Forum at Valparaiso University to Discuss Water Pollution

Faculty from Valparaiso University, in conjunction with Indiana/Chicagoland environmentally focused organizations and like-minded individuals, will host a discussion on the topic of water pollution. The event is April 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the Tabor classroom of Wesemann Hall, located on Valpo’s campus.

The discussions will consist of panelists addressing laws protecting drinking water, current science challenges and how to move forward and solve these problems, and it will be highlighted by a presentation by Marc Edwards, who investigated the Washington, D.C., lead crisis and the Flint, Michigan, water disaster.

Edwards teaches courses in environmental engineering, applied aquatic chemistry and engineering ethics at Virginia Tech. His research group conducted the investigative science uncovering the 2001–2004 D.C. Lead Crisis and the 2014–2016 Flint Water Disaster. The White House awarded him a Presidential Faculty Fellowship in 1996, he won a MacArthur Fellowship in 2007 and in 2013 Edwards was the ninth recipient (in a quarter century) of the IEEE Barus Award for “courageously defending the public interest at great personal risk.” In 2016 he was named amongst TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential people in the World, the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine, Politico Magazine’s Top 50 Visionaries who have transformed American politics, Foreign Policy Magazine’s 100 World’s Greatest Thinkers and was short-listed amongst Flint whistleblowers as TIME’s person(s) of the year. He was co-recipient of the inaugural 2017 MIT Disobedience.

In line with Valparaiso University’s mission to seek and advance truth and knowledge, the event will highlight the importance of fresh water, threats to surface water and the laws and policies in place for its protection.

This event is free and open to the public. Additional information and seat reservation is available online.