Kyung Han is a graduate of two bachelors degrees; a B.S. in Chemistry from Sejong University in South Korea (February 1998) and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Seoul in South Korea (February 2002). She is currently enrolled in a M.S. in environmental engineering at the University of MA Amherst where she is conducting research under Dr. Sharon C. Long. Han has received the Work Study Scholarship in 1997 from Sejong University and the School Supporting Scholarship in 1999 from the University of Seoul.
Han is currently researching microbial source tracking tools used to identify sources of the fecal bacteria/contamination in drinking water sources and evaluating the strengths and limitations of such tools. She recently presented a poster session, Microbial Source Tracking Overview, at the 28 th Annual Meeting of the New England Association of Environmental Biologists held in Hancock, MA. Han is expected to graduate early this summer and is currently seeking an entry level environmental engineering position.
Microbial Source Tracking: An Overview
Protecting source waters from pathogen contamination is a central goal of water providers in the developed world. Fecal sources that potentially harbor pathogens must be minimized in watershed. Microbial source tracking (MST) can delineate sources of bacteria in source waters, and will allow appropriate management and remediation decisions to be made.
The objective of this research is to assess the state of knowledge and current trends in microbial source tracking. Literature reviews were conducted to assess what methods exist, and evaluate each of method by source-specific validation, cost of equipment, time for analysis, and the need for specialized training. In addition, a survey of drinking water utilities was conducted to assess the state of awareness and implementation of MST in the United States.