Microplastics are a macro-problem — barely visible to the human eye, they’ve spread through air and water and are now found in every ecosystem on Earth. In the face of this planetary challenge, what does meaningful local action look like?
The Sail & Explore Association (SEA) is a Swiss ocean research organization with the global mission to make invisible small-sized microplastics visible. The SEA, co-founded by Dr. Roman Lehner, who is also a principal investigator at the University of Bern, is launching a five-year collaboration with Rozalia Project, a Vermont- and Maine-based non-profit tackling marine debris in the Gulf of Maine and beyond, to monitor microplastics in the Stellwagen Bank, a globally significant ocean ecosystem 25 miles east of Boston. Stretching between Cape Cod and Cape Ann, the underwater plateau is a key habitat for many marine species and one of the world’s main feeding grounds for humpback whales.
This event will explore the impact of small (<0.3mm) microplastics on marine ecosystems, as well as the techniques that researchers are using to monitor these invisible particles across the sea surface, water column, and atmosphere. Rather than presenting a finished solution, the conversation will open up a space to examine how scientific collaboration, public engagement, and place-based partnerships are shaping the future of ocean science in the Stellwagen Bank and beyond.
The SEA and Rozalia are seeking sponsors and collaborations to further the mission.
Following the panel discussion, attendees are invited to join the conversation, introduce their work in the field, and explore the potential for impact-driven collaborations.
Bio
Dr. Roman Lehner is a principle investigator at the University of Bern and the CEO and Scientific Project Leader at the Sail & Explore Association (SEA). Dr. Lehner brings more than ten years of expertise in micro- and nanoplastic research on their environmental collection in water and air, lab analysis, synthesis and human health effects. He has developed a method to produce environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics to study their behavior in complex matrices and to test their usage for initial food and pharmaceutical packaging contamination studies.
The Sail & Explore Association is a Swiss-based marine science organization tasked with collecting and quantifying ocean microplastics globally. Sail & Explore has conducted more than 27 global scientific expeditions (Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Pacific) under the guidance of Dr. Lehner, collecting and analyzing microplastics in deep collaboration with local academic partners, and initiated the very first long-term monitoring studies on microplastics down to 0.05mm to assess pollution level trends.
Bio
Ashley Sullivan grew up on an island surrounded by the sea in South