Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook University recently hosted a workshop focusing on addressing the issues related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals." These chemicals have become a significant environmental concern due to their widespread use in products like cookware, firefighting foam, and industrial manufacturing lubricants. As a result, they are increasingly found in drinking water, soil, and crops, posing risks to health and the environment.

The event, organized by the Collaborative for the Earth (C4E), took place on March 28 and aimed to convene experts across campus to share scientific findings, discuss potential regulatory frameworks, and enhance collaboration on environmental health risks and impacts on wildlife. Marking a four-hour program, the workshop featured interactive sessions and presentations exploring various facets of the PFAS issue.

Heather Lynch, director of C4E and endowed chair for ecology and evolution at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS), highlighted the workshop's purpose. "Our goal for this workshop was really to bring together all of the people working on these emerging contaminants across campus," Lynch explained. Participants included individuals from fields such as chemistry, marine sciences, public health, medicine, and the humanities. Lynch emphasized the value of connecting diverse disciplines to advance research on PFAS and emerging contaminants at Stony Brook University.

This workshop was part of a seed award-funded project led by Lynch and Mary Collins, associate professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS). Lynch underscored the importance of faculty participation in addressing environmental challenges, noting these gatherings promote information sharing, community involvement, public awareness, and the conversion of research into regulations.

Lynch stated, "As academics, we tend to go to conferences far and wide, but we rarely have an internal conference like this where we get to meet people that we wouldn’t ordinarily work with." She added that PFAS research is an emerging focus area in which Stony Brook could become a significant leader.

This internal convening fosters a unified research approach, enabling disciplines to align resources and strategies. Sarah Valencia, a postdoctoral researcher in SoMAS supported by the IACS Seed Award for her PFAS work, remarked on the benefits of such collaborations. "As a scientist, you can go and try to learn about a topic on your own, but it’s just so much faster to have an expert give you a quick overview," she said, emphasizing the efficiency in gaining a deeper understanding for research purposes.