2025 Annual Meeting
APRIL 14th- 16th, 2025- SAVE THE DATE!
Our 34th Annual meeting will occur April 14th-16th in Boise, Idaho at the Grove Hotel. If you are not local, you will want to check in on Sunday, April 13th.
Room Blocks
Grove Hotel
The Board has arranged for a block of 30 rooms. You must book at the Grove Hotel by March 14, 2025 before the rooms revert to the common pool with higher rates.
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown
We are also arranging another block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown. We have 60 rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown and the deadline for booking these is March 10, 2025.
The Board welcomes help with conference planning. If you are interested, please contact Heidi.Siegelbaum@wsu.edu.
Please check back soon for updates!
2025 PNW SETAC Conference Pricing
Late penalty for registration (4/12-4/13)- $50
Early Bird: Reduce across the board for $20.
4 weeks before the conference- Give folks a month.
Member: $265
Non- member: $350
Student Member: $140
Student Non-Member: $170
Single day Member: $180
Single day non-member: $220
Membership Fees:
Professional: $50
Students, $20
Sustaining (life time membership and conference fees waived): $3,000
2025 Theme
From Mountains to Sea
For the second time in its history, PNW SETAC will be holding its annual conference in the state of Idaho and we welcome you to join us in Boise on April 14-16th, 2025!
Our chapter is the largest SETAC North America chapter, with our membership spanning Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and British Columbia. We are excited to grow and continue strengthening our ties with all our members, as well as emphasize inclusivity and collaboration across state borders.
The Pacific Northwest region spans a wide range of diverse and interconnected ecosystems. At our upcoming conference, we ask you to consider how your research and projects may align within or span one of four ecological spaces from our regional biomes:
- Mountains and Terrestrial Systems
- Rivers and Freshwater Systems
- Ocean and Estuarine Systems
- Mountains to Sea – Cross-systems Thinking- From the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean
We often think of legacy and emerging contaminants—their behavior, effects, and fate—in one space but the fate and transport of these contaminants often stretch across habitats and borders. How are contaminants such as PFAS or 6-PPD behaving in a freshwater ecosystem compared to a marine environment? Ecological risk assessments and remediation activities conducted in a riverine system can be just as impactful further downstream, in river corridors and off-channel environments. What ecological or chemical data trends are emerging at upstream versus downstream sites within a watershed?
Mining activities have a historical importance in many parts of the Pacific Northwest— ecologically, culturally, and economically. In what ways are these sites being managed for restoration and/or reclamation to keep the industry sustainable while respecting Tribal needs, treaty obligations, and historical use patterns ?
Overarching themes we would like addressed are human health impacts, aspects of environmental justice, and science communication.
Please reach out with any questions to Michelle Knowlen.
2024 Conference
Our Annual Meeting celebrates ever-evolving environmental toxicology and chemistry and its role in making the region we inhabit a healthier, more resilient place.
The 33rd Annual PNW SETAC conference just wrapped up and it was an energetic and interesting three days, permeated by stunning spring sun and new friendships and connections.
We will update this page shortly and extend our congratulations to our Student Award winners.
2024 Student Presentation Award Winners
Posters:
Briana Benner, Western Washington University (1st Place Poster Undergraduate)
Amanda Gannon, Portland State University (1st Place Poster Masters)
Lauren Kashiwabara, Oregon State University (2nd Place Poster PhD)
Miranda Jackson, Oregon State University (1st Place Poster PhD)
Platform presentations:
Chloe Kotik, University of Alaska Fairbanks (1st Place Lightening)
Holly Suther, Western Washington University (1st Place Platform MS)
Lillian Pavord, Washington State University (2nd Place Platform MS)
Mackenzie Morshead, Oregon State University (1st Place Platform PhD)
Agenda and Meeting Program
Please see the updated Agenda HERE.
The Meeting Program is now available!
Please read it HERE.
SHORT COURSE: The short course PowerPoint will be posted here shortly.
| From the basics to the state-of-the-science on micro and nanoplastics research | Stacey Harper & Susanne Brander |
You can read more about Dr. Harper and Dr. Brander using these links.
For the last two years, we glimpsed at how issues associated with toxics and chemistry are inextricably connected to the natural world, the material economy, and human health. Nearly every challenge we face is associated with what a product is made of, how it’s used, and its pollution pathways (fate and transport) which culminate in cumulative impacts on the whole ecosystem—critters and humans alike, as well as the ecological envelope that sustains all of us.
While we speak euphemistically about “management,” the continuum of change and the multiple pathways by which science drives and responds to change, is quite complex and demands a more persuasive, community-embedded, and layered approach.
While regulations are often the first place we like to go in these discussions, there is considerable value in changing incentives, how the issues are framed, and inviting other disciplines and communities into our conversations meaningful ways. But the first step in that change trajectory is unlocking our science and connecting it with the values and lives of the people and institutions who are change agents for good. We need to unlock their potential.
