Dr. Bivins’ lab uses environmental microbiology to engineer better public health. Of the nearly 1 trillion estimated species of microorganisms in existence, only about 1,400 are human pathogens. And yet they wreak havoc on human health -- especially among the most vulnerable. The Bivins lab studies the transport of microorganisms through complex environmental and engineered systems and estimates the health impacts of human exposures mediated by various pathways. Dr. Bivins’ research team makes use of cutting-edge environmental microbiology techniques to detect and quantify microorganisms, including less abundant pathogens in various environmental compartments. The team is actively engaged in projects pertaining to microbial source tracking, wastewater surveillance, environmental antimicrobial resistance, drinking water microbiology, and microbial risk assessment. The team’s goal is to create knowledge that is useful to improve the efficiency of engineered interventions for preserving human health.