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Mark Hernandez is the S J Archuleta Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; he directs the Aerobiology and Disinfection Lab at the University of Colorado.Ìý This lab focuses on the characterization and control of microbiological air pollution and microbially induced corrosion.Ìý The lab develops genetic, biochemical and toxicological techniques to assess the efficacy of engineering interventions in sectors of sanitary engineering and industrial hygiene that are relevant to environmental health.Ìý There is special focus on aerobiology science for wide-area surveillance, indoor cleaning technology and the design of aerosol disinfection systems in the built environment.
Get a quick overview of our work here inÌý.
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​​​The Hernandez lab is optimizingÌýlarge-scale aerosol disinfection systemsÌýand commercial cleaning protocols in ways that helpÌýmitigate the persistence of Coronavirus in the built environment.Ìý
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WithÌý25 years of research experience on the characterization and control of airborne microorganisms, the Hernandez lab has most recentlyÌýbeen monitoring aerobiology in metropolitan mass transit systems around the world as well as in our local public schools.Ìý
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After the pandemic surfaced in Wuhan, hospitals and industrial partners (Aerosol Devices, Clorox, Carrier, Denver Children's Hospital, Detection Tek, ReckittÌýBenckiser, and Tito's Handmade Vodka)Ìýapproached the Hernandez labÌýto support disinfection andÌýCoVID characterization studies.Ìý
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We useÌýclassic methods for culturing mammalian virusesÌýas well as emerging instrumentation from the Colorado tech sector toÌýcharacterize the identity, distribution and infectious potential of indoor airborne microorganisms - notably including Coronavirus.Ìý
Dr. Hernandez has focused graduate and undergraduate recruiting efforts on students who are disabled or from socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in engineering education. We are a majority minority lab and everyone is welcome.Ìý
Graduate Students -ÌýOut of a total of mentees, the pool of graduate students and post-doctoral fellowsÌýformally mentored by Dr. Hernandez as a primary advisor includes women, and underrepresented students . ÌýOf these, 6 are tenured engineering faculty at the following institutions:ÌýYale, Cornell, Boston University, Ohio State, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Pudong University.
Undergraduate Students-ÌýOut of a total of 50 students, the pool of undergraduatesÌýformally mentored as an internship advisorÌýincludes women, and underrepresented students. ÌýOf these, more than 60% have gone on to complete a STEM graduate degree.ÌýÌý
Learn more about his work to broaden participation in engineering education.Ìý
The Environmental Engineering Microbiology & Disinfection Laboratory would like to thankÌýthe industrial partners and sponsors who have made the research possible:
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