Advisor: Rima Franklin, Ph.D., Department of Biology

Wastewater treatment has been one of the most important advancements in public health, however it does not remove all contaminants, namely those of emerging concern - like antibiotics. But for urban wastewater to be treated, it has to make it to the treatment plant. Combined sewer systems are common to older cities globally, and prone to overflows, as they were built to serve much smaller communities than they do today. As these overflows become more frequent with extreme weather events, more waste - including antibiotics - ends up in the river, and resistance will continue to develop. My research looks into the mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance spreads in waterways and how to protect human health while maintaining recreation in these ecosystems.