Raven Althouse
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Raven C. Althouse (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and holds a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Policy and Planning from the department. A passionate researcher and educator, Raven has been recognized with multiple teaching honors, including the 2021 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, the 2022 Jenny Wang Excellence in Teaching Award, and a nomination for the 2023 University Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, as well as research travel awards from WiSE and the Das Family.
Her research focuses on microbial processes in potable water reuse, with a specialization in environmental biotechnology, greenhouse-gas mitigation, and antimicrobial resistance. Raven’s work on greenhouse gas-consuming microorganisms contributed to the first known detection of a specific methane-consuming microorganism in the United States. She also investigates how microbial communities develop resistance in natural environments and carry it over into engineered biological water treatment systems, providing critical insights for safe, scalable water reuse. After completing her doctorate, Raven plans to apply her expertise in industry before potentially returning to academia. Outside the lab, she is an avid animal lover—caring for everything from rats and cats to dogs and horses—and can often be found training at the boxing gym