Dr. Matthew Verbyla

Email

Primary Email: [email protected]

Phone/Fax

Primary Phone: 619-594-0711

Building/Location

Professional Studies and Fine Arts - 447
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182

Website Links

• https://safewater.sdsu.edu/

Bio

Matthew Verbyla is a member of the Environmental Engineering faculty in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at San Diego State University where he directs the Safe WaTER Lab and teaches courses on water treatment, wastewater treatment, and the microbiological processes of environmental engineering. Originally from Connecticut, Matthew received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College, and his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida.

Education

2006           B.S. Civil Engineering - Lafayette College

2012           M.S. Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida

2015           Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida

2016-17      Postdoc. Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

Areas of Specialization

Matthew’s expertise is health-related environmental microbiology. He is engaged in research that seeks to better understand, characterize, and control the occurrence, persistence, and resistance of waterborne pathogens in engineered and natural systems to protect human health.

Awards & Honors

2022 “Most Influential Faculty” of the CCEE Department

2019 Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) Award Special Mention

2019 SDSU Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Scholarly Teaching Academy

2016 W. Wesley Eckenfelder Graduate Research Award, American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES)

2015 USAID Research & Innovation Fellowship (Brazil)

2014 Honorable Mention – USAID Blind Spots in International Development Competition

2012 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

2007 Fulbright Fellowship (Honduras)

Courses

ENV E 101 Environmental Engineering Seminar
ENV E 445 Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems
ENV E 646 Microbiological Principles of Environmental Engineering

Research

Development of next generation methods to identify and monitor wastewater and surface waters for pathogens and their sources

Produce new data and analytics for web-based tools to measure and model pathogen reduction in sanitation and water reuse systems

Quantify the partitioning of pathogens to liquids and solids in wastewater to improve treatment system operation and design

Grants

“Establishing background levels of pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria at a reference and test beach in the San Diego Region.” Matthew E. Verbyla (PI), California State Water Resources Control Board Region 9 SWAMP Funds, 2021–2024.

“Demonstration of Pathogen Removal Credits for Wastewater Treatment,” Matthew E. Verbyla (PI), Water Research Foundation, 2021–2022.

“IRES Track I: US-Brazil Integrating Engineering and Anthropology Research to Expand Perspectives on Water and Sustainability,” Matthew E. Verbyla (PI), Erika Robb Larkins (co-PI), Natalie Mladenov (co-PI), National Science Foundation, 2019–2022.

“Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at SDSU Residence Halls,” Matthew E. Verbyla (PI), San Diego State University (SDSU) Business and Financial Affairs (BFA), 2022-2023.

Publications

Rocha, A., Verbyla, M.E., Sant, K., Mladenov, N. (2022). Detection, quantification, and simplified wastewater surveillance model of SARS-CoV-2 in the Tijuana River. ACS ES&T Water (in press). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.2c00062

Calderón, J.S., Verbyla, M.E., Gil, M., Pinongcos, F., Kinoshita, A.M., Mladenov, N. (2022). Persistence of fecal indicators and microbial source tracking markers in water flushed from riverbank soils. Water, Soil, & Air Pollution, 233(83): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05542-8 

Verbyla, M.E., Calderón, J.S., Flanigan, S., Garcia, M., Gersberg, R., Kinoshita, A.M., Mladenov, N., Pinongcos, F., Welsh, M. (2021). An assessment of ambient water quality and challenges with access to water and sanitation services for individuals experiencing homelessness in riverine encampments. Environmental Engineering Science, 38(5): 389-401. https://doi.org/10.1089/ees.2020.0319 

Espinosa, M.F., Verbyla, M.E., Vassalle, L., Machado, A.T., Zhao, F., Gaunin, A., Mota, C.R. (2021). Reduction and partitioning of viral and bacterial indicators in a UASB reactor followed by high rate algal ponds treating domestic sewage. Science of the Total Environment, 760, 144309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144309 

Montoya, L.D., Mendoza, L.M., Prouty, C., Trotz, M., Verbyla, M.E. (2021). Environmental engineering for the 21st century: Increasing diversity and community participation to achieve environmental and social justice. Environmental Engineering Science, 38(5): 288-297. https://doi.org/10.1089/ees.2020.0148 

Verbyla, M.E., Pitol, A.K., Navab-Daneshmand, T., Marks, S.J., Julian, T.J. (2019). Safely-managed hygiene: A risk-based assessment of handwashing water quality. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(5): 2852-2861. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06156 

Verbyla, M.E., Symonds, E.M., Kafle, R.C., Cairns, M.R., Iriarte, M.M., Mercado Guzmán, A., Coronado, O., Breitbart, M., Ledo, C., Mihelcic, J.R. (2016). Managing microbial risks from indirect wastewater reuse for irrigation in urbanizing watersheds. Environmental Science & Technology, 50(13): 6803–6813. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05398 

Verbyla, M.E., Mihelcic, J.R. (2015). A review of virus removal in wastewater treatment pond systems, Water Research, 71:107–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.12.031