick Encounter program. Dr. Connally is also the scientific advisor for the BLAST program, which used her research findings to put together their simple, important message of prevention. For the past three years she has been studying bait boxes as one prevention method, surveying households in western Connecticut. She has built a Tick Research laboratory at WCSU, and she directs her students on tick drags in the Ridgefield area. Editor Janet Jemmott spoke with her about research and the best ways to protect oneself from tick-borne disease.