A Student Guide to the SETAC North America 45th Annual Meeting
Adam Wronski, NASAC Chair; Bonnie Ertel, NASAC Vice Chair; and Miranda Jackson and Katie Mayer, Outreach Co-Chair
On behalf of the SETAC North America Student Advisory Council (NASAC), it is our distinct pleasure to welcome SETAC students from around the world to the SETAC North America 45th Annual Meeting from 20–24 October in Fort Worth, Texas, for a special anniversary celebration. The annual meeting always provides some of the best opportunities in our field for students to network, learn and grow as young professionals, and this iteration promises to be one of the most engaging yet. As you use these last few weeks to collect more data and finalize your presentation or poster, we want to highlight some of the events and attractions to look forward to in Fort Worth!
Meet NASAC
Before we share more details of our events throughout the week, allow us to briefly introduce ourselves and tell you about NASAC, which exists to provide a voice for student members of SETAC and to represent student interests within SETAC North America (SNA). Among other initiatives, NASAC plans events for the annual meeting each year to encourage widespread and meaningful participation of the student members in SNA. In addition to much of our general membership, our chair, vice chair and outreach committee will all be attending the Fort Worth meeting; our headshots are included below, so when you see us at the meeting, please say hello! Whether you have a question about NASAC, need help with something, or would like to chat, we can’t wait to meet so many of our fellow SETAC students. You’ll also be able to find us throughout the week at the following events:
- NASAC meeting (Tuesday, 22 October, Omni Sundance 2): Join the NASAC leadership team for a brief overview of our group and to learn more about how you can get involved.
- Student Corner (all week in the exhibit hall): Drop by during the poster socials to meet fellow students and current NASAC members, and be sure to grab some of our special SETAC giveaways! We will also provide charging stations and comfortable chairs, please stop by and relax whenever you need a break from the busy scientific program.
- NASAC Slack Workspace: To stay connected during the meeting, please join our NASAC Slack Workspace at nasac-workspace.slack.com.
Adam Wronski
Adam Wronski is a second-year graduate student at Baylor University, where he is pursing a Ph.D. in Environmental Science. His research has thus far focused primarily on the prevalence of pharmaceuticals, specifically antipsychotics, in wastewater influent, effluent discharges and surface waters globally. Wronski has governance experience as a member of the executive board of the Baylor University SETAC chapter. He hopes to work to increase student engagement, especially with local and regional SETAC chapters.
Bonnie Ertel
Bonnie Ertel is a Ph.D. Student in the Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Oceans and Human Health and Climate Change Interactions, where her research is focused on the impacts of microplastics on bottlenose dolphins. Prior to this, she completed her masters at the Citadel. She is involved in the Carolinas Regional Chapter and has been involved in NASAC.
Katie Mayer
My name is Katie Mayer, and I am a second-year PhD student at Virginia Tech (VT) studying pharmaceuticals and organismal toxicology. I have been a SETAC member since starting my program in the Fall of 2022 and presented posters at annual meetings in both North America and Europe. As a student scientist, SETAC has provided a space for me to connect with other students and professionals, which has aided my development as a researcher and early career professional. My experience in attending meetings not only has contributed to my growth but also provided me a chance as a student to identify meeting components that could be improved for students. This encouraged me to pursue my current co-chair position on the Outreach Committee within NASAC. In this role, I am facilitating the implementation of engagement activities to improve the student experience at SETAC meetings. Getting to know the current NASAC chairs and other committee chairs, as well as members of the general student body, has supplemented my motivation to continue to contribute to the improvement of SETAC student experiences. I am interested in running for the position of Vice Chair for NASAC because of the joy I have developed for both interacting with my peers and supporting the student body through improvements in engagement. I have experience serving as an Outreach Committee Chair and a Professional Development Chair for the VT Stream Team, as well as previous leadership experience as an NCAA athlete during my time as an undergraduate. Serving as the Vice Chair of NASAC would be an honor and a privilege, and my goal within this position is to continue the legacy of student leaders in this role before me to improve student networking, engagement and support at meetings for all SETAC students.
Student Events
Newcomers Meet and Greet | 4:00–6:00 p.m., Sunday, 20 October, Convention Center Ballroom A
Join other first-time SETAC attendees to grow your network and learn more about the meeting as you mingle with members of the Board of Directors, NASAC and other long-time SETAC attendees. Make sure to come prepared with a few questions in mind to help you network. If you’re not sure where to start when meeting someone new, just ask what they work on, and you might be surprised by the diverse research being presented at this SNA annual meeting.
