AZoSensors speaks with Professor Regina Ragan about the development of a new water monitoring technology that utilizes the bacterium E.coli to create a live sensor. We discuss how this sensor works and why heavy metal contamination is so important to public health strategies. … Prof. Regina Ragan is a Professor in the Department of Material Science and Engineering and co-PI of the Center for Complex and Active Materials, a NSF MRSEC at UC Irvine. She has served as Equity Advisor, Inclusive Excellence Professor, and Diversity Director in Engineering Education.

A year ago, researchers at UC Irvine issued a report on Southern California wildfire trends that concluded what any non-scientist, long-time resident already knew – there have been a lot more wildfires in the region during this century.  … “Each new year of the 21st century has been a record-breaker in terms of wildfire damage in California,” said report co-author Tirtha Banerjee, an [assistant] professor of civil & environmental engineering at UCI. [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries.