Alison Kline

"I have always been interested in the environment and how humans interact with it. When I was an undergraduate majoring in Environmental Sciences, I spent a semester at a research facility where I completed an honors thesis related to indicator bacteria and other area-specific microbes in stormwater, shellfishing waters, and oysters. That sparked my interest in human-environmental interactions and the spread of disease, leading me to purse my master’s degree in environmental health.

My current thesis project is devoted to identifying gaps in our knowledge about the persistence of poliovirus. In particular, I’m studying the ability of two poliovirus types to survive at various temperatures in sediment and water. The ultimate goal of the research is to help improve surveillance efforts in parts of the world, like Pakistan, where poliovirus is still endemic.

I chose this department because of the high caliber and range of research that the faculty is doing. Since coming to UW, I’ve gained extensive and valuable laboratory experience with different methods and microbes that I had not worked with in the past. After I earn my degree, I plan to work in a research setting so I can continue to learn and develop new skills."