AWWA Water Science Author Spotlight

Abstract

Having published an article in AWWA Water Science, Leigh Terry answered questions from the publication's editor-in-chief, Kenneth L. Mercer, about the research. Evaluation of the Biodegradability of Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter via Biological Filtration Melanie Vines and Leigh G. Terry Leigh at the Universidad del Norte (Barranquilla, Colombia), completing her Fulbright Specialist Program. A hot summer day in Guatemala piqued my interest in water research and set me on the career path I am on today. I traveled to Guatemala in the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college through Athletes in Action. My team and I had finished running 12 miles on the track in Guatemala City, and water was the first thing we wanted. Much to our dismay, the bottled water we brought was inadequate to quench our thirst. Unable to refill our bottles from the faucet, I began to wonder what was in the tap water that would make us sick and how we could remove it. I researched career paths that would allow me to continue to ask these questions and found the field of environmental engineering. I love asking questions and seeking the answers. Being a long-distance runner, I have developed endurance and persistence to finish what I start (which can often be an issue in the lab!) and I think these traits will help me succeed as a researcher. Ask questions, seek answers, and do not give up when it gets hard or you can't quite see the finish line. Leigh and her family hiking at the University of Alabama Arboretum in Tuscaloosa. Leigh (white hat) and her research group at a monthly pub run. Nature and people have always fascinated me. I love living in community with others, and I try to be cognizant of my environmental impact. I see these two themes intersect in my research as I focus on sustainable technologies to solve fundamental water treatment problems to improve a community's quality of life. I also love to travel, so I incorporate international components into my research. For example, I completed a Fulbright Specialist Program in Colombia last year, and I co-lead a study-abroad program in Italy in the summers. Leigh (first row, right) with students and professors from the University of Alabama, Tuskegee University (Ala.), and Universidad del Norte, visiting a water treatment plant that employs membrane filtration. The goal is to help utilities optimize organic carbon removal in drinking water to meet regulations (organic carbon, disinfection byproducts, regrowth, etc.) to protect public health. Utilities will need to diversify source water as typical source waters become scarce; thus, our research can provide insights into different types of source waters and the fractions of DOM removed in each via biological filtration. I grew up in Alabama and went to graduate school in Colorado. Alabama is considered a “water-rich” state and America's Amazon because of the biodiversity of the river network and surrounding forests. I grew up water skiing and swimming in the Tombigbee River and traveling to the Gulf Coast to visit the beaches. I always appreciated the water (especially in Alabama's hot summers), but I never realized its scarcity until I moved to Colorado for graduate school. Water security is an issue that affects every state, and policies to protect our water resources are needed for future generations. As traditional source waters become scarce and/or more contaminated, utilities are forced to look into alternative sources and creative treatment technologies to meet these new challenges. I love running and the gift of being outside, so I schedule runs into my weekly calendar. My research team participates in our local monthly pub run around town to make sure we are all taking time away the lab and enjoying one another's company in the open air. I also love hiking or swimming with my family. We have small kids, so I try to spend as much time outside with them as possible. While Leigh is an author of the article featured here, she is also a recent addition to AWWA Water Science's editorial board. To learn more about Leigh's research, visit the article, available online at https://doi.org/10.1002/aws2.1201. AWWA members have access to this and all AWWA Water Science research articles for free. Learn more about AWWA's digital, peer-reviewed journal by visiting www.awwawaterscience.com.