During the Spring 2021 semester, UArizona's WEST Center welcomed Dr. Joan Rose as a visiting professor. In a special public talk, premiering on May 5 at 4 PM, Dr. Rose offers a look into her career from earning her PhD at the University of Arizona to her significant contributions to the understanding of water microbiology and its use in monitoring water quality to improve public health. The talk will continue to be available on YouTube after May 5th.

WEST Director, Dr. Ian Pepper, was among 6 University of Arizona faculty members confirmed as Regents Professors by the Arizona Board of Regents on April 15, 2021. The designation of Regents Professor is an honored position reserved for faculty scholars of exceptional ability who have achieved national or international distinction. Congratulations to Dr. Pepper!

In the third episode of the Mrs. Green's World podcast series Impact Earth: A Roadmap to Resilience, Dr. Ian Pepper from WEST Center talks about human waste, COVID testing, organic material recycled from sewage and man-made chemicals known as PFAS.

In 2020, WEST worked with Boeing on research to inform airplane disinfection protocols, improving travel safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future.

Working with Pima County Wastewater, WEST Center conducted a PFAS study to evaluate contamination of soils and groundwater due to biosolid land application.  Results helped lift a moratorium on land application, with multiple benefits to the local community.

A short documentary produced by students in the University of Arizona's School of Theatre, Film & Television follows the COVID-19 wastewater monitoring work of WEST Center faculty and staff.

Dr. Joan Rose, winner of the Stockholm Water Prize and Professor at Michigan State University, will spend the Spring 2021 semester at WEST Center.  Dr. Rose is an international authority on water microbiology, water quality, and public health safety, and is actively engaged in work to advance the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater.

A new study at WEST Center seeks to understand the impact of water harvesting on soil microbiomes and resilience.

Following the proven laboratory procedures of the WEST Center, an innovative partnership in Yuma County will receive $500K to provide early detection of COVID-19 through wastewater testing.

A USDA-funded 1-year collaborative project will study coronaviruses on contact surfaces at farmers markets, determine safe practices, and provide guidance to small producers to improve local health and safety.