NSSS: Dr. Davida Smyth

"What bacteria can tell us about survival in the built environment"

While much is known about bacteria and the role they play in human and animal infection, less is known about the role bacteria play in the ecosystems of our homes, our school, and our daycares and how bacteria can change and adapt to the rapidly fluctuating conditions of the built environment. This talk will describe work being conducted in the Smyth Lab at the New School, where her team of undergraduates is conducting research into the potential role of e-cigarettes in the spread of bacteria from student to student, how hand-dryers can harbor antibioticresistant bacteria, and how antibacterials in building products such as paint are selecting for resistant bacteria. She will also discuss efforts at the New School to make science equitable and her research more sustainable.