Mariah Gnegy, Ph.D. Candidate at Virginia Tech Seeking Government or Industry Positions

MARIAH GNEGY, Virginia Tech

     Abstract Number: 585
     Working Group: Meet the Job Seekers

Abstract
I am a Ph.D. candidate at Virginia Tech in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with an expected graduation date of December 2022. I also have a graduate certificate in public health from Virginia Tech. I am primarily interested in government or industry positions, and I do not have a geographical preference.

My dissertation research has focused on human interactions with microorganisms in the built environment. My work has consisted of three projects: (1) evaluating the potential of probiotic surface cleaning products, (2) assessing the impact of a barrier on the distribution of simulated respiratory particles in an enclosed room and (3) estimating inhalation risks associated with airborne viruses originating from wastewater. The first project investigated the impact of relative humidity on spore viability via culturing. The second project involved the design and construction of a room to collect aerosolized fluorescent particles with and without a barrier via fluorescent microscopy. For the third project, I am currently collecting wastewater and air samples from a local WWTP and quantifying the aerosolization of viruses via qPCR and sequencing. This data is to be used in a quantitative microbial risk assessment model to estimate potential inhalation risks to WWTP employees. Other skills I have acquired throughout my dissertation include particle sizing (via APS), flow cytometry, and bioaerosol sampling.

I hope to expand my knowledge of the impact of bioaerosols on human health and continue to work at the nexus of environmental engineering and public health.