Research Scientist
Air Quality Research Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Abstract:
A large part of environmental chemistry aims to document the complex interactions between pollutant releases and environmental effects. Such chemistry is often linked to expertise from other disciplines in order to contextualize results. This seminar will use the example of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) to describe the translation of scientific research into a form that is useful to changemakers in government, civil society and the general public. PACs are toxic pollutants that have been subject to environmental management for decades in Canada and internationally. Despite a multitude of published studies on their environmental chemistry, substantial knowledge gaps about their environmental fate continue to exist. The concept of relevance will be explored as a means of underpinning the definition of research questions and the packaging of research results for optimal usefulness beyond the scientific community.