معرفی
Dr. Robert Michael McKay serves as Director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) and Professor in the School of the Environment at the University of Windsor. His research focuses on environmental microbiology, including harmful algal blooms and winter limnology in the Great Lakes. Notably, his lab pioneered wastewater surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to public health efforts. He holds over 100 peer-reviewed publications and leads grants from prestigious agencies like NSERC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. His roles include Associate Editor of the Journal of Great Lakes Research and member of the International Joint Commission’s Science Advisory Board.
Education: Ph.D. in Biology (McGill University, 1991), B.Sc. (Honors) in Biology (Queen’s University, 1986). Prior to Windsor, he held the Ryan Professorship at Bowling Green State University (1997–2018) and was a Humboldt Scholar at Germany’s GEOMAR (2005). His work spans North America, Europe, and Africa, addressing cyanobacterial blooms, ice-associated algae, and emerging pathogens.
Research interests emphasize harmful algal blooms, winter limnology, and environmental microbiology. Recent work explores wastewater surveillance for respiratory viruses (e.g., RSV, influenza) and cyanobacterial composition in African Great Lakes. His studies highlight interdisciplinary approaches, combining field campaigns, genomics, and machine learning.
Publications reflect a focus on microbial ecology, climate impacts on aquatic systems, and public health applications. Awards include the Humboldt Scholarship (2005) and NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (1991–1994). Collaborations with institutions like the U.S. National Science Foundation and Canadian agencies underscore his binational and global research impact.
Advising and grants: Principal investigator on multi-million-dollar grants addressing cyanobacterial blooms, wastewater epidemiology, and Great Lakes ecology. His team’s work has informed policy through the International Joint Commission’s Science Advisory Board, bridging scientific research and environmental governance.
Labs/Teams: Directs GLIER, a hub for collaborative research on freshwater ecosystems. Leads projects like the Great Lakes Winter Grab (multi-institutional winter limnology campaign) and the State of the Strait initiative tracking Windsor-Essex environmental health.
