Chelsea M Rochman, PhD
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Head of Operations & Science Programming and Application Lead
University of Toronto – St. George
She / Her / Hers
Over the last decade, the amount of research and attention regarding the topic has elevated microplastic pollution to the global stage – setting priorities for research and policy. The story of microplastic pollution began in the remote central gyres of the oceans. Now we know that plastic debris is ubiquitous across all oceans, ecosystems, habitats and food webs – including in seafood and sea salt. In addition to understanding contamination, researchers have expanded their breadth of questioning towards the sources, fate, transformations and effects of plastic pollution. A deeper understanding has revealed the many ways in which plastic debris interacts with planetary cycles and affects physical and biological processes. This talk will provide an overview of microplastics and share recent research to better understand the fate and transport of microplastics in food webs (e.g., whether microplastics bioaccumulate and biomagnify) and how microplastics and their associated chemicals impact ecosystems across all levels of biological organization.
About the Speaker: Chelsea Rochman is an Assistant Professor in Ecology at the University of Toronto, co-founder of the U of T Trash Team, and a scientific advisor to Ocean Conservancy. Chelsea received her PhD in Ecology from a joint program between University of California, Davis and San Diego State University in 2013. She then was a Smith Postdoctoral Fellow in Conservation Biology. She was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2016. Chelsea has been researching the sources, sinks and ecological implications of plastic debris in marine and freshwater habitats for more than a decade. She has published dozens of scientific papers in respected journals and has led international working groups about plastic pollution. In recognition of her impact, Chelsea Rochman is a recipient of the Sloan Fellowship and was the 2021 winner of the Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award, a University of Toronto Award of Excellence. Chelsea Rochman routinely provides testimony on Parliament Hill and is a scientific advisor to the United Nations, G7, and European Union.
Friday, October 22, 12:00-1:15 pm Eastern
*VIRTUAL ONLY*
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