Drexel University and the Indian Institution of Technology (I.I.T), Delhi were recently awarded an Obama Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative Grant for a project entitled: Resource Building for Ecosystem and Human Health Risk Assessment with Special References to Microbial Contamination. This is a collaborative effort between the two universities and the total amount awarded is $34,821
This project will provide for exchange visits between the two institutions in which faculty members will jointly develop new curricula, team teach classes, and identify collaborative research opportunities. The Drexel team consists of Dr. Patrick Gurian (project co-director), Dr. Charles Haas (senior co-director) and Dr. Mira Olson, from the College of Engineering’s Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering Department; Dr. Arthur L. Frank, Dr. Shannon P. Marquez, and Dr. Hernando Perez from Drexel’s School of Public Health; and Dr. Joan Rose, the Homer Nowlin Chair for Water Research at Michigan State University.
This project will combine I.I.T Delhi expertise in microbial contaminants in air, water, and toxicology, with Drexel’s expertise in microbial risk assessment and human health. Both institutions will gain from the exchange through the development of course modules that incorporate the latest approaches in these fields. An additional component of this project will be to disseminate this information through an online wiki tool. This will serve as an international repository of knowledge in the quantitative microbial risk assessment field that will enable continued communication and collaboration on microbial risk assessment research. This tool will be publicly available and will serve to foster and support the development of a global knowledge base for quantitative microbial risk assessment.
More information on the Obama Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative Grant can be found here.