EWR Program Area Highlight

aculty and students in EWR celebrated achievements this year in research, education, and service. Jingqiu Liao’s group advanced knowledge of microbial ecology and evolution in soils with a Nature Communications paper co-authored with Amy Pruden. Pruden, along with Peter Vikesland, Marc Edwards, Linsey Marr and Liao, continued leadership of the NSF Research Traineeship on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment. Now in its fourth year, the program has engaged students from six departments, offering workshops on stakeholder engagement and research ethics.

Andrea Dietrich provided expertise during the Orange County, Virginia, water crisis, consulting with state officials to resolve a widespread taste-and-odor incident. She was recognized by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Building on her group’s research, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also updated its national consumer guidance on humidifiers to reflect modern understanding of health risks. Landon Marston earned the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management Best Policy-Oriented Paper Award and IOP Publishing’s Top Cited Paper Award in the sustainability category, highlighting his impact on water resources management and policy.