PhD Student

Degrees

• Master’s in Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 2022
• Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 2021

Areas of Interest

Environmental microbiology, metagenomics, drinking water, opportunistic pathogens, public health 

Research Experiences 

Graduate Research Assistant, Environmental Biotechnology group, University of Michigan (2021-2023) 

• Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) for identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in drinking water distribution system

• qPCR, 16s rRNA gene sequencing, 18s rRNA gene sequencing for identification of opportunistic pathogens (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, and Acanthamoeba)

Research Assistant, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Lab, Ewha Womans University (2021)

• Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test

Undergraduate Student Researcher, Environmental Bioengineering Lab, Ewha Womans University (2020-2021)

• 16s rRNA gene sequencing analysis of CH₄-oxidizing and N₂O-reducing bacterium from rhizosphere 

• 16s rRNA gene sequencing analysis of hydrogen producing bacterium from food waste through Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC)

Research Projects

The impact of UV treatment on microbial communities in a drinking water distribution system

Consortium on Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) and Opportunistic Pathogens(OPs) in drinking water

Fun Facts/Hobbies

Traveling, reading, foods(dimsum and gnocchi)

Publications:

Soojung Lee’s Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cH_v-g8AAAAJ&hl=en

Conferences and Presentations:

Dowdell, K., Potgieter, S., Lee, S., Song, A., Gabrielli, M., Olsen, K., Vedrin, M., J. LiPuma, J., Cambronne, E., Pinto, A., Delafont, V., Raskin, L., Kirisits, M. (2023, June). “Free-Living Amoebae Diversity in Drinking Water and Investigating the Role of Preferential Grazing”. 2023 Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors Research and Education Conference, Boston, MA.

Potgieter, S., Lahr, B., Vosloo, S., Dowdell, K., Vedrin, M., Page, S., Bautista-de los Santos, Q., Keown, J., Quneibi, T., Alfahham, N., Lee, S., Sandoval, S., Guo, Y., Pinto, A., Steglitz, B., Raskin, L. (2023, March). “Assessing the impact of drinking water treatment on distribution system nitrifier populations: Collaborations between the City of Ann Arbor drinking water treatment plant and the University of Michigan”. Borchardt Conference, Ann Arbor, MI.

Dowdell, K., Olsen, K., Potgieter, S., Vedrin, M., Lee, S., Caverly, L.J., Raskin, L. (2022, June). “Characterizing Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Source-to-Tap in a Full-Scale Drinking Water System using Culture-Independent and -Dependent Methods”. Gordon Research Conference on the Microbiology of the Built Environment, Waterville Valley, NH.

Dowdell, K., Olsen, K., Martinez, E., Lee, S., Keown, J., Lahr, R., Busch, A., Steglitz, B., J. Lipuma, J., Olson, T., Hammes, F., Raskin, L. (2022, June), “Evaluation of Near-Real Time Flow Cytometry for Continuous Monitoring of a Full-Scale Drinking Water Ozone System”. 2022 Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors Research and Education Conference, St. Louis, MO.