Our Generous Sponsors
Thank you to all our sponsors!
Orca Level Sponsors
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for tire manufacturers that produce tires in the United States. USTMA members operate 57 facilities in 17 states, are responsible for more than 291,000 jobs, and have an annual economic footprint of $170.6 billion. Our mission is To strengthen the competitiveness, societal impact, and reputation of the U.S. tire manufacturing industry. Our vision is to be the premier advocate, trusted voice, and thought leader for the U.S. tire manufacturing industry. Advancing safe, sustainable mobility for the future
Oregon State University Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology The integrated mission of the Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology (EMT) is to educate students in the toxicological sciences, to conduct research on the effects of chemicals and other agents on humans and the environment and to engage the public through extension and outreach. The EMT Department focuses on creating, disseminating, and applying new knowledge to enhance the treatment and prevention of human disease and to ensure the protection of the environment and public health.
Chinook Level Sponsors
WSP WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering, environment, and professional services firms. Recognized in 2023 on TIME’s list of the world’s best companies and Fortune’s Change the World list, WSP is driving social impact and commitment to ESG. WSP in the U.S. brings together engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors, and construction management professionals who are dedicated to collaborating in the best interests of serving local communities. WSP designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water, and environmental markets. With approximately 14,000 employees in 300 offices across the U.S., WSP partners with its clients to help communities prosper.
Chinook Level Sponsors
GSI Environmental Inc. (GSI) is an engineering and environmental science consulting firm committed to investigating, analyzing, and solving complex environmental problems around the globe. Our work ranges from practical solutions for environmentally sound industrial operations and property development to toxicological analysis and management of chemical hazards, sustainable development of water and other natural resources, and protection of our rivers, bays, and estuaries. Our staff combines practical know-how with leading-edge research to deliver timely, innovative, and focused solutions to your environmental challenges.
Anchor QEA is an environmental science and engineering consulting firm working to improve the
environment and our communities. Our vision is to be a growing company that is
our clients’ first choice for solving their most challenging problems and our
employees’ first choice as a company where they want to work.
Teck American Incorporated Teck is one of Canada’s leading mining companies, focused on providing products that are essential to building a better quality of life for people around the globe.
Heron Level Sponsors
EcoAnalysts’ team of environmental scientists, biologists, toxicologists, and technicians work together to provide our clients scientifically unbiased data and assist them with making informed decisions.
Nautilus Environmental Company, Inc. is a Canadian-based biological testing, research, and consulting company that performs environmental toxicological and microbiological tests that are required for regulatory compliance, as well as performing applied research to address specific project needs.
Eurofins Environment Testing (EET) works continually to deliver advanced technical expertise and analytical services to clients across the US. As your global leader in environmental testing, we pride ourselves on three main areas of differentiation: Technology, Service and Geography. Through our sustained investment in people, technology, instrumentation, and infrastructure, EET laboratories are positioned to support clients easily in both the public and private sectors.
Kingfisher Level Sponsors
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s mission is to be a leader in restoring, maintaining and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, water and land. DEQ works with all Oregonians to provide a healthy, sustainable environment that supports a diverse economy
Kingfisher Level
Plenary Speaker
We are pleased to announce our plenary speaker, Dr. Sarah Marie Wiebe, for this year’s conference.
Pollution Exposure and Democratic Deliberation: The Promises and Paradoxes of Public Engagement, Lessons from Canada’s Chemical Valley for Environmental Justice
Dr. Sarah Marie Wiebe grew up on Coast Salish territory in British Columbia, BC. She is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa with a focus on community development and environmental sustainability. She is a Co-Founder of the FERN (Feminist Environmental Research Network) Collaborative and a Board Member of the Climate Disaster Project. Her book Everyday Exposure: Indigenous Mobilization and Environmental Justice in Canada’s Chemical Valley (2016) with UBC Press won the Charles Taylor Book Award (2017) and examines policy responses to the impact of pollution on the Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s environmental health.
This year, as well as last year, we take a glimpse at how issues associated with toxics and chemistry are inextricably connected to the natural world, the material economy, and human health. Nearly every challenge we face is associated with what a product is made of, how it’s used, and its pollution pathways (fate and transport) which culminate in cumulative impacts on the whole ecosystem—critters and humans alike, as well as the ecological envelope that sustains all of us.
While we speak euphemistically about “management,” the continuum of change and the multiple pathways by which science drives and responds to change, is quite complex and demands a more persuasive, community-embedded, and layered approach.
While regulations are often the first place we like to go in these discussions, there is considerable value in changing incentives, how the issues are framed, and inviting other disciplines and communities into our conversations in a meaningful way. But the first step in that change trajectory is unlocking our science and connecting it with the values and lives of the people and institutions who are change agents for good. We just need to unlock their potential.
Environmental Justice Panel
Please welcome our panelists who will address environmental justice considerations:
Take a look at the deep learning and festivities from last year.