Alda Pires, DVM, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM, is currently an Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension /Assistant Epidemiologist in AES for Urban Agriculture and Food Safety in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Pires obtained her DVM from Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro in Portugal. She then completed a residency program in Food Animal Reproduction and Herd Health and a Masters of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM) at UC Davis. Dr. Pires received her PhD from Michigan State University with an emphasis in veterinary epidemiology.  She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM).

Dr. Pires’ research focuses on applying and developing epidemiological tools to monitor potential food safety hazards and identify mitigation strategies to reduce the dissemination of foodborne pathogens pre-harvest and the spread of infectious diseases in alternative agricultural systems (including diversified, small-scale, backyard, and organic farms). Dr. Pires works directly with Extension Advisor Specialists and educators, producers, stakeholders, and policy makers on various produce food safety issues to minimize the introduction and dissemination of foodborne pathogens within the pre-harvest farm environment, both at statewide and nationwide levels. The overarching objective of her appointment is to advance agricultural sustainability, food safety, and animal health for organic, diversified small-scale, production systems and urban farming systems. She also serves as Chair of the Recruitment Committee of the MPVM Program at UC Davis and co-chair of the Diversified Farming and Food Systems Program Team UC ANR.