WATERBORNE VIRAL PATHOGENS AND METHODS OF DETECTION IN WASTEWATER: A MOLECULAR MAGAZINE

Abstract

Perhaps the greatest mistake of the scientific community is choosing to exclusively portray their cutting- edge molecular discoveries in formal, jargon-filled reports. While classic scientific articles have proven to be a very successful enterprise when communicating between experts in the field, the average individual does not have the time nor the energy to sit through a lengthy paper in their free time. To bridge the gap between academic and non-academic communities and keep the public informed, we need a more effective way of communicating molecular biology to the masses. The following Honors Thesis addresses these issues by presenting two years of original virology research as a molecular biology magazine in order to best display the many different projects at the University of Arizona's Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center. The magazine itself is centered around a variety of highly interdisciplinary projects in waterborne enteric viruses and recycled waters, specifically emphasizing the improvement of laboratory virus detection methods. The magazine-style format of the project allows the work to be both comprehensible and engaging for non-scientific audiences while still remaining informative for professionals. Combining the spheres of art, creative writing, and molecular biology will greatly aid interest and understanding in complex research topics across a variety of scientific disciplines.