Joan B. Rose is currently a Professor at Michigan State University and holds the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research. She serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment which addresses evidence based risk assessments for management of waterborne pathogens. Joan is an international expert in water microbiology, water quality and public health safety, and has published more than 300 manuscripts. For more than 20 years she has been involved in drinking water investigations of water-borne outbreaks and is well known for her work on the waterborne outbreak of Cryptosporidium in Milwaukee. Joan is a pioneer in the
emerging science of viral metagenomics – sequencing virus DNA in water sources, discharges and shipping ballast using next generation high-throughput technology. Such technology promises to significantly improve methods to protect water and food supplies. Joan now is applying it to assess the safety of fresh produce. Her global activity includes investigation of waterborne disease outbreaks and the study of water supplies, treatment, and
reclamation. Her applied research interests include study of microbial pathogens in recreational waters and climatic factors impacting water quality. Dr. Rose recently won the Stockholm Water Prize and is a member of the National Academy of Engineers. She is a member of the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board for the EPA. She also serves on advisory boards for a number of utilities.
The lecture titled “Studying the Impacts of Microbial Pollution at Large Scale: Value of new molecular tools” will be presented on Friday, October 28, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. in Owens Banquet Hall.
The Clifford W. Randall Lecture Series has been established to honor the long and dedicated career of service of Dr. Randall to the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Program in the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering – Virginia Tech and to the environmental engineering profession overall.