Laurentian SETAC Celebrates 30 Years of Science and Community Events

Carolyn Martinko, Environment Climate Change Canada; Jack Salole, McMaster University & Nautilus Environmental; Victoria Restivo, SLR Consulting; and Tyler Andrew Black, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

The Laurentian Chapter of SETAC (LSETAC) celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025. This milestone was commemorated at the in-person Annual General Meeting & Conference, which was held from 12–13 June at Western University’s David Braley Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario. The theme of the conference was “Science in an Evolving World.”

The 30th anniversary committee marked the occasion by making a timeline of LSETAC’s history and collecting member memories. Members tested their LSETAC knowledge by completing a quiz – the lucky winner was Maxwell Hendershot.

The 30th anniversary conference began on Thursday, 12 June, with a full day of short courses. In the morning, Christine Bell from Western University led a course on “Digital Resources and GenAI uses,” teaching environmental toxicology students and professionals prompt engineering and practical applications for using GenAI. In the afternoon, Andrea Amendola, Ecometrix Inc., and Lara Alves-Beese, Dillon Consulting Ltd., taught “Toxicity Assessment in Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment,” which provided an overview for new graduates and early career professionals. Following the short courses, attendees toured Western University’s Advanced Facility for Avian Research, which is used to research the physiology and fluid dynamics of bird flight in high altitude conditions. Yolanda Hedberg, Western University, then led a walk through campus to identify sources of corrosion, leachates and contamination, ending at the Grad Club where she presented her research on corrosion and surface chemistry of metallic materials in contact with the human body and other biological environments.

The second day opened with a plenary Christina Castellani, Western University, who spoke about how mitochondrial DNA affects overall cell function in the context of disease risk. Following the plenary, participants had the opportunity to attend various platform and poster presentations in the field of laboratory toxicology, field toxicology, chemistry, physiology, omics, microplastics and risk assessment. The conference brought together a total of 93 attendees and featured 27 platform presentations and 21 poster presentations. Later, participants headed to the campus pub for a student-mentor networking event and awards ceremony. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we awarded $4,700 in prizes. We also honoured three of our members with the Laurentian SETAC Chapter Award for their involvement and commitment to the chapter: Richard Frank, Environment and Climate Change Canada; Trudy Watson-Leung, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks; and Ryan Prosser, University of Guelph.

This conference would not have been possible without our organizing committee: Jack Salole, McMaster University; Oana Birceanu, Western University; Victoria Restivo, SLR Consulting; Tyler Black, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health; Sarah Gewurtz, Environment and Climate Change Canada; Elise Millar, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks; Carolyn Brown, Wilfrid Laurier University; Andrea Amendola, Ecometrix Inc.; Quinn Allamby, McMaster University; Celina Ruan, McMaster University; Abithiny Selvarajah, McMaster University; Carolyn Martinko, Environment and Climate Change Canada; Fiana Spahiu, Western University; Spencer Hang, Ontario Tech University; Maxwell Hendershot, McMaster University; Hunter Herron, McMaster University; and Madeleine Zajdlik, Western University.  

Finally, we would like to extend our thanks to our sponsors for their generous support: Western University, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Nautilus Environmental, Syngenta, Ecometrix Inc., Wellington Laboratories, Ecoreg Solutions, Dillon Consulting, Aquatic Omics Lab, MTE, SLR Consulting, and WSP.

Signal Fire Screening

LSETAC hosted a Virtual Screening and Q&A Panel for the Signal Fire documentary, which was based on the article “Towards Reconciliation: 10 Calls to Action to Natural Scientists Working in Canada.” The screening was followed by Q&A with documentary participants Gùdia Johnson, Lhu’ààn Mân Ku Dashaw, and Heidi Swanson, Wilfrid Laurier University. We encourage you to watch the documentary (available for free online) and implement the calls to action in your work.

Where Are We Now: Women in Science Brunch & Panel Discussion

During Women’s History Month, LSETAC hosted an event to reflect on “Where Are We Now” and discuss the progress and barriers that women in science face today. Participants and mentors enjoyed brunch while discussing questions about their personal journeys, challenges, work-life balance, representation and advocacy. Attendees and panelists answered the question, “What does being a woman in science mean to you?” in a word cloud.

