Hudson-Delaware Chapter (HDC) SETAC has a history of supporting the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF) each year by providing cash awards for students. HDC SETAC members have attended the fair and judged posters under the Special Award Category. We look for and award posters that show research that closely aligns with HDC SETAC and our vision.
This year, Delaware Valley Science Fairs (DVSF) will continue to provide a forum for regional high school students to share their work and compete in a science research competition. Even with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DVSF was able to conduct virtual science fairs in 2020 and 2021. This year, DVSF is looking forward to returning to an in-person event.
See details below about the 2022 science fair. We welcome any HDC SETAC members who would like to volunteer their time to help judge posters. And we thank our 2021-2022 Corporate Sponsors who help to provide these awards.
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Judging day for the 2022 Delaware Valley Science Fairs (DVSF) will be Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. We hope your schedule will allow you to participate again. Registration is open now through STEM Wizard. There is a link in the judges tab of the www.dvsf.org website or you can access this site directly at https://dvsf.stemwizard.com/public_site/judge_register. Please feel free to share this link with colleagues. Additional information is posted on our website if they would like to learn more about this exciting and worthwhile program.
Over the past two years, we have had over 1700 students participate in our science fair and we expect that number to increase. We are always looking for mentors to work with the students. If you are interested in being a mentor, please register for our Mentorship Program. More information is available here: https://www.dvsf.org/mentorship-program
Delaware Valley Science Fairs continues to support students and their interest in STEM. If you would like to learn more, please find us on Facebook (Delaware Valley Science Fairs – DVSF), follow us on Twitter (@DVSFairs), and connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Hudson-Delaware Chapter (HDC) was very happy to see WSP join our corporate sponsors.
Please Welcome Erica McKenzie as she officially returns to the HDC SETAC Board of Directors
Thank you to all who voted in the 2021 election
HDC SETAC maintains a board of directors that manage the Hudson-Delaware chapter. The board is comprised of 10-13 voting members including a student member when available. Board members when elected serve a 3-year term and have the option for a longer term if they volunteer for an executive position such as vice-president, secretary, treasurer, or communications director.
Board members take an active part in all aspects of HDC SETAC and provide direct input into the activities and direction of the local organization. Each year positions open up on the board so please talk with an active board member about the possibility of joining us soon to help shape and maintain the success of the Hudson-Delaware Chapter of SETAC.
Webinar: PFAS Strategic Roadmap - EPA's Commitments to Action: 2021-2024
EPA released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap on October 18, 2021. The roadmap lays out EPA's whole-of-agency approach to tackling PFAS and set timelines by which the Agency plans to take concrete actions during the first term of the Biden-Harris Administration. The Roadmap fills a critical gap in federal leadership, provides a basic floor of federal protection, and supports states' ongoing efforts to address PFAS.
Join members of EPA's PFAS Council – senior policy and technical leaders from across the Agency – to learn more about the actions EPA plans to take in the coming months and years to protect public health and the environment from the impacts of PFAS.
This is the first of two public webinars that provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders to hear directly from EPA experts and ask questions about the Agency's research, upcoming actions, and timelines to achieve them.
Read the Roadmap and learn more about recent and upcoming EPA work on PFAS.
The second webinar on November 2, 2021 will provide an additional opportunity for members of the public to learn more about EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap. Register for the November 2, 2021 event here.
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joins its federal agency partners in highlighting National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 25-29, 2021. EPA, along with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are working to raise awareness, provide resources, and encourage preventive actions to decrease childhood lead exposure during the week and beyond.
EPA Actions:
EPA will be carrying out the following activities during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week to help a wide variety of audiences learn more about preventing lead exposure.
Background:
Established in 1999 by the US Senate, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week occurs every year during the last week in October. During this week, many states and communities offer free blood-lead testing and conduct various education and awareness events.
For more information on what EPA, HUD, and CDC are doing during NLPPW:
EPA - https://www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week
HUD - https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/nlppw
CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week.htm
For more information on EPA and Lead: https://www.epa.gov/lead
In August we asked HDC members to nominate themselves or someone else to serve on the Board of Directors for a 3-year term. We want to announce that we received back only one nomination and therefore we want to proceed with an election to complete the process.
Our one nominee was Erica McKenzie from Temple University. Here is a link to her BIO and nomination. Please VOTE in our 2021 election so we may officially accept Erica back onto the board for a second term!
If you are a HDC SETAC Member you should receive an email with a link that will allow you to Vote!
THANKS!
It's that time again when we ask for volunteers to sit on our Board of Directors to help manage and direct the Hudson-Delaware Chapter of SETAC. Board members serve a three year term and have the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of the Hudson-Delaware Chapter. Nominations are currently being accepted with an election voted on by the HDC SETAC membership to be held soon afterwards.
Submit your Nomination via 2021 Nominations for the Board of Directors
HDC SETAC is pleased to announce the award winners from the Delaware Valley Science Fair on April 9, 2021. Ronald MacGillivray, Ph.D., of Delaware River Basin Commission and Donald Nazario of Normandeau Associates served as judges for this years science fair representing HDC SETAC.
1st Place $150 - Saranya Anantapantula - Effects and Sources of Dioxins and Furans in Benthic Organisms in the Newtown Creek Superfund Site
2nd Place $75 - Lakshmi Yannam - Comparison of the Phycoremediation Capabilities of Chlorella autotrophica and Spirulina for Heavy Metals and Biosorption of Nitrogen and Phosphorus at Varying Haline Levels
3rd Place $25 - Sarah Santos - The Effect of Climatic Factors on the Intensity of the Lytic Toxins Released by Gymnodinium sp.
For many years representatives from HDC SETAC have been attending the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF) to view and judge High School science projects. The science fair draws students from Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Nearly $6 million in scholarship and prize money is awarded each year to student winners for outstanding science projects. HDC awards students under the Special Awards section and looks for projects that cover toxicity testing, environmental science, chemistry related projects and ecological awareness in the Hudson Delaware region.
For 2021 HDC SETAC judges were able to select three outstanding posters. Of course this year due to COVID-19 restrictions all posters were virtual and judges were introduced to each presenter via a video that each student prepared to present their research and explain their project. As is the case when viewing posters in person each student presents their distinct personality along with the tables, graphs and pictures of a well thought out science project. Our goal is to honor high school projects that show an awareness of the importance of environmental science in the midst of urbanization, climate change, focus on renewable energy, and advancing technology.
Founded in 1949, The Delaware Valley Science Fairs, Inc., is a non-profit organization sponsored by area companies, foundations, universities, and individual donors. One of the oldest and largest Fairs in the country, DVSF embraces a philosophy in that students learn science by doing science. In the process, students learn how to think and develop critical problem-solving skills that they will need for careers, college, and citizenship.
(Pictured from DVSF 2018 - left to right, Don Nazario and Ron MacGillivray enjoy a day of judging posters)
If you attended any of the Four-Part Series of Virtual Meetings we would like to ask you to complete a meeting survey. Your feedback is very important in helping us decide what topics are best and in what format should we present our information.
Please complete the survey here.
If you have any suggestions or comments don't hesitate to contact anyone on the HDC Board of Directors.
Check out this job opportunity at GHD in Exton, PA.
You may have seen this job opportunity but I thought HDC SETAC should promote any openings that definitely fit with our experienced SETAC membership.
https://ghdltd.referrals.selectminds.com/index/jobs/senior-toxicologist-environmental-risk-assessor-5613
Please pass along if you know someone who might be looking or would be a perfect fit.
