Daniel Oerther

Daniel Oerther
Born Daniel Barton Oerther
October 11, 1972
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Residence Washington, DC, USA
Citizenship American
Nationality United States
Fields Environmental Engineering
Institutions
Alma mater
Thesis Using Molecular Signature Methods to Measure the In Situ Physiology of Acinetobacter spp. in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Activated Sludge (2002)
Doctoral advisor Lutgarde Raskin
Doctoral students
  • Peter Stroot
  • Pascal Saikaly
  • Kai Zhang
  • Regina Lamendella
  • Robert Smith
  • Ting Lu
  • Mau-Yi Wu
Known for
Influences
Notable awards
  • CAREER, NSF (2003)
  • Fulbright Scholar (2006)
  • Lifetime Honorary Membership, Sigma Theta Tau (2011)
  • Fulbright-ALCOA Distinguished Chair (2012)
  • Jefferson Science Fellowship (2014)

Daniel Barton Oerther (born October 11, 1972) is an American social entrepreneur and a professor of Environmental Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.[1] He uses design thinking to promote universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH); to improve food security and nutrition; and to eliminate extreme poverty.

Life and education

Born in Columbus, OH, Oerther grew up in Louisville, KY. As a young man, he enjoyed the outdoors, and he was an active participant in Boy Scout Troop 42, Lincoln Heritage Council, earning the rank of Eagle Scout in 1987. While attending Saint Xavier High School, Oerther twice visited a mission school in Carmen Pampa, Boliva sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers. In a period of only four years, he earned a Baccalaureate of Arts in Biological Sciences and a Baccalaureate of Sciences in Environmental Engineering, both from Northwestern University. In 1998, he completed a Masters of Science in Environmental Engineering, and he completed his doctorate in Environmental Engineering in 2002, both from the University of Illinois. Since completing his doctorate, Oerther has studied Microbial Ecology at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University, and Public Administration at Indiana University.

Work and discoveries

Oerther pioneered translational science in the area of environmental biotechnology through collaborations between academic researchers and practitioners of environmental engineering.[2][3][4] His efforts included the creation and dissemination of novel course materials designed to introduce engineering students to the needed laboratory skills for environmental biotechnology without the prerequisite requirement of formal training in biology.[5][6]

With his doctoral students and collaborators, Oerther coupled the science of microbial ecology with chemical process modeling to predict the performance of suspended growth [7] sewage treatment and membrane bioreactors. [8] He has also been a pioneer in the field of metagenomics to improve the determination of microbial total maximum daily load. [9]

Oerther's work in sustainable development has used structural equation modeling to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to improve community health. [10] He has pioneered the use of human computation to create employment opportunities in developing countries.[11][12]

Employment at the University of Cincinnati

From 2000 through 2009, Oerther was a member of the faculty of the University of Cincinnati where he served as Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.[13] At the University of Cincinnati, Oerther was instrumental in the establishment of the Center for Sustainable Urban Environments[14] including the creation of a campus-wide minor in sustainability as well as promoting international development through mentoring a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders.[15]

Beyond the University, his service within Cincinnati included helping to design the Green Learning Station at the Civic Garden Center,[16] establishing an urban community garden,[17] and co-chairing a Food Access Task Force to identify strategies to combat urban food deserts.[18] To compliment efforts in sustainable development focused in Cincinnati, Oerther also collaborated with engineers in Kenya, health professionals and architects in Tanzania,[19] and a faith-based non profit in Guatemala to learn about and practice sustainable development.

Employment at the Missouri University of Science and Technology

Since 2010, Oerther has held the John A. and Susan Mathes Endowed Chair at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. At the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Oerther has been instrumental in promoting the Solar Village[20] including a starring role in a highly acclaimed video short that describes sustainability practices at the University.[21]

Oerther's service within Rolla has included helping to establish the Rolla Community Garden. He also has led study abroad trips providing opportunities for students to visit Kenya,[22] India[23] and Brazil.[24] In the greater Missouri region, Oerther has provided lectures about sustainable development[25] and organized conferences on education and metagenomics.

Current appointments

Oerther currently serves as a Jefferson Science Fellow with the United States Department of State providing "accurate science for statecraft" in the Office of Global Food Security, Feed the Future Initiative.[26] He is also a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology for Advanced Studies and Research, Gujarat, India; an Adjunct Professor in the School of Life Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka, India; and a Faculty Consultant at Future University in Egypt.

