Rick Johnston

Rick Johnston is a prominent figure in the field of global water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) monitoring and research. He currently serves as a Technical Officer in the Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health unit at the World Health Organization (WHO).1

Key Responsibilities

As the co-lead of the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP), Johnston plays a crucial role in:

• Maintaining global databases on WASH services in households, schools, and healthcare facilities1
• Leading WHO's efforts in monitoring wastewater generation and treatment, collaborating with UN-Habitat1
• Contributing to the estimation of disease burden related to inadequate WASH1
• Co-leading or significantly contributing to the monitoring of multiple Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators1

Professional Background

Before joining WHO in 2013, Johnston's career included:

• Team lead for water supply and treatment at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) for four years1
• Seven years in Bangladesh, working with UNICEF on arsenic mitigation (between 1996 and 2009)1

Education and Expertise

Johnston's educational background and areas of expertise include:

• PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill1
• MSc from Johns Hopkins University1
• Specialization in drinking water treatment, particularly arsenic chemistry1

Research Impact

Dr. Johnston has made significant contributions to the field of WASH:

• Author of over 80 publications1
• His work has received over 6000 citations1
• He has an h-index of 37, indicating the impact and relevance of his research1

In his role at WHO, Johnston manages the WHO side of the WHO/UNICEF collaboration and works on improving methods of global monitoring related to water supply, sanitation, and hygiene.2