Katherine McMahon

Katherine McMahon is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her work focuses on microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and biogeochemistry, particularly in freshwater systems like Lake Mendota. She leads long-term ecological studies integrating metagenomics and microbial population dynamics to understand ecosystem processes.

Her research investigates the interplay between microbial communities, environmental drivers, and biogeochemical cycles. Notable projects include 20-year time-series studies of bacterial and viral ecology, mercury methylation in lakes, and the impact of climate change on microbial-driven ecosystem functions. She also explores engineered microbiomes for wastewater treatment.

Recent work highlights viral dynamics, nitrogen fixation constraints, and microbial responses to environmental stressors. Articles emphasize freshwater lake microbiology, including protistan ecology and the role of electroactive bacteria. Her team’s contributions include refining the genus ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter’ and analyzing viral-host interactions in natural and engineered systems.

Scientific recognition includes the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship. Research is supported by grants addressing microbial community resilience, One Health, and climate-microbe-human interactions.

Labs and projects include the Lake Mendota Microbial Observatory, generating extensive datasets on limnology, microbial traits, and environmental parameters. Collaborations bridge environmental engineering, public health, and evolutionary biology to address global challenges in water quality and microbial ecology.