This week’s faculty spotlight is Dr. Ishi Keenum. Dr. Keenum is a part of Michigan Tech’s College of Environmental, Geospatial, and Civil Engineering and currently does research, in addition to teaching CEE 3503 Environmental Engineering. Keenum has been a part of Michigan Tech since the Fall of 2023, working previously at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Keenum’s research looks at antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater and the establishment of standards for microbiome research as well as pathogen detection and control. Keenum won a Department of Commerce Gold Medal in 2022 for her work in the rapid development of a mpox standard.
Recently, Keenum presented at the 2025 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) National Meeting speaking on her research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater and her work towards enhancing wastewater treatment. Keenum’s presentation was a part of the Gilbreth Lectures put on during the meeting, which are a series of talks put on by early career engineers for two sets of students from nearby high schools. Keenum’s work regarding her research has also been featured in the NAE publication, The Bridge. The article posted in The Bridge specifically looks at her work in the designing of waste management systems to avoid the spread of antibiotic resistance.
