Ph.D. Nicole C Rockey

Dr. Nicole C. Rockey is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University. Her research focuses on the environmental persistence of endemic and emerging pathogens, mechanisms of virus inactivation, environmental virology, and the development of engineering controls to reduce infectious disease burden. She uses laboratory and modeling approaches to assess transmission risks and identify interventions for microbial threats. Dr. Rockey joined Duke in 2023 after completing a postdoctoral position at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Nicole C. Rockey is an Assistant Professor at Duke University, specializing in environmental virus fate, virus transmission, water treatment, and environmental engineering. Her research explores the inactivation of viruses through UV disinfection, heat treatment, and aerosol dynamics, with a focus on human norovirus, influenza viruses, and swine influenza. She investigates factors influencing virus survival in droplets and respiratory mucus, as well as the role of humidity and biofilms in virus transmission. Her work also addresses public health risks, such as the potential pandemic threat of swine H1N2 influenza and the impact of environmental conditions on virus decay. Rockey's studies contribute to improving water treatment methods and understanding virus behavior in environmental and clinical settings.