Awards

Oerther is a Professional Engineer with a license to practice in the State of Ohio. He is also Board Certified by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES). Oerther received the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in 2003, a Fulbright Scholar Award to India in 2006,[27] and the inaugural Fulbright-ALCOA Distinguished Chair to Brazil in 2012.[28] He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) as well as to the Board of Trustees of the AAEES. For teaching excellence, he received the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Engineering and Science Education from AEESP in 2004, and he received the Excellence in Environmental Engineering Education Award jointly from AEESP and AAEES in 2014. Due to his collaborations with health professionals, The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International inducted Oerther as a lifetime honorary nurse in 2011.[29]

Selected publications

Dissertations

Selected Articles

References

  1. ↑ "Ohio environmental expert named Mathes Chair at S&T". Missouri University of Science and Technology. 2010-06-07. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  2. ↑ "UC Scientist Builds Cultural Bridges Over Troubled Waters". University of Cincinnati. 2003-05-01. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  3. ↑ "The Value of Applying Molecular Biology Tools in Environmental Engineering: Academic and Industry Perspective in the USA". Springer. 2003-03-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  4. ↑ "New Tools for the Trade". Water Environment Federation. 2004. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  5. ↑ "Introducing Molecular Biology to Environmental Engineers through Development of a New Course". Chemical Engineering Education. 2002. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  6. ↑ "Integrating Molecular Biology Research, Teaching, and Professional Outreach in Environmental Engineering and Science". Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2006-06-29. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  7. ↑ "Use of 16S rRNA Gene Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis to Assess the Impact of Solids Retention Time on the Bacterial Diversity of Activated Sludge". American Society for Microbiology. 2005-05-15. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  8. ↑ "Identifying Pioneer Bacterial Species Responsible for Biofouling Membrane Bioreactors". Blackwell Publishing, Ltd. 2006-02-14. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  9. ↑ "Assessment of Fecal Pollution Sources in a Small Northern-plains Watershed Using PCR and Phylogenetic Analyses of Bacteroidetes 16S rRNA Gene". Oxford University Press. 2007-03-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  10. ↑ "Evironmental Health and Household Demographics Impacting Biosand Filter Maintenance and Diarrhea in Guatemala: An Application of Structural Equation Modeling". American Chemical Society. 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  11. ↑ "Helping East Africa". Missouri University of Science and Technology. 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  12. ↑ "PulaCloud: Human Computation for Economic Development". Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  13. ↑ "Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Cincinnati". University of Cincinnati. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  14. ↑ "Getting Off the Grid and Unpacking the Jargon about Sustainable Urban Engineering". University of Cincinnati. 2008-06-26. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  15. ↑ "UC’s Engineers Without Borders Assist Kenyans Without Water". University of Cincinnati. 2007-08-22. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  16. ↑ "UC, Students and Garden Center Grow Together". University of Cincinnati. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  17. ↑ "Cincinnati Launches Urban Gardening Pilot Program". SoapBox Cincinnati. 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  18. ↑ "City of Cincinnati Food Access Task Force Final Report". Center for Closing the Health Gap. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  19. ↑ "University of Cincinnati Design for Tanzania Wins Prestigious Architecture Award". High Beam Research. 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  20. ↑ "The Decathlon is Over. Now What?". American Institute of Architects. 2011-11-10. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  21. ↑ "Innovative Sustainability Leads to Climate Leadership Award". Missouri University of Science and Technology. 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  22. ↑ "University students get work for impoverished Kenyans". KRCG Channel 13. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  23. ↑ "Six Students to Conduct Research in India". Rolla Daily News. 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  24. ↑ "Missouri S&T Professor to Guide Three Students’ Brazil Research". Rolla Daily News. 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  25. ↑ "A New Resolution". River Front Times. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  26. ↑ "STTI honorary member named Jefferson Science Fellow". reflectionsinnursingleadership.org. 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  27. ↑ "Cultural Ambassadors: The Impact of Fulbright in India". SPAN Magazine. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  28. ↑ "Daniel Oerther on Fulbright-ALCOA Distinguished Chair at University of Western Para, Brazil". Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  29. ↑ "2011 Honorary Membership Recipient". The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2015-01-31.

External links