Sky Redhead’s PhD (Sustainable Environment) investigated antibiotic resistance in wastewater treatment. The aim of my research is to help wastewater treatment companies assess which anaerobic digestion treatment produces digestate (or sewage sludge, often used as fertiliser) with the lowest levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been identified as one of the world’s biggest health challenges, with some estimates saying it could lead to more than 10 million deaths across the world each year by 2050.
Wastewater or sewage treatment is normally carried out in an anaerobic digester, which breaks down organic matter, such as sewage sludge, into methane gas and fertiliser. This process doesn’t, however, remove all the antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can make their way back into the environment when the fertiliser is used in agricultural processes.
I wanted a career in research and a PhD is almost essential for this. I also loved spending time in the lab during my undergraduate dissertation project and wanted to hone my skills before applying for microbiology-based jobs.
Left: The river Wye near Fownhope, focus of my research
USW is in a great location, close to Cardiff, which is a city I love. I loved doing my PhD at USW it has a really great close-knit research community. Everyone is very friendly and helpful and always happy to share ideas over lunch. There is great support at USW not only from your peers, but from your supervisor as well.
Doing my PhD at USW I was able to go to conferences and training sessions thanks to the Graduate School travel fund and got to travel to the Netherlands, Germany, the USA as well as to different towns and cities around the UK. Travelling to conferences is always fun and allows you to network with other researchers in your field.
Getting a PhD has allowed me to get my dream job, I am now a lecturer in Microbiology and Genetics. A PhD is hard work, but it opens so many doors and improves your career prospects.
Dr Emma Hayhurst, Professor Alan Guwy and Professor Richard Dinsdale (Sustainable Environment Resource Centre)