
Our lab studies challenges to safe water access that impact millions of people locally and globally. We design and deploy equitable technologies to monitor and improve drinking water quality. Our translational research integrates methods from environmental engineering, human centered design, and public health.
Our Team

Dr. Katya Cherukumilli, PI
Dr. Cherukumilli is an assistant professor in Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington. She is dedicated to conducting impact-driven and actionable research through community engagement and technology innovation.
Email: katyach@uw.edu

Stephanie Hung
Stephanie is a first year PhD student in Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE). Her doctoral research is focused on evaluating the impacts of wildfires on drinking water quality and designing tools to improve emergency response and community resilience.
Email: sshung@uw.edu

Jessamine Li
Jessamine is a Masters Student in Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) at UW. Her research is focused on evaluating user perceptions and quality of drinking water infrastructure at universities through engagement with campus stakeholders and building users.
Email: ljl555@uw.edu
Alumni
Amelia Crill
Amelia is a Sophomore Engineering student at Swarthmore College. Amelia previously worked on a project related to remediation of lead contaminated drinking water fixtures in WA State schools.
Email: acrill1@swarthmore.edu
Research
SWELL is a new research group at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Our work is focused on bridging gaps between scientific discovery, technology design, and safe water access.
We are currently recruiting 1-2 graduate students to join our group! More details about the UW HCDE PhD program can be found here.



Contact Information
Dr. Katya Cherukumilli
Safe Water Equity & Longevity Lab
University of Washington
Phone: (+1) 206-616-1746
Email: katyach@uw.edu
Office: 310 Sieg Hall (UW HCDE)
Lab: 324 More Hall (UW CEE)