Author Archives: David Holcomb

About David Holcomb

Environ Sci Engineering - Ops

Alyssa Grube

Alyssa is a first year MS/PhD student in the department of Environmental Science & Engineering. She graduated from Juniata College in Pennsylvania in May 2014 with a degree in Biology and Spanish. Prior to beginning graduate school, she spent a year in Chile as part of a Fulbright research fellowship. Alyssa’s research will focus on the application of metagenomic tools to track the distribution and abundance of class I integrons and associated resistance genes in the Galapagos Islands. Outside of lab, Alyssa enjoys hiking, making empanadas, and quilting.

Sharon Jiang

Sharon is a first year Master’s student in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Public Health at UNC in May 2016 and is part of the Dual Bachelor’s-to-Master of Science Program. She is a current recipient of the UNC Graduate School Masters Merit Assistantship for study in Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Sharon is studying the potential contribution of lysogenic phages in coliphage enumeration methods. She has also participated in environmental microbiological studies involving disk diffusion antibiotic sensitivity testing and beach water quality monitoring.

Claire Tipton

Claire Tipton_ UNC Head ShotClaire is a second year Masters student in the Environmental Sciences & Engineering Department. She is interested in pursuing a career in environmental consulting and water resource management upon completion of her degree (May 2017). For her Master’s Thesis project, Claire is working with the water quality test company Aquagenx. LLC to field and lab verify a new line of drinking water safety products. Before graduate school, Claire attained stormwater regulatory experience as a Water Quality Technician with The City of Durham Stormwater & GIS Services Division. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Elon University in Environmental & Ecological Sciences, with minors in Biology and Spanish. In her free time, Claire enjoys playing rugby, running, and honing her archery skills at the local range.

Elizabeth Christenson

Elizabeth finished her master’s at UNC with Dr. Marc Serre improving access to industrial hog farm data by mapping sprayfields and their annual nutrient application patterns in North Carolina using GIS and remote sensing. Data available here.  Her current work as a PhD student is implementing a longitudinal water quality study to understand how land use characteristics affect the prevalence of antibiotic resistant, virulent E. coli and host-specific markers in watersheds with and without swine CAFOs.  Laboratory work includes culture-based work and ddPCR.  Spatial analysis will include wetland and riparian buffer variables. Areas of interest include microbial source tracking, potentially metagenomics in the future, worker/community member access to safe drinking water, and sustainable agriculture. After work, Elizabeth is learning Arabic (صحيح ), grows sunflowers, and plays ultimate frisbee.

Elizabeth’s CV