Margarida Arede graduated in veterinary medicine from the University of Lisbon, Portugal in 2013 and soon started her scientific career in veterinary epidemiology. She collaborated in research projects focusing on information systems and surveillance and control programmes for animal diseases, and spatial and temporal distribution of disease, in renowned research institutes throughout Europe. In 2020, Margarida joined the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), in Spain, as a PhD student working under the topic “Mapping the risk of spread of transboundary diseases in ruminants and biosecurity evaluation in the Black Sea Basin”. She is also a member of COST action BETTER, in which she is learning more about livestock biosecurity. Her main interests are risk analysis in animal health, food security and global development, especially when explored in an applied setting.