The first preprint demonstrating that detecting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater was possible was published in January, 2020. By May 2020, CBEE’s Drs. Radniecki and Kelly were awarded an NSF RAPID grant to conduct research on wastewater surveillance in Oregon. By June 2020, they piloted wastewater surveillance in selected Oregon communities as a part of OSU’s TRACE program. By August 2020, in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority, they established a state-wide network of over 40 Oregon communities sending in twice weekly samples to the newly created CDC National Wastewater Surveillance Network. By September 2020, they established campus-wide wastewater surveillance on 5 Oregon higher education campuses. This presentation will discuss the science behind wastewater surveillance and its future directions. It will also focus on the lessons learned about making a lab technology, in this case wastewater surveillance, useful outside of academia. As we found out, it is not a straight line from point A to point B and the most important lessons we learned are often not taught in the classroom.
Dr. Tyler Radniecki is a professor of environmental engineering in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University. He earned his BS in Environmental Science from Bemidji State University (Bemidji, MN) and his MS and PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Yale University. His research expertise is in the molecular characterization of microbiomes in engineered treatment systems, including stormwater bioswales, anaerobic digesters and wastewater treatment plants. Tyler is a 2019 NSF CAREER award winner and a recipient of the 2020 OSU Beaver Champion Award, the 2021 Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies Outstanding Individual Award, the 2022 OSU College of Engineering Collaborative Research Award and the 2024 Engineering Plus Outstanding Teaching Award. Additionally, Tyler is the co-director of the OSU-Benton County Green Stormwater Infrastructure (OGSIR) Facility and the Lab Lead PI of the OHA-OSU Wastewater Surveillance Network.