CPRC Annual Meeting at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center – April 22 (Earth Day)

CPRC logoPlans are coming together for the Annual Meeting of the Chesapeake-Potomac Regional Chapter (CPRC) of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). Yes, that was a mouthful, but the important point here is that CPRC has chosen Earth Day (April 22nd) for its annual meeting. And what a meeting it is shaping up to be.

In case you missed it, Science Traveler has become an Associate Sponsor of CPRC (and yours truly is honored to be the current CPRC President). CPRC is “a professional forum for individuals from private industry, academia, and government agencies who are engaged in the study and analysis and solutions for environmental problems.” Because of our location near our nation’s capital and the Chesapeake Bay being the dominant ecological feature, it is eminently appropriate that the chapter hold its meeting at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC). I’ll have a more in-depth profile of CBEC soon; for now I’ll focus on the keynote speaker for the meeting – Tim Wheeler.

Tim Wheeler is the environment and Chesapeake Bay reporter for the Baltimore Sun. He has received many awards for his work, most recently the 2012 “Excellence in Journalism” award from the Renewable Resources Foundation for his reporting on efforts to clean up Baltimore Harbor. As a former president of the Society of Environmental Journalists and a long-time writer about the region, Tim is the perfect keynote.

Tim’s talk: Saving the Bay: 30 years and Counting

There will be much more at this event. More speakers. More food. More drink. And for those who venture out a day early, a guided bird walk, kayaking, and a chance to hobnob with a raptor or two (or three).

More information on the CPRC meeting can be found on the CPRC website.

More about CPRC and SETAC.

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Science Traveler to Sponsor Chesapeake Potomac Chapter of SETAC

It is with great pleasure that I announce Science Traveler (i.e., this website) has signed up to be an Associate Sponsor of the Chesapeake Potomac Regional Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Okay, that was a mouthful. How about we just say CPRC and SETAC. You can find their websites by clicking on the links above, or even better, clicking on the really cool logo below.

CPRC logo

The role of CPRC is to, well, I’ll let them tell you:

Our chapter provides a professional forum for individuals from private industry, academia, and government agencies who are engaged in the study and analysis and solutions for environmental problems, management and regulation of natural resources, and/or research and development.  We facilitate networking and educational opportunities for scientific professionals, mentoring and career guidance for students, and environmental education and outreach fo the public.

CPRC will have its annual spring meeting on April 22nd, Earth Day, this year. If you’re in the Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia/West Virginia (or Delaware) area, feel free to check out the meeting details here.

As a new Associate Sponsor, Science Traveler plays a key role in helping CPRC foster interaction among its members, sponsor scientific meetings and social events, produce a biannual newsletter, maintain a website, and, perhaps most importantly, sponsor student awards “that encourage and promote the research and professional development of our student members.” CPRC ad Spring 2013

I’m proud that Science Traveler is sponsoring CPRC. And to roughly paraphrase that old Hair Club for Men TV commercial, “I’m not only a sponsor, I’m the current President of CPRC.”

More about CPRC and SETAC.

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So how did Nikola Tesla do when he went to California?

Nikola TeslaAs I mentioned a few weeks ago, Nikola Tesla joined me on my recent trip to Long Beach, California. And he did very well, thank you. At least my book about Tesla did very well.

I donated a copy of Nikola Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity to the silent auction at the annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). Conference attendees saw a color brochure of the book that will come out in the spring of 2013. At that time I will inscribe and sign the book hot off the presses and ship it to the winning bidder. The book actually got five bids. Not bad for a biography of a long-dead electrical engineer auctioned to a group of toxicologists and chemists.

Nikola Tesla Silent Auction

And the winning bidder is…Diana Eignor. While I didn’t know any of the first four bidders it turns out I do know Diana. Like me a past-president of the Chesapeake and Potomac Regional Chapter of SETAC, Diana actually works in Washington DC not far from my own office. That will certainly save me postage for shipping the book when it comes out (though it might gladly cost me lunch). And the money that Diana paid goes to help fund SETAC’s student activities. Everyone wins.

Next up for Nikola Tesla and me is a trip to New York on the 70th anniversary of Tesla’s death in the New Yorker Hotel. More on that in a later post.

More on Nikola Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity.

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It’s Time to Travel

James JoyceI’ve been feeling a bit cooped up. The last time I traveled was in July when I went to Niagara Falls and New England. On that trip I visited Nikola Tesla’s two statues, then worked my way around Lake Ontario, past Lake Champlain, and down through New England to see the family. But that was months ago. I need to get out of the house.

Luckily I’m headed to southern California this weekend for a scientific conference. The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) is an international group and its North American component holds a meeting every November. This year is Long Beach. I missed the last four annual meetings because I was living in Belgium for three years (and then was just arriving back from a trip to China and Japan as the last one got underway). So I’m excited to get back there, especially because I am becoming President of the SETAC Chapter that serves my region, the Chesapeake and Potomac Regional Chapter. Check out our new logo:

CPRC logo

Even Nikola Tesla is coming with me to SETAC. I have donated a signed copy of my book, to be signed and delivered when it comes off the printing press in the spring. I’m sure he will enjoy the southern California weather.

But that isn’t the only trip planned. In December I’ll be taking my parents on a cruise of the Caribbean, with stops in Roatan (Honduras), Belize City (Belize), Costa Maya and Cozumel (both Mexico). I’ll have more on that later.

That will cover my traveling for the rest of the year. I already feel the need to plan for next year. Where should I go – Any ideas?

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