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.
Meeting Program Available
The meeting program is finalized and ready for you. Please click HERE to download a copy.
The REVISED final AGENDA for the annual meeting can be accessed HERE.
REGISTRATION is still open, and we would love to see you there. Please note that when you click on the link you will be prompted to enter your membership status which will entitle you to a discount.
Please register using this LINK.
Python Scripting Short Course! April 16th
Python Scripting for Environmental Professionals: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
🗓 Wednesday, 4/16 | 12:30–4:00 PM (immediately following the closing ceremony)
âś… [Sign up now!]
Does coding feel like a black box? Or maybe you learned Python or R scripting through application rather than formal training? Join Gunnar Guddal with Anchor QEA for a hands-on short course tailored to environmental professionals, where you will learn coding fundamentals through computational thinking. The course uses Python, a versatile language for data analysis, visualization, and automation, to teach the essential skills for scripting your environmental work.
If you’re new to coding, you’ll build a strong foundation. If you’re already coding, you’ll explore fresh techniques and perspectives to refine your approach.
You’ll gain:
- A strong foundation in scripting and automation
- New techniques for improving existing code
- Creative strategies for solving real-world problems
👩‍🔬 Students and professionals of all experience levels are welcome.
📌 Registration is open – secure your spot and start learning:
👉 [Sign up here]
Please VOLUNTEER
JOIN us to volunteer! We could use the help, camaraderie, good will and your energy. The contact for volunteering is Marina Steiner of the Board whose contact information is in the Volunteer Sign Up form.
The Board welcomes help with conference planning. If you are interested, please contact Heidi.Siegelbaum@wsu.edu.
Plenary Speaker Announced: Chairman Brian M. Mason (ret. USMC)
Chairman Mason is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and the grandson of Thomas Premo and Anna Frank Premo, and the son of Naomi Premo Mason. He served in the United States Marine Corps for over twenty years in various leadership positions and deployed to foreign duties on seven separate occasions. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he worked in Wildland Fire suppression as a Senior Fire Fighter with the U.S. Forrest Service in Great Basin and Pacific Northwest, he then worked for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Fuels and Fire management.
Chairman Mason worked with Placer Dome Inc. and then Barrick Gold Corporation as an Environmental Engineer and as an Environmental Superintendent at various Barrick Operating sites, which included Cortez, Goldstrike and Ruby Hill Mines. Interacting with regulatory officials from State and Federal organizations while performing various duties required for the operation of a gold Mine in the State of Nevada. He was then employed with Barrick Gold Corporation, North America, as The Manager of Native American Affairs working with Western Shoshone and Northern Paiute tribes in Nevada until leaving the industry in 2019. In 2020 Mason was elected to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Business council where he served as Council Member, Vice Chairman and Tribal Chairman. Mason was re-elected to a second term as Chairman in April of 2023.
He has two Bachelor’s Degrees, one in Marketing Management, and the other in Business Management, with an International Relations Minor and was a Morris K. Udall Native American Congressional Intern, Interning for the Assistant Secretary of the Interior in Washington D.C. He also possesses many military decorations and personal awards which include the Navy Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, The United Nations Certificate and other foreign and service Awards.
Sponsors and What Their Investments Mean
We talk about sponsors quite a bit when we plan conferences.
Their investments in the PNW-SETAC community and its work is impactful and meaningful on a personal basis. Their contributions help us to provide a financial lift for students- our future analysts– and help us support our community-based partners, including the critical role of tribes, and reduce costs for the nuts and bolts of operational costs that make holding a conference possible.
Their generosity is also notable in that they are markers of supporting science. We thank them and feel enormous gratitude.
Orca Level
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.
Chinook Level
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 site remediation and management of chemical hazards, sustainable development of natural resources, and practical solutions for environmental compliance. Our staff combines practical know-how with leading-edge research to deliver timely, innovative, and focused solutions to your environmental challenges.
WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, uniting its engineering, advisory and science-based expertise to shape communities to advance humanity. From local beginnings to a globe-spanning presence today, WSP operates in over 50 countries and employs approximately 73,000 professionals, known as Visioneers. Together they pioneer solutions and deliver innovative projects in the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, energy, water, and mining and metals sectors. WSP is publicly listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:WSP).
Anchor QEA is a nationally recognized environmental science and engineering consulting firm specializing in aquatic, shoreline, remediation, and water resource projects, including coastal and flood resiliency. With more than 500 employees in 26 offices across the United States, Anchor QEA works with public and private sector clients to address environmental issues at some of the most challenging sites in the nation by providing planning and strategy development, scientific investigation, engineering design, and construction management. Learn more at anchorqea.com.
Heron Level
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.
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.
Alta Science & Engineering, Inc. is a multidisciplinary consulting firm specializing in environmental science, engineering, and toxicology across the Pacific Northwest. Our team delivers innovative solutions for remediating contaminated sites, conducting human health & ecological risk assessments, and water resource protection—ensuring sustainable outcomes for communities, ecosystems, and public health.
Kingfisher Level
ABSTRACTS ARE NOW CLOSED-
Thank you for submitting your abstracts! Please reach out to Julie Layshock if you need to discuss.
2025 PNW SETAC Conference Pricing
Early Bird: Reduce across the board for $20 for each category.
VIRTUAL options now available for attendees (not presenters). We recognize that budgets are trimming this year but we still encourage in-person attendance.
Why attend in person?
Opportunity for ongoing networking
Expansion of student opportunities
The time to learn more about our sponsors and the tools/products/services they provide- we need them!
Collaborative problem solving and relationship building
Sustained, positive, energy levels
Member: $265
Virtual: $133
Non- member: $350
Virtual: $175
Student Member: $140
Virtual: $70
Student Non-Member: $170
Virtual: $85
Single day Member: $180
We are offering single day attendance only in person.
Single day non-member: $220
Membership Fees:
Professional: $50
Students, $20
Sustaining (life time membership and conference fees waived): $3,000
JOIN PNW SETAC
Please Register HERE and choose the type of membership you are looking for. This link will prompt you to create an account if you do not have one.
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.