Krista Rule Wigginton is a Professor of Environmental Engineering and the Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Education in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her research explores pathogens in the environment, with a focus on innovative detection methods and mechanistic descriptions of how pathogens lose infectivity in natural and engineered system. Her team uses these findings to build models that predict the persistence of emerging viruses in various environments. Professor Wigginton’s research was integral in the development and implementation of wastewater-based epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the NSF CAREER Award and the Water Research Foundation’s Paul L. Busch Award.