Wednesday, August 19 @ 9:30-11 a.m.
ES1. Student Research Presentation Session
The invited Student Scholarship finalists will present their research, with time for Q&A, and will be moderated by Scott Anderson, Haley & Aldrich, GEC Scholarship Committee Chair. Each Finalist will also present their research posters throughout the conference near the main stage in the Exhibit Hall and be available for your rapid-fire questions as you give your assessment and cast your vote for winners.
Student Scholarship Finalists:
- Josefa Tchamna Kouna, Georgia College & State University (undergraduate), Biology – Research Project: Understanding Microbial and Nutrient Drivers of Hydrilla Proliferation in Lake Sinclair
- Hanora Watson, Georgia Southern University (undergraduate), Mechanical Engineering – Research Project: Investigating the Application of Thermoelectric Harvesting using Ambient Thermal Gradients in Georgia Residential Environments
- Evelyn Rowan, University of Georgia (graduate), Forestry and Natural Resources – Research Project: Evaluating the Accuracy and Precision of Passive Sampling Devices for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Monitoring
- Christine Majeni, University of Georgia (graduate), Geology – Research Project: Assessing Groundwater Variability under Compound Flooding Conditions in Coastal Urban Areas: A Case Study of Tybee Island
- Jianqiao Song, University of South Alabama (doctoral), Environmental Engineering – Research Project: Kinetics and Capacity Metrics for Micro-/nanoplastic Capture and Lab Scale Filtration System Simulate
- Manuela Celia-Sanchez, Emory University (doctoral), Environmental Health Sciences – Research Project: Assessment of Human Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in North Georgia
ES2. Breaking Down Brownfields with Brunswick and Glynn County
Join an annual GEC Early Session Tradition where local Glynn County and Brunswick Brownfields Redevelopment needs and concerns have been discussed with a mix of local government, nonprofit, academic and state agency partners who collaborate and create local community success. This year the US EPA New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will facilitate a Breaking Down Brownfields Workshop where each step of the Brownfields Redevelopment process is discussed in facilitated groups. Georgia Conservancy, UGA Marine Extension Sea Grant Office and GEC Steering Committee members and volunteering consultants will support the Workshop. Specific Brunswick Brownfields will be evaluated as part of this workshop.
Panel: Alexandra Milan, NJIT; Nichole Rodgers, Terracon; Allen Booker, Glynn County; Nick Johnson, GA Conservancy; Lucas Barroso-Giachetti, Terracon; Jessica Brown, UGA; Abigail Akinosho, US EPA
ES3. Brownfield Challenges in Coastal Georgia
A roundtable panel discussion will feature several case studies addressing the challenges associated with the remediation and redevelopment of Brownfields in Coastal Georgia. Key obstacles that often complicate remediation and construction efforts on the coast include technical challenges, such as the presence of wetlands, shallow groundwater, floodplain limitations, unsuitable soils, and the need for dewatering, as well as the need to address community concerns and meet local needs. The session will highlight the importance of using site-specific approaches under the Georgia Brownfield Program to both mitigate environmental risks and manage costs to facilitate the redevelopment of contaminated properties within the coastal region. The panel will also discuss the use of the Brownfields tax benefit to mitigate costs and specific strategies to strengthen engagement and link project benefits to community priorities.
Panel: Justin Johnson, WSP; Stephen McCullers, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP; Stephanie Horwitz, GA Environmental Protection Division; Diane Reilly, TRC
ES4. AI Powered Field Data Collection & Implementation: Live Demos
This live demonstration walks through how AI is changing environmental field work—from real-time, GNSS-backed data capture in the field to automated, regulatory-ready reporting back in the office. Using wetland delineation as a working example, we’ll show how structuring and standardizing field data at the point of collection is what makes it both compliance-ready today and AI-ready for tomorrow’s predictive tools. The takeaway for any environmental professional: better field data is the foundation everything else is built on—models and reports only know what your field data taught them.
Panel: Lee Lance, Ecobot; Max Mahdi Roozbahani, Filio