Rita R Colwell

Rita R. Colwell is a Professor at the University of Maryland with appointments in the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. Her research focuses on cholera, microbial ecology, and climate change impacts on infectious diseases.

Her work integrates bioinformatics, metagenomic analysis, and remote sensing to predict outbreaks and assess water quality. Recent publications highlight water scarcity, microbiome shifts, and antibiotic resistance in pathogens like Vibrio cholerae and E. coli.

• Scientific Awards:
  • National Medal of Science (2006)
  • Order of the Rising Sun (2006)
  • Stockholm Water Prize (2010)
  • Mahathir Science Award (2016)
  • Prince Sultan Prize (2016)
  • Vannevar Bush Award (2017)
  • International Prize for Biology (2017)
  • Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (2017)
  • Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize (2018)

She leads the Rita R Colwell's Lab, advancing microbiome analysis for public health and water quality, with collaborations spanning global institutions and interdisciplinary teams.