Speaker: Laura Hug, Environmental Microbiology, Biology, U of Waterloo, Wednesday Talk: February 18, 2026, 2pm-4pm, Faculty Club and Zoom – hybrid
February 18 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Speaker: Laura Hug, Environmental Microbiology, Biology, U of Waterloo
Title: “Man’s Trash Is a Microbe’s Treasure: The Microbiology of Landfills”
Abstract: Landfills house our discarded waste, but also support a diverse community of microorganisms. These microbes degrade wastes, transform contaminants, and generate greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane. My research studies these microbes, to see how they are impacting landfill wastes, and to identify organisms capable of degrading contaminants or reducing the impact of landfill methane emissions.
Bio: Dr. Laura Hug is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. She’s a proud U of T alumna, having done her PhD here in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology with Dr. Elizabeth Edwards. Dr. Hug’s research examines the diversity and function of microbial communities in contaminated sites. Current research in her group is characterizing the microbial communities colonizing municipal landfills, with foci on methane cycling, bioplastics degradation, and community interactions. Dr. Hug’s work has been featured in major news outlets including the New York Times, the Atlantic, Discover Magazine, and on Public Radio International’s “The World”. She was a featured scientist on a TFO children’s show and the BBC Radio 4 program, “Bacteria, the tiny giants” in 2023.
The link to register is https://forms.office.com/r/6J8AMbmYWa
The deadline to register is the Monday before the event at noon. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants only.
If you have any questions, please contact the organizer, Linda Hutcheon at l.hutcheon@utoronto.ca.
