Researcher biography
Dr Emily M. Stevenson's research explores the intersection of plastic pollution, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and wastewater surveillance, with a focus on understanding how pollutants drive resistance evolution and cross-compartment transmission within One Health frameworks.
Emily is currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with SAAFE CRC and the University of Queensland, exploring environmental AMR from a One Health perspective and ensuring policy, industry and community engagement in AMR research. Furthermore, Emily is working on the development of a research excellence and integrity framework for SAAFE, ensuring Australian AMR research is conducted at the highest and most ethical standards.
Emily completed her PhD at the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory in 2025, where she investigated the role of plastics as vectors for AMR in aquatic systems; integrating in vitro, in situ, and in vivo approaches. This work included developing an animal exposure model to assess how AMR moves from contaminated environments to animal microbiomes and potentially humans. Emily's thesis combines classical microbiology, molecular methods, and advanced sequencing, and has resulted in five peer-reviewed publications and an additional data chapter. Beyond her doctoral work, she brings expertise in experimental evolution, environmental risk assessment, and computational analyses.
Previously, as a Research Assistant, Emily co-developed methods to experimentally determine minimum selective concentrations for antifungal agents, applied in policy contexts and published in peer-reviewed literature.
Alongside research, Emily has significant experience in policy engagement. As a senior policy intern for the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, she evaluated UK legislation supporting a One Health approach to AMR, working under Baroness Natalie Bennett in the House of Lords. Emily also represented youth voices on the G7 Climate & Environment track in 2021, influencing global policy agendas.
Finally, Emily is the co-founder of Beach Guardian, a conservation NGO that has engaged thousands of volunteers, partnered with global companies like PepsiCo and Nissan, and influenced policy change. This work earned recognition from the UK Prime Minister (Points of Light Award) and the Diana Award for humanitarian efforts. Through this work, she has worked extensively on communicating science to diverse audiences through social media and global new outlets, like the BBC, Al Jazeera and CNN.