Pathogen control using emerging UV technologies

Two Ph.D. research assistant positions will be available in Dr. Ben Ma’s research group in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) starting Fall 2024. The successful candidates should have:
1. A master’s (preferred) or bachelor's degree in environmental engineering, bioengineering, microbiology, chemical engineering, public health, or related fields.
2. Lab experience in microbiology, chemistry, molecular biology, and bioinformatics.
3. Strong data analysis skills using R, MATLAB, or other statistical software.
4. Good writing, communication, and collaboration skills.
The candidates will work on research projects on using emerging ultraviolet (UV) technologies, such as UV LEDs and Krypton Chloride (KrCl*) excimer, for pathogen and biofilm control in different settings. Specifically, there are two research focuses:
1. Understanding the performance and molecular-level mechanisms of germicidal UV LEDs on pathogen and biofilm control in water systems.
2. Development of standard testing procedures and application guidelines for using KrCl* excimer for safe and effective air and surface disinfection in occupied public spaces and other environments.
The candidates will engage in collaboration with industrial partners, public health officials, and scientists across different departments at UNR and other universities. In addition, the candidates will be part of the Nevada Water Innovation Institute and Nevada Center for Water Resiliency.
In 2023, Reno is named the happiest place to live in the U.S, with mild, sunny weather and a variety of world‐class outdoor recreation opportunities nearby. The Lake Tahoe watershed is ~30 minutes from campus with exceptional skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking trails from Lake Tahoe through downtown Reno. Northern Nevada is currently one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, especially in technology and manufacturing.
Interested applicants are encouraged to email Dr. Ma (benma@unr.edu) using “PhD application + your name” as the subject line and including the following materials in one PDF:
1. A short statement of research interests
2. Most updated CV
3. Unofficial transcripts