Capitol News

Michigan State University water microbiologist Joan Rose was honored for her lifetime of water research with the International Water Association Global Water Award. She was recognized on August 10 at the IWA World Water Conference in Toronto, Canada.

The award is a significant addition to Rose's career accolades. She holds the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research and directs the MSU Water Alliance. In 2016, she received the Stockholm Water Prize, considered the world’s most prestigious water award. Additionally, she is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and an honorary citizen of Singapore for her contributions to its water system. Over her career, Rose has published more than 300 articles on water quality and its impact on human health.

While acknowledging that this is not her first recognition, Rose expressed humility about receiving the IWA award. "I’m very proud of it," she said. "It’s a great recognition of what the health-related water microbiology specialty group has done."

Rose's journey began as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona, where she became interested in microbiology and its unseen impacts. Her career path was solidified after working at a wastewater treatment plant. During her early years, Rose navigated a male-dominated field and found inspiration from mentors like Rita Colwell, who advocated for women's voices in science.

Her first assistant professor role took her to Florida Keys with minimal funding to study septic tanks' efficacy. This experience highlighted climate change's influence on water systems as early as the 1990s.

In 1993, during Milwaukee's cryptosporidium outbreak, Rose applied her research on waterborne protozoa by collaborating with various stakeholders and testified before Congress regarding Safe Water Drinking Act standards.

Rose’s tenure at MSU led to global projects, including work in Malawi and Uganda and advising Singapore’s four taps program — encompassing water catchment, recycling, desalination, and imports — helping transform Singapore into a global hub for innovative water science.

Long before COVID-19 emerged, Rose tested wastewater for enteric viruses. The pandemic prompted further research when Gertjan Medema reported SARS virus presence in feces. Subsequently, Rose developed W-SPHERE (Wastewater SARS Public Health Environmental Response) alongside Shannon Briggs from Michigan’s Department of Environment to monitor public health through sewage testing.

Reflecting on her unexpected journey through decades of research challenges and innovations, Rose remains committed to addressing new pathogens and crises while continuing collaborative efforts within her field.