olivia barber, phd Candidate

Olivia Barber is an environmental engineer interested in the human impact on antimicrobial resistance and how it impacts health outcomes. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park where her research focused on optimizing developments to minimize stormwater flooding. She then moved to England to study in the Environmental Engineering Master’s degree program at Imperial College London. Her dissertation focused on barriers to the implementation of novel microbial wastewater treatment in Serbia. After completing her Master’s, she spent a year working in industry as a consultant engineer for drinking water projects before returning to academia. Her current research as a PhD candidate at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL focuses on how disinfectant use impacts antimicrobial resistance and strategies to combat the resistance trend.

Olivia serves as local Lajna Ima'illah public affairs secretary in Chicago and also works as an editor for the children’s magazine Al Hilal.