Student-Mentor Dinner | 6:00 p.m., Monday, 21 October, Omni Texas Ballroom E
The student-mentor dinner is always a highlight of the annual meeting and presents one of the best opportunities to grow your professional network and start thinking about career opportunities. When you arrive, you will be seated at a table with a few other students and a mentor from each of the three major sectors that make up SETAC: academia, government and business. This allows you to hear perspectives from each career path and think about what might best suit your interests and goals. Again, be sure to come prepared with some questions as this is your opportunity to ask anything you want to know about your potential future career path. Tickets are available for purchase at the meeting website for $10 for students and $30 for mentors.
Early Career Social | 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, 22 October, Omni Texas Ballroom H
This event, organized by the Careers Committee, is open to students and early career professionals. Whether you want to network with your fellow students or learn more about the transition from student to either a post-doc or a full-time career, this social has something to offer to all early career scientists. Tickets are available for purchase at the meeting website for $30.
Student Seminar | 12:00 p.m., Wednesday, 23 October, Omni Texas Ballroom E
Organized by NASAC with the generous sponsorship of Colgate-Palmolive, we are excited to welcome Jeff Steevens to present the annual student lunchtime seminar. Steevens is a research toxicologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Columbia Environmental Research Center in Columbia, Missouri. Prior to joining USGS, Steevens spent several years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In his seminar, he will share insights from his decades of experience working in the federal government and offer advice for students interested in similar career paths. Steevens also leads the USGS PFAS integrated science team and will discuss his ongoing research on the effects of contaminants on freshwater mussels and other invertebrates. This event is currently sold out.
Student Mixer and Trivia | 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, 23 October, Curfew Bar
To round out a busy week of science and student events, join us Wednesday night at the Curfew Bar for our annual student mixer and trivia, the largest student-only event at the annual meeting. This event, organized by NASAC for all SETAC students, is a great opportunity to build your network of peers and engage in some friendly competition as we test your knowledge on a variety of topics, ranging from toxicology to Texas. The night will start with a mixer and eventually transition into the trivia competition, with food and drinks provided. Tickets are available for purchase through the SETAC website for $40.
Special Sessions
In addition to the regular scientific program, there are several exciting special sessions planned throughout the week. The first of these special sessions on Monday morning will introduce key concepts and background of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), followed by an afternoon session focusing on the local Trinity River. Students interested in more local perspectives should also plan to attend Tuesday’s special session memorializing and honoring professors Ken Dickson, Tom Waller and Herb Ward, three Lone Star legends who were fundamental in the development and growth of SETAC. On Wednesday, the local focus of the meeting continues with a session on “Environmental Issues in the Gulf of Mexico,” followed by a panel discussion of SETAC’s last 45 years, lessons learned and visions for the future. To wrap up the meeting, Thursday features three more special sessions including a collaborative session with SETAC's newest Interest Group, Advancement and Application of Alternatives Assessment (A4), discussing alternatives assessment, a panel discussion of misinformation-disinformation, and an update on the progress of the UN science policy panel on the sound management of chemicals, waste and pollution prevention.
Explore Fort Worth
If you plan to spend some time in Fort Worth before or after the meeting, we highly recommend this excellent list, assembled by Marlo Jeffries, one of the Program Committee chairs. Visitors looking to explore the Texas landscape beyond Fort Worth should note that Texas is home to almost 90 state parks, many of which are within a short drive of the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex. If you’re looking to take in a game during your visit, the DFW area is the place to be as FC Dallas (Major League Soccer), the Dallas Stars (National Hockey League) and the Dallas Mavericks (National Basketball Association) all have home games between October 19-24. For more information and a full listing of events taking place in the area, be sure to check out the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau website.
We are excited to meet so many of our fellow students in Fort Worth and hope you will not hesitate to reach out to us if there is anything we can do to help make your SETAC experience as enjoyable and fun as possible. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to sign up for as many student events as possible, practice those presentations, and get ready for an inspiring week of science.
We look forward to seeing you all in Fort Worth, TX from 20–24 October!
Author’s contact information: [email protected]