Petri Dish | Nothing is forever: What will it take to clean up PFAS in our waterways?

Join us on April 29 for a conversation about PFAS and other chemicals in our water supply and what we can do to address it.
January 26, 2026
Petri Dish, Nothing is forever: What will it take to clean up PFAS in our waterways?

So-called “forever chemicals” pose a major threat to human health as PFAS has been released into the environment causing contaminated soil, water, and air. In particular, PFAS contamination in drinking water systems has been a major concern because it has been linked to increased cancer risk and reproductive problems. Scientists have identified promising approaches to reducing our exposure to these chemicals and removing them from our environment despite their reputation for persistence. The key to a PFAS-free future may lie in understanding the biology of some of the planet's smallest organisms. This panel will explore the threat posed by PFAS and other chemicals to the water supply, what we can do to address it, and what it will take to make it happen.

Panelists

  • Cara Santelli
    Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering

  • Matt Simcik
    Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health

  • Larry Wackett
    Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences

Get tickets
 

Note: Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Program starts at 6:15 p.m.

Petri Dish panel discussions explore how biology affects our lives and what it means for our future. No PowerPoints. Just lively, curiosity-driven conversations on timely topics with University of Minnesota experts.

Organized by the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences in collaboration with the Bell Museum.

Event details

College news