Erica Fuhrmeister

Assistant Professor

Email: efuhrm@uw.edu

Expertise: Clean Water, COVID-19, Environmental Health, Infectious diseases, Microbiome, One Health

PHD, MS

[Tabs]

About

Dr. Erica Fuhrmeister is Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences. She received her BS in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University and her MS and PhD in environmental engineering from University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Fuhrmeister is interested in understanding environmental transmission pathways of pathogens, particularly enteric pathogens in low- and middle-income countries. As part of her postdoctoral work, she investigated the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes between humans, animals and the environment in Nairobi, Kenya, using metagenomics. In response to COVID-19, she has worked with other researchers to survey high-touch surfaces in the community for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

For additional details about my research, please see my lab website.

Education

PhD, University of California (Berkeley)
MS, University of California (Berkeley)

Affiliations

Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Mentorship

Available to mentor new PhD students in autumn 2025. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.

DEOHS Students Mentored

Targeted, Long-Read Sequencing of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Alleles in Seattle Area Wastewater

Angelo Ong | MS (Thesis) | 2024 | View

Antimicrobial Usage in Bovine Veterinary Medicine in Washington State

Shannon Cassel | MS (Thesis) | 2024 | View

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Opinions and Uses in Small and Large Animal Veterinary Practice in Washington State

Elizabeth Grace Rott | MS (Thesis), Environmental Toxicology (Tox) | 2023 | View

Research

Using next-generation metagenomic tools and strategies to elucidate the role of the environment in the proliferation of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Emphasis on identifying important reservoirs and vectors of waterborne pathogen transmission to design effective engineered water and sanitation interventions. This work has spanned both the laboratory and the field, with international components in Kenya and Bangladesh.
In response to COVID-19, evaluating the role of fomites in community-level transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Bayesian modeling for fecal source tracking.

Publications

Recent publications

See publications list

In the news

Keeping a close eye on Tacoma's water

February 16, 2024 | Northwest Public Broadcasting | Featured: Erica Fuhrmeister | View

Tracing pathogens and antimicrobial resistance

September 12, 2023 | DEOHS HSM Blog | Featured: Erica Fuhrmeister | View

Our most-read stories of 2022 

December 15, 2022 | DEOHS HSM Blog | Featured: Catherine Karr, Diana Ceballos, Erica Fuhrmeister, Edward Kasner, Resham Patel, Marissa Baker | View

Eight new faculty members join DEOHS in 2022-23

October 5, 2022 | DEOHS HSM Blog | Featured: Diana Ceballos, Erica Fuhrmeister, Edward Kasner | View

Engagement

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The grand challenges of today cannot be addressed without the inclusion of diverse groups. The most meaningful research is motivated by large-scale problems, and solutions need to address longstanding harmful impacts on marginalized communities.

My current and previous work has focused on identifying which environmental exposures are most likely to lead to diarrheal illnesses or antibiotic-resistant infections in vulnerable populations. Through these efforts, we hope to prevent infections, particularly in young children in resource-limited settings. As I begin my own research group, I am committed to continuing this work in a mindful way. We strive to create mutually beneficial relationships that ensure equitable opportunities for researchers from around the world.

Community and research partnerships

As a new faculty member, I am excited by the close connections our department has with state and local communities. In a new project for our group, we will work with the UW Center for One Health Research and the Washington State Department of Health to understand antibiotic usage in agriculture and veterinary medicine in our community. The goal of this project is to better understand current practices, perceptions and successes to bolster efforts to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance in Washington.

Teaching practices

In my classes, we will discuss equity and racism as it relates to current research topics (i.e., which populations are not represented in microbiome studies? Which populations bear the greatest burden of antibiotic resistance?) As an instructor, my goal is to foster an inclusive, respectful space for students to express their unique viewpoints.