Lauren Redfern

Dr. Lauren Redfern is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), affiliated with the U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering. She holds a BS in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the University of Florida (2013), and MS and PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Duke University (2015 and 2017, respectively). Prior to joining FGCU in 2019, she worked at Ramboll Environ, an environmental consulting firm in Los Angeles. Her research focuses on bioremediation, phytoremediation, environmental microbiology, wastewater microbiology, and microbiome studies in coral reefs and fish.

Her education includes:

• Bachelor of Science, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida (2013)
• Master of Science, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Duke University (2015)
• Doctor of Philosophy, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Duke University (2017)

Research interests include constructed wetlands, bioaugmentation strategies, plant-microbe interactions, and the application of novel molecular techniques in environmental engineering. Her work spans global projects involving environmental microbiology and bioremediation of pollutants like PAHs and oxybenzone. Professional memberships include the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Dr. Redfern’s publications highlight advancements in microbial community analysis, bioremediation frameworks, and the ecological impacts of pollutants. She contributes to environmental engineering curricula and interdisciplinary collaborations.