MƒA teachers can register for this event on the Small-World Network. Other guests can register here.
Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium
160 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor
The MƒA Thursday Think Speaker Series brings accomplished speakers who dive into cutting-edge topics in STEM education to MƒA. These talks, held once a month throughout the school year, invite MƒA teachers and the general public to learn and engage with these thought leaders and professionals in mathematics, science, and education.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of ~15,000 widely used, long-lasting chemicals that have caused widespread contamination in our air, water, and soil. Compounds in PFAS are so resilient that they persist in the environment rather than degrading naturally, earning them the label "forever chemicals."
Studies have shown that PFAS exposure may be linked to harmful effects in humans and animals, including liver damage, decreased immunity, and congenital disabilities. To address the growing challenge of PFAS, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is developing multiple technologies that work together to achieve complete PFAS remediation.
These technologies include materials for PFAS capture and separation, chemical strategies for environmentally-friendly PFAS destruction, materials for byproduct sequestration, and the development of PFAS-free Aqueous Film Forming Foams, like those needed in fire extinguishers.
In this talk, Dr. Leslie Hamilton will discuss these technologies and present strategies for all of us to work towards PFAS-free waters.
Dr. Leslie H. Hamilton leads the Materials Research portfolio in the Research and Exploratory Development Department at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). She is an interdisciplinary scientist with materials science, chemistry, and biology expertise.
She has extensive experience leading multidisciplinary teams towards innovative solutions for technically challenging problems. An important thrust within the Materials Research portfolio is the development of materials and chemistries to enable environmental resilience, with a focus on technologies to ensure the availability of clean water.
Dr. Hamilton received her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University and her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. Prior to joining JHU/APL, she worked at the Microelectronics Center in Provence, France, and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies.
