Proliferation and Control of Multi-Drug Resistant 'Superbugs' in Municipal Wastewater Treatment

The seminar is being organized by Dr. Pedro Alvarez, Rice University, as a part of his work as a Scholar-in-Residence at TISED, McGill University.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) pose an imminent threat to global health, and wastewater treatment plants may serve as breeding grounds and point sources for their dissemination. In this seminar, we will examine the behaviour and replication of ARBs, and explore novel approaches to mitigate their spread. 

Wine and Cheese Reception will be offered after the seminar.

About the Speaker

Dr. Pedro J. J. Alvarez is the George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, where he also serves as Director of the NSF ERC on Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT).  His research interests include environmental applications and implications of nanotechnology, bioremediation of toxic chemicals, water footprint of biofuels, water treatment and reuse, and antibiotic resistance control. Dr. Alvarez received the B. Eng. Degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is the 2012 Clarke Prize laureate and also won the 2014 AAEES Grand Prize for Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science.