PEOPLE News and Updates

PEOPLE Network Workshop Updates and Announce News


•An Invitation to the 2017 PEOPLE (Research and Training Network in Persistent and Emerging Organic PoLlution and Mitigation in Cold Marine and Coastal Environments) Network Workshop and Symposium

You are cordially invited to attend PEOPLE 2017, our network’s first workshop on persistent and emerging organic pollution in cold and coastal environments, to be held on October 16, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada that will include an “open” public symposium the following day.

This meeting is timely as a large number of persistent and emerging organic pollutants (PEOPs) may be toxic or carcinogenic, recalcitrant and bio-accumulative. Such pollutants include petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides, disinfection by-products, fire retardants, chemical surfactants, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, aquaculture therapeutants, engineered nanomaterial, micro-plastics, etc. The public has expressed concern about their wide spread use, as many of them are non-regulated and thus currently not included in routine monitoring programs. There is an urgent need to better understand their fate, behavior, environmental and health impacts and develop more cost-efficient prevention, control and remediation technologies to support policy making and industrial practices.

The PEOPLE 2017 Workshop/Symposium will bring together researchers in environmental research (esp. on PEOPs) from multiple disciplines across Canada and the world as well as representatives and experts from relevant industry and federal/provincial governments.

The Network Workshop (by invitation only) provides a forum to advance this multidisciplinary network in Canada focusing on the R&D of innovative technologies and methodologies and training of people to prevent, control and manage PEOP pollution in cold marine and coastal environments. Discussion in the workshop will include refinement of the network’s vision, objectives, themes, tasks, teams, methodologies, collaboration, HQP training and funding opportunities. The workshop will also include the development of a strategic plan for the submission of joint research proposals (e.g., NSERC CREATE program in 2018).

The Symposium (open to the public with registration fees) co-hosted with the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) Newfoundland and Labrador Section and the Canadian Association on Water Quality (CAWQ) (jointly with its Atlantic Symposium 2017; subject to the final approval) will focus on freshwater and marine pollution and mitigation. Through an open dialogue, participants/stakeholders can share their views on emerging areas of concern, knowledge gaps, research needs and action plans. It will particularly provide a good opportunity for the Network researchers and students to disseminate their findings and get better understanding of the needs of industries, governments and indigenous communities. Approximately 100 participants are expected. A call for abstract is attached for your information

Local tours will also be arranged to make your visit to St. John’s joyful and memorable! A tentative agenda is also attached.

We would very much appreciate if you could advise as to whether you or a delegate will be attending this workshop and/or symposium via email nrpop@mun.ca by September 15, 2017 at the latest. Thank you very much for your previous support to our network and kind consideration of this invitation. We look forward to welcoming you in St. John’s in the fall!

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Bing Chen                Dr. Kenneth Lee
Memorial University       Fisheries and Oceans Canada


•Tentative Agenda

PEOPLE Network Workshop – October 16, 2017 (Monday)

Time         Activity
8:00         Registration and breakfast
8:30         Welcome and greetings
8:45         Introduction and purpose of the workshop
9:00         Introduction of researchers/groups
9:30         Invited speeches
—                  •  Government representatives
—                  • Industry representatives
—              Panel and group discussion
—                  •  Scientific understanding and past studies on persistent and emerging organic pollutants (PEOPs)
10:45        Coffee break
11:00        Panel and group discussion
—                  •  Technology development and needs for PEOP monitoring, prevention, control and remediation
—                  •  Ecological and socio-economic effects of PEOPs
12:00        Lunch on the road
12:20        Visit to Faculty of Engineering and CREAIT Lab Network at Memorial University
14:00        Invited speeches
—                  •  Municipality and community representatives
—                  •  Funding agency representatives
—               Panel and group discussion
—                  •  Community challenges and needs
—                  •  Education and Training
15:00        Coffee break
15:15        Roundtable Discussion
—                  •  Network goals and roadmap
—                  •  Challenges and opportunities
—                  •  Themes and methodologies
—                  •  Teams and collaboration
—                  •  Partnership and engagement plan
—                  •  HQP training strategies
—                  •  Funding sources and applications
17:30        Wrap-up and next step
18:00        Symposium Reception and Network Dinner3

PEOPLE Symposium – October 16, 2017 (Monday)

Time         Activity
8:00         Registration
10:00       Poster setup
12:20       Field trips
⇒ Option 1 – Faculty of Engineering
⇒ Option 2 – Marine Institute or OSC

PEOPLE Symposium – October 17, 2017 (Tuesday)

Time          Activity
8:00          Registration and breakfast
9:00          Welcome and greetings
9:30          Keynote speech
10:00        Parallel Sessions
—                  • Pollutant fate and behaviors
—                  • Toxicological and ecological effects
10:40        Coffee break
11:00        Parallel Sessions
—                  • Monitoring, tracing and analysis
—                  • Health and community impacts
12:00        Lunch
12:30        Keynote speech
13:30        Parallel Sessions
—                  • Prevention, control and remediation
—                  • Socio-economic effects
14:50         Coffee break
15:10         Parallel Sessions
—                  • Assessment, modeling and decision making
—                  • Policy, public engagement and training
18:00         Banque

Click here to download PEOPLE 2017 Tentative Agenda