​High Impact Engineers is a community of engineers trying to have a large positive impact on the world.

​Tech x FAW is a monthly discussion to help the community better understand issues in animal welfare and consider the role technology might have toward improvement.

​This time, we are also joined by Sentient Futures, a field-building organization steering the future for the welfare of all sentient beings.

​​​​​What is happening?

​Join us for another Tech x FAW group discussion! This month, we will be discussing biosecurity for chickens.

​After 90 minutes of discussion, we're co-hosting an optional 30-minute social with Sentient Futures (use this Zoom link to join the social). This is a great opportunity to have 1-1 and small group chats for making new connections and meeting like-minded people across the intersection of AI and animal welfare.

​​​​​The topic

​Pathogens are responsible for lots of chicken suffering. Examples include:

• ​Avian Influenza: a highly contagious disease spread by wild birds between poultry houses with a high mortality rate. When a flock is infected, it must be culled (known as "mass depopulation"), typically using ventilation shutdown (VSD). The air vents are shut off and the birds die of heat stroke / suffocation over the course of several hours.

• ​Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO): a significant cause of lameness in broilers is BCO, which is caused by a bacterial infection.

​Farms are typically very cautious about biosecurity - they limit access to farms, and barns are disinfected between cycles.

​There are potentially technological solutions to reducing pathogen prevalence. These could include:

• ​Better filtering of vents

• ​Better monitoring of pathogen prevalence

• ​Ways to keep wild birds away

• ​Better disinfection of equipment

​​​​​Should I prepare anything?

​Join the discussion for this event over the Impact Forge. This is where we will crowdsource any cool resources we come across! If you can, spend a little time reading up on this topic ahead of time.

​The Impact Forge is the new forum of the High Impact Engineers community. Check it out!

​​​​Who should come?

​Anyone who is interested in the discussion is welcome, including technical and non-technical people!