Kristen Riedinger
Kristen Riedinger is a PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering whose research focuses on environmental micropollutants. Specifically, Kristen investigates drinking water pollution by N-nitrosamines, a family of organic compounds that are ubiquitous in the environment and potentially harmful to human health, with a particular focus on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). As a MathWorks Fellow, Kristen will pursue two primary objectives: to study the distribution of NDMA within treated water networks and to develop a quantitative understanding of NDMA formation within these systems. Currently, she is investigating NDMA in the public water systems of two communities with historical water quality issues through sample collection and analysis. She further plans to collect samples from sites across the country. Kristen has used MATLAB to manipulate a large EPA dataset representing 1,198 public water systems with the ultimate goal of developing an empirical model to predict NDMA occurrence in treated drinking water systems. The insights emerging from Kristen’s research have the potential to contribute critical knowledge to assess and mitigate water contamination and protect communities from potential adverse health effects from their environment.