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T M C » P U L S E | J U LY 2 0 1 8 17 most people are inside—isn't a viable solution. Bringing partners together Local researchers using GIS software hope that places beyond Houston will benefit from their work. "My goal is to provide this algo- rithm so rural areas in Texas that don't have a vector control program like Houston can train two or three people to use this program," Nolan said. Specialty Banking for Physicians As a medical professional you dedicate your life to the health of your patients—often at the expense of your own financial well-being. This is where Amegy Bank ® can help. In this ever-changing healthcare industry, we're committed to supporting you with innovative financial instruments, ranging from lines of credit and home and practice financing 1 to the latest treasury management products and solutions-based wealth planning. Personalized service for you, so you can stay focused on your patients. Amegy Bank. Here, you grow. ¹ Loans and some treasury management products and services are subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. See banker for details. A division of ZB, N.A. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender NMLS# 467014 Jordan Golson Vice President, Private Banking 815 Walker Street, Suite 1350 Houston, TX 77002 NMLS# 1094641 713.235.8825 | jordan.golson@amegybank.com Contact me to learn more. She continues to work on the project from the University of South Carolina, which intends to launch its own version of the GIS project. Nolan presented her early find- ings in 2017 at the Pumps & Pipes conference, an annual Houston-area event that unites the aerospace, energy and health care industries for education and collaboration. GIS is, indeed, uniting different disciplines. One is ExxonMobil's upstream unit, where remote sens- ing and GIS technology are being used to locate mosquito breed- ing habitats in Central America. ExxonMobil often uses this technol- ogy to assess environmental impact and oil reserves. In addition, Nolan and others are working with University of Houston researchers on a machine that releases sound waves to kill mosquito larvae in water. The technology could benefit the military, too. GIS could be useful in locating the habitats of sand flies, mosquito-like insects that pester troops in the field and can cause disease. For now, the research in Houston's three mosquito hot spots continues, as researchers work to get a complete picture of habitats in the area. "We have a hypothesis of what is going on, but the challenge is trying to narrow it down," Nolan said. "There are many ditches in Houston, so massive bioinformatics will be needed." We have a hypoth- esis of what is going on, but the challenge is trying to narrow it down. There are many ditches in Houston, so massive bioinformat- ics will be needed. — MELISSA NOLAN, PH.D. Epidemiologist at the University of South Carolina A close look at different breeds of mosquitoes at Harris County Public Health's "Skeeter School," designed for elementary-age students.