Associate Professor Brent Stephens EPA Hosted Webinar: What Have We Learned about the Microbiomes of Indoor Environments?

Join Associate Professor of Architectural Engineering, Brent Stephens for a webinar hosted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Stephens, recently presented a well-received overview of the current state of the science on microbiomes and the built environment to NASEM’s microbiome consensus study panel of experts. Dr. Stephens has agreed to reprise (with some modifications) his overview, titled What Have We Learned about the Microbiomes of Indoor Environments?, as part of this webinar.

Abstract

Within the built environments, in the air, water, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and on surfaces, there exist a vast number and diversity of species of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. These microbial communities or “microbiomes” are influenced by interactions with humans, animals and plants. They are also affected by factors such as air flow, temperature, humidity, chemical exposures and building materials. These factors are in turn, shaped by the design, construction, operation and use of the built environments.

For a better understanding of microbiomes in the built environment and their impacts on human health, the US EPA along with NASA, NIH and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation tasked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to convene a panel of experts to examine the formation and function of microbial communities in the built environment, their impact on human health, and how human occupants shape complex indoor microbes.

Earn Engineering Themes Credit in health by attending this event. RSVP NOW!