Join Team France for a conference & roundtable highlighting cutting-edge science and innovation in water management.
Bringing together leading voices from academia and industry, this roundtable invites participants to explore cutting-edge technologies for tackling water pollution.
Through complementary perspectives, speakers will share insights from pioneering research on how contaminants - such as heavy metals, rubber or plastic waste - behave and persist in aquatic environments, as well as the methods used to neutralize them across soil, groundwater, and surface water. They will also showcase innovative solutions making a difference in improving water quality.
The discussion will address pressing challenges, highlight advances in water sanitation and wastewater reuse, and emphasize the importance of intersectoral collaboration and integrated, end-to-end water resource management.
Join in person for an interactive exchange at the crossroads of science and industry, and gain a deeper understanding of how waste impacts water resources—and the tools and strategies being developed to protect them for generations to come.
This roundtable will be moderated by Dr. Melissa Pierce, Technical Program Director at Current. She will be n conversation with:
- Elodie Passeport, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University. Elodie Passeport is a French environmental engineer. She holds a PhD from AgroParisTech in 2010 and went on to conduct postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley and the University of Toronto. Her work focuses on the remediation of contamined water and the fate of microplastics in urban environments, using stable isotope methods. She previously held a Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto and has received several awards for both her research and teaching.
- Brennon Garthwait, Director of Resource Optimization, Veolia North America – Milwaukee. Brennon Garthwait is a water industry professional at Veolia, currently serving as Director of Resource Optimization. He previously worked as open innovation manager at Veolia, where he led initiatives such as the « Pow ! emPowering Opportunities in Water » competition to advance sustainable water technologies.
- Celia Bellange, Chief Operating Officer, Watura North America. Célia Bellange is a French professional holding a Master’s degree in Urban Affairs and Political Sciences from Sciences Po Paris. She joined Watura in June 2018 and currently serves as a Chief Product Officer at the company, which specializes in technical training for water and sanitation professionals.
This event is affiliated with Chicago Water Week, presented by Current.