Environmental Engineering, Water Reuse, and Public Health at USC with Prof. Adam Smith

In this episode, Paul sits down with Adam Smith, an environmental engineering faculty member at USC, to explore his journey from nearly joining the family lumber business to leading groundbreaking research on wastewater surveillance and biological water treatment. They discuss USC's innovative campus monitoring system that tracks COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, and dive into Southern California's urgent water crisis—where 90% of water is imported—and how cutting-edge reuse technologies are transforming wastewater into drinking water. Adam shares candid career advice for aspiring engineers and reveals what makes USC's boutique environmental engineering program unique, from lightning-round campus favorites to insights on working at the intersection of public health, sustainability, and infrastructure.