Marisol Cira received her bachelor’s degree (2018) and her master’s degree (2019) in civil engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is now a PhD candidate. Her dissertation investigates the sources, fate, and transport of microbial contaminants in coastal watersheds in the United States and abroad. Her published research showed that 34 commercially available garden products are sources of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Currently, she is examining burdens placed on the urban environment caused by hospital sewage discharges containing ARGs and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB). As a visiting student researcher at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cira collaborated with Heal the Bay to investigate the effects of a 2018 fire on coastal water quality by using satellite remote sensing and in-situ data analyses. She is the recipient of the Switzer Fellowship, Early-Career Fellowship through the UCLA Center for Diverse Leadership in Science, and the Ford Predoctoral Fellowship. She is dedicated to providing equitable access to STEM opportunities and recently, in her role as a teaching assistant, implemented course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). Post-graduation, she plans to pursue a postdoctoral position where she can measure the proportions of ARB in recreational beaches in Southern California using her own low-cost, low-tech method.

Research Interests

Environmental Microbiology, Remote Sensing; Antibiotic Resistance