Asli Aslan

Professor of Environmental Health Sciences-Founding Director, Institute for Water and Health (IWH)

Asli Aslan

Research leader and founding director with expertise in building interdisciplinary research enterprises at the intersection of water sciences, public health, and engineering. Proven track record in federal funding strategy, research infrastructure development, and global partnerships across academia, industry, and environmental agencies. Known for translating scientific vision into sustainable institutional capacity through strategic program building, cross-sector collaboration, and externally supported growth.

1,200+
Citations
19
H-Index
43
Peer-Reviewed Articles
$6.2M
Active Research Funding
25
Countries
62
Laboratories

Select Areas of Expertise

Research Infrastructure Development & Management

Founded and lead a multidisciplinary research institute spanning three integrated units: the Environmental Research and Services Laboratory (ESRL), the Hydrological Modelling and Risk Assessment (HYDRA) Unit, and the Water Academy for environmental education and workforce development.

Research Consortium Building

Built the IC Sewage consortium and lead the IWH Goes Global initiative, forging international research consortia that connect institutions across borders around shared water and public health challenges.

Water Quality & Environmental Microbiology

Tracking fecal contamination sources and pathogen risk across coastal, urban, and rural water systems.

Rapid Diagnostics & Sensing Technologies

Developing portable, field-ready tools for near-real-time water quality monitoring.

Public & Environmental Health Systems

Connecting water science to public health decision-making, risk communication, and policy.

Community-Engaged Research & Workforce Development

Participatory water stewardship programs, environmental education, and training the next generation of water professionals.

News

Feb 2026 Delivered the keynote "Protecting Vulnerable Communities Through Rapid Hazard Detection During Disasters" at the Rooted in Resilience Summit, Florida State University.
Nov 2025 Received the Public-Private Partnership (P3) National Award.
Apr 2025 Launched a new project to characterize new water quality standards for the state of Georgia.
Mar 2025 Launched Safe Water Together as Principal Investigator, a $2.04M initiative funded by the U.S. Congress.
Mar 2024 Celebrated the ribbon cutting of the Institute for Water and Health.

Selected Publications

Full list →

Portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry as a rapid, complementary approach for fecal pollution assessment in water

Aslan, A., Silva, S.H.G., Ribeiro, B.T., Obi, V., et al. Water Research X, 2026.

Advancing circular bioeconomy through a systems-level assessment of food waste and industrial sludge co-digestion

Uddin, Md., Hartog, C., Murray, E., Loveless, J., Roberson, L., Aslan, A., Cubas, F., Rowles, L. ACS Environmental Au, 2025.