{"id":629,"date":"2019-03-11T16:17:13","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T16:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/?p=629"},"modified":"2019-04-04T15:48:46","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T14:48:46","slug":"renew-secondment-in-south-africa-elizabeth-holton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/2019\/03\/11\/renew-secondment-in-south-africa-elizabeth-holton\/","title":{"rendered":"ReNEW Secondment in South Africa \u2013 Elizabeth Holton"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am a PhD student, conducting research in the Chemistry department at the University of Bath \u2013 specifically the Environmental Chemistry and Public Health research group, under the supervision of Prof. Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Prof. Ed Feil and Prof. Chris Frost.<\/p>\n

Throughout my first year of my study, I focussed predominantly on the development and validation of a method for quantifying antibiotics in water samples. Entirely chemistry-based research. However, a major aspect of my work (and one of ReNEW\u2019s interests: more information on the ReNEW project can be found here<\/a>) is the manifestation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment; particularly, the correlation between water pollution and emergence of antibiotic resistant organisms. A topic incorporating both chemical and biological understanding. So, unsurprisingly, I jumped at the opportunity for a 3-month secondment in the Stellenbosch Microbiology department.<\/p>\n

During this time, I am researching the relationship between heavy metal water pollution and AMR. This will involve both the quantification of metals in Stellenbosch water samples, as well as the correlation of antibiotic resistance profiles with the presence of metals. The latter will involve the utilisation of an innovative technique, growing and manipulating biofilms under controlled conditions. We are hoping this will improve our general understanding of pollutive AMR co-selection.<\/p>\n

This international exchange also provided me the opportunity to experience everyday life in a different culture \u2013 in my academic relationships, as well as extracurricular. For instance, I was fortunate to be selected into the Stellenbosch University Jazz Band, performing with them at two open-air concerts. One of which was conducted as part of Stellenbosch\u2019s annual arts festival, Woordfees.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Stellenbosch University Jazz Band \u2013 Woordfees 2019 Spier Amphitheatre, Stellenbosch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Stellenbosch University Jazz Band \u2013 Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, Stellenbosch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hopefully, this will not be my last visit to South Africa!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Table mountain cable car, Cape Town<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Boulder\u2019s beach penguins, Cape Town<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Route 44 drive, Western Cape<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am a PhD student, conducting research in the Chemistry department at the University of Bath \u2013 specifically the Environmental Chemistry and Public Health research group, under the supervision of Prof. Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Prof. Ed Feil and Prof. Chris Frost....<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1074,"featured_media":630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[232],"tags":[503,499,501,500,336,502,504],"class_list":["post-629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urbanwater","tag-antimicrobial-resistance","tag-elizabeth-holton","tag-environmental-chemistry-and-public-health-research-group","tag-professor-barbara-kasprzyk-hordern","tag-renew-project","tag-stellenbosch-university","tag-water-pollution"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/85\/2019\/03\/group.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1074"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/water\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}