Patricia Holden, Professor – Environmental Microbiology

Patricia Holden leads multidirectional research that is centered on a single overall problem: pollution. Her group examines the microbial ecology of the vadose zone to better understand bacteria and create more realistic paradigms for modeling bacterial processes that can naturally attenuate organic and inorganic pollution in what are relatively under-studied subsurface soils. Holden's group also researches water quality toward understanding the presence, origins, and consequences of human waste in coastal zones. Holden's research into nanotoxicology is aimed at generating knowledge to preempt negative effects of engineered nanomaterials in the environment. The philosophy behind all these efforts is that improved understanding leads to better predictions of processes that govern rates and extents of pollution migration and transformation in the environment. While the research is most related to environmental bacteriology and engineering, approaches and thinking are from many disciplines, often through collaborative research.

Contact Information:

Office: Bren Hall 3508

Phone: 805-893-3195
Fax: 805-893-7612

Email: holden@bren.ucsb.edu

More about Patricia Holden

Bren Courses Taught

More about specific Bren courses

edit