NYC Microplastics Symposium

Join us for a 1-day symposium addressing one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: plastics pollution and its impact on human and environmental health.

This event will bring together stakeholders from industry, government, NGOs, academia, and community organizations to tackle the full lifecycle of plastic pollution—from production and use to environmental dispersal and human exposure, and finally to mitigation. Catalyzed by a partnership between NYC's premier academic institutions—the Advanced Science Research Center, Columbia University, The City College of New York, and New York University—this collaborative event will address three pillars:

🔬 Science & Technology Research – Understanding how plastics break down into micro and nanoplastics, disperse, and affect ecosystems and human health

📚 Education & Outreach – Building awareness and empowering communities to address plastic pollution

💡 Innovation & Solutions – Developing sustainable alternatives and technologies to mitigate plastic waste and exposure

Date: February 13th

Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering (Pfizer Auditorium, 5 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

Join scientists, engineers, policymakers, industry leaders, and community advocates as we chart a path towards plastics sustainability.

Agenda:

9:00 - 9:45 am Arrival and Registration

9:45 - 10:00 am Welcome Remarks: Juan de Pablo (Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Executive Vice President for Global Science and Technology and Executive Dean of Engineering, New York University)

10:00 - 11:00 am Plenary Talk: Jenna Jambeck (Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Georgia)

11:00 - 11:30 am Coffee Break

11:30 - 1:30 pm Research Parallel Breakout Sessions

Basic Science and Engineering of Plastics Sustainability

Confirmed Speakers: Juan de Pablo (NYU), Sanat Kumar (Columbia University), Marco Castaldi (CCNY), Wei Min (Columbia)

Impacts on Health and the Environment

Confirmed Speakers: Beizhan Yan (Columbia), Bridger Ruyle (NYU), Sam Sia (Columbia), Leo Trasende (NYU Langone)

New Sustainable Materials

Confirmed Speakers: Rein Ulijn (ASRC), LaShanda Korley (UD), Helen Lu (Columbia), Theanne Schiros (FIT)

1:30 - 2:30 pm Lunch Break

2:30 - 3:15 pm Industrial Panel Discussion

3:15 - 4:00 pm Government and Foundations Panel Discussion

3:30 - 4:30 pm Networking Poster Session

4:30 - 5:00 pm Summary and Discussion

We require photo ID for this event.

Hope you can join us with an RSVP!

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Host or Publisher NYU Tandon