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Water Quality Specialist/ Phone: 520-381-2258 Address: University of Arizona Email: channah@cals.arizona.edu updated 09/2011 |
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, May 2007
Master of Science, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, July 2005
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology,
Microbiology, New Mexico StateUniversity, May 2003
Research and Professional Experience
2007-current Water Quality Specialist, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona
2006-2007 Laboratory Technician/Post Doctoral Research, USDA Agricultural Research Service
2005-2007 Clinical Laboratory Specialist II, United Blood Services, Tempe, AZ
Dr. Channah Rock is a Water Quality Specialist/Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science. Dr. Rock also maintains a joint appointment as a University Extension faculty and is currently facilitating the Water Quality Extension Program on a statewide basis throughout Arizona. Currently, Dr. Rock is working on the evaluation of reclaimed water quality as well as promoting water reuse as a safe and practical resource for the southwest. Additionally, Dr. Rock currently works with stakeholder engagement to facilitate awareness and drive water quality improvements in surface waters of Arizona. She also possesses a wide variety of experiences in traditional microbiology and practical experience in wastewater and Biosolids. She has been extensively involved in the detection of pathogens in water using molecular technologies and has experience relating to the evaluation of environmental water samples
Selected Publications and Presentations
Rock C.M., A. Alum, and M. Abbaszadegan. A Unified Sample Processing Method for the Recovery of Bacterial, Viral, and Helminths Pathogens from Biosolids. Journal of Microbiological Methods., in review.
McLain, J.E.T., C.M. Rock, K. Lohse, and J. Walworth (2011) False positive identification of E. coli in treated municipal wastewater and wastewater-irrigated soils. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, in press (accepted June 15, 2011).
Riveria, B., and C.M. Rock (2011) Microbial Source Tracking: Watershed Characterization and Source Identification. Arizona Cooperative Extension, #AZ1547.
Sifuentes, L., C.P. Gerba, and C.M. Rock (2011) Playing Safe in Natural Waters: How to Protect Yourself from Naegleria fowleri When You Go Swimming. Arizona Cooperative Extension, #AZ1545.
Rock, C.M., J.E.T. McLain, I.L. Pepper, K. Lansey, and C. Choi (2011) Influence of Water Age on Recycled Water Quality in Distribution Systems, WRF-0804. Proceedings WateReuse Symposium, Las Vegas, NV.
Rock, C.M., J.E.T. McLain, I.L. Pepper, K. Lansey, and C. Choi (2011) Evaluation of Recycled Water Quality in Distribution Systems, WRF-0804. Proceedings 26th Annual WateReuse Symposium, Phoenix, AZ.
Rock, C.M., and J. Kmiec (2011) Arizona Water Reuse Research Update. Proceedings 26th Annual WateReuse Symposium, Phoenix, AZ.
Rock, C.M., A. Alum, and M. Abbaszadegan. (2010) PCR Inhibitor Levels in Concentrates of Biosolids Samples Predicted by a New Method Based on Excitation-Emission Matrix Spectroscopy. Appl. Envir. Microbiol.,76: 8102-8109.
McLain, J.E.T., H. Ryu, L. Kabiri-Badr, C.M. Rock, and M. Abbaszadegan (2009) Lack of specificity for PCR assays targeting human Bacteroides 16S rRNA gene: significant cross-amplification with fish feces. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 299: 38-43.
Selected Grants Received and Pending
Co-Investigator. Grant Title: Approaches to Maintain Consistently High Quality Recycled Water in Storage and Distribution Systems. Funding Agency: WateReuse Foundation Funding Amount: $654,995.00 Project Period: 03/01/2009 – 08/31/2011. Received
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Arizona Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials (AZ NEMO) – Watershed Technical Support Funding Agency: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Funding Amount: $59,482.00 Project Period: 07/01/2010 – 06/30/2012. Received
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Contaminant Fate and Transport in the Environment, Evaluation and Recommendations for the Safe Application of Reclaimed Water in the Southwest Funding Agency: USDA-CSREES Region 9 Water Quality Program Funding Amount: $79,200.00 Project Period: 10/01/2009 – 09/30/2012. Received
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Evaluating Septic Influence on Irrigation Canals Funding Agency: Arizona Department of Agriculture Funding Amount: $73,304.00 Project Period: 01/01/2012 –12/31/2012. Received
Co-Investigator. Grant Title: The Role of Biofilms as a Reservoir for Foodborne Pathogens in Irrigation Systems. Funding Agency: National Integrated Food Safety Initiative (NIFSI) - USDA Funding Amount: $599,966.00 Project Period: 01/01/2012 – 06/30/2014. Received
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Assessment of Escherichia coli as an Indicator of Microbial Quality of Irrigation Water Use for Produce Funding Agency: Center for Produce Safety Funding Amount: $89,823.00 Project Period: 10/01/2011 – 09/30/2013. Pending
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Irrigating Agriculture with Recycled Water: Investigation of Translocation of Trace Organic Contaminants and Microbes into Produce. Funding Agency: National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) - USDA Funding Amount: $598,482.00 Project Period: 11/01/2011 – 10/31/2014. Pending
Principal Investigator. Grant Title: Develop Best Management Practices to Control Potential Health Risks and Aesthetic Issues Associated with Storage & Distribution of Reclaimed Water. Funding Agency: WateReuse Foundation Funding Amount: $200,000.00 Project Period: 01/01/2012 – 12/31/2013. Pending
Synergistic Activities
- At the international level: Supported international student exchange program through the University of Arizona International Program Office. Student interns from the Universidad Tabasco as well as Sao Paulo State University worked in the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center for periods of 11 weeks on projects related to water quality and non-point source pollution (2008-2011).
- At the U.S. national level: Member of Arizona Water Pollution Control Association (AWPCA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and Member of American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the WateReuse Association. Ad-hoc reviewer of manuscripts: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal of Cooperative Extension, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Reviewer of grant proposals: Center for Disease Control Graduate Program Grants. Graduate Advisees: (12)