The main event featured a panel moderated by Ève Gilroy, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Our panelists were Oana Birceanu, Western University; Amila De Silva, Environment and Climate Change Canada; Yamini Gopalapillai, International Copper Association; and Allison McDonald, Wilfrid Laurier University. The panel answered a number of questions (listed below), providing meaningful, inspiring and thought-provoking responses that highlighted the progress made and the barriers that remain (particularly those that came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic).

1. How has the pandemic changed the work environment for women in science?
2. What have been the challenges you have experienced? Have there been any benefits?
3. There has been an increase in focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion across Canada and globally since 2020, but there has also been pushback on these initiatives. How do you feel about targeted hiring as a means of addressing diversity gaps in the workforce, such as prioritizing applicants from a specific equity group?
4. How does intersectionality (race, socioeconomic class, gender, orientation, religion, disabilities, ESL, etc.) impact your life and career?
5. How have mentors or others in your network supported you throughout your career, and how can we support women in our networks?
6. Do you think we are in a better position now of supporting women in science than we were at the start of your career?
7. What is the best advice you have received in your career? What final advice would you like to share with everyone here today?

Thank you to the panelists and to the organizing committee – Carolyn Martinko, Victoria Restivo, Lara Alves Beese, Ève Gilroy, Carolyn Brown and Tyler Black – for their contributions.

This year, LSETAC members were involved in three Regional Science Fairs, as well as shoreline clean up and tree planting events for Earth Day.

Regional Science Fairs

LSETAC volunteers judged primary, intermediate and senior-level science fair projects at the Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair in Hamilton, Ottawa Regional Science Fair and Peterborough Regional Science Fair. LSETAC sponsored two awards at each fair to projects that conducted research in a field related to environmental chemistry, pollution, contamination, remediation, environmental protection, ecology or toxicology.

Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair (March 20-22)
Judges: Lara Alves Beese, Abithiny Selvarajah
Junior: FruitPlast: Pioneering Sustainable Plastic Production from Fruit Waste – by Aryan Mohanty 
Senior: Re-evaluating AQHI: A New Model for Assessing Wildfire Smoke and Benzo(a)pyrene Health Risks – by Jacob Michael LeBlanc

Ottawa Regional Science Fair (April 4-5)
Judges: Jillian Rohonczy, Hardeep Gill, Wilson Lau, Adelle Strobel, Mark Vanderkloot
Intermediate: Running Hot or Cold? How temperature affects the efficiency of a hydrogen fuel cell – by Nadia Michel Gulah-Rusnak
Senior: Green Cement: Treating Microcystis aeruginosa blooms with modified clay and carbon-negative concrete – by Allyan Boodwani

Peterborough Regional Science Fair (April 8)
Judges: Elise Millar, Tyler Dow
Junior: Beat the Blaze! Developing a novel, biodegradable treatment to limit environmental destruction from wildfires and drought – by Claire Sehn
Senior: Microplastics: What is the correlation between the distance from the city centre and the microplastic concentration in the water of Lindsay? – by Gregory Murray

Thank you to all of the judges who participated on behalf of LSETAC and congratulations to the students for their excellent work! Our involvement in these science fairs would not be possible without LSETAC members being so gracious with their time.

Earth Day Activities

LSETAC members commemorated Earth Day by planting trees in a new forest in Guelph, Ontario, called the Hanlon Creek Forest. This forest is being planted in partnership by the Rotary Club of Guelph, Trees For Guelph and the City of Guelph. This site will take several years to plant and will become part of a future pollinator flyway. Volunteers from across the area helped with the planting more than 1,400 native trees and shrubs to help restore habitat, improve biodiversity and build climate resilience.

LSETAC members also participated in Earth Day at the Beach, organized by BurlingtonGreen and the Rotary Club of Burlington Central. LSETAC members picked up litter from the Burlington shoreline, including many macroplastics.

We thank everyone who joined LSETAC in giving back to nature this Earth Day. We’re proud to support community-led actions for healthier communities!

Contact:  [email protected] and [email protected]