Breaking Down Plastics: A Conversation on How Plastic Pollution Affects Us All

Narragansett Bay is proof of how reliant society has become on plastic. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island estimate the top two inches of the floor of the Bay contain more than 1,000 tons of microplastics. What does this mean for our environment and our health?

Join Rhode Island PBS for an in-depth panel discussion on plastic pollution on Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. in room 170 of the Avedisian Hall. The event will kick off with a screening of the Rhode Island PBS Weekly segment, Green Seeker: Plastic Pollution, followed by a moderated discussion led by Rhode Island PBS Weekly reporter Michelle San Miguel.

University of Rhode Island researchers will break down how plastic consumption is infiltrating our daily lives. They'll explore how plastic affects our brains as we age, the increasing human exposure to plastics and its potential health risks, and the effects of plastic pollution on water bodies and marine life.

Agenda:

• 6 p.m. - Doors open, light bites and refreshments for guests
• 6:30 p.m. - Welcome remarks
• 6:35 p.m. - Screener begins
• 6:45 p.m. - Screener ends, panel discussion begins
• 7:15 p.m. - Q&A
• 7:45 p.m. - Event ends

Moderator

Michelle San Miguel - Michelle San Miguel is a reporter and co-host for Rhode Island PBS Weekly, an in-depth newsmagazine. She covers a range of topics including politics, health, and science, and has been honored twice by the National Educational Telecommunications Association for her reporting. She previously worked at WJAR as well as television stations in Colorado and North Dakota. She is bilingual. 

Panelists

Dr. Jyothi Menon - Dr. Jyothi Menon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the URI College of Pharmacy, specializing in nanomedicine, drug delivery, biomaterials and tissue engineering. Dr. Menon’s key research interests include: nanotechnology, biomaterials and tissue engineering to develop nanocomposite systems for regenerative medicine; polymer- and lipid-based drug delivery systems for controlled release of therapeutic agents; and three-dimensional tumor/ tissue models to better understand mechanisms associated with disease development and drug resistance. 

Dr. Jaime Ross - Dr. Jaime Ross is an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience within the George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, and Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the URI College of Pharmacy. Dr. Ross’s overall research interests investigate fundamental questions of aging. Her lab focuses on genetic and genomic approaches to understand the basic mechanisms of disease, especially brain aging disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. She is most interested in understanding the interconnectedness of mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetics, and chronic inflammation in aging and disease states in order to develop novel biomarkers and therapies. 

Dr. John (J.P.) Walsh - Dr. J.P. Walsh is a Professor of Oceanography in URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography. His research focuses on marine geology and coastal sedimentary processes and hazards. Walsh has conducted research around the world including in the Philippines, New Zealand, Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, France, the Gulf of Mexico and around the U.S. He recently spearheaded efforts to measure microplastics on the shoreline and seabed of Narragansett Bay and is working on several projects examining coastal change in New England.