Mike Dollhopf is the Laboratory Manager for the Water Quality Center, Manager of the Hydraulics Laboratory, College of Engineering Lab Safety Officer and Chemical Hygiene Manager for the College of Engineering.

 

For Mike's first degree, he isolated and studied new species of metal respiring bacteria using electrochemical techniques. Later he received a Master's degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in the field of microbiology, with emphasis on environmental and molecular microbiology, biogeochemistry, and environmental studies.

 

Besides work at UW-Milwaukee, he has worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA developing sensors to detect signatures of life for placement on remote landers.

 

His work at Michigan State University included using bioaugmentation techniques for remediating field sites contaminated with chloroethene compounds using microbial consortia enriched in lab and then injected into the contaminated sites and monitored in situ using molecular techniques.

 

Mike also recently worked at Florida State University, investigating metal reducing and other physiologically important microbes in salt marshes and coastal wetlands, and also was involved as chemical analyst for a water quality assessment of the Apalachicola Bay National Estuary Research Reserve.

 

In the Marquette Water Quality Center, Mike is responsible for lab safety, upkeep, and instruction on proper use of lab equipment (ICP-MS, GCs, TOC analyzer, Kjeldahl apparatus, PCR cyclers, temperature-controlled room, incubators, freezers), and graduate and undergraduate student supervision.

 

Mike also enjoys working on the many projects proposed by undergraduate groups involved with testing contaminated water purification processes for use in underdeveloped countries.

 

Though he has had many travels Mike, originally A Milwaukee native, is enjoying life back in his hometown with two young sons who he is proud to say are rabid Packer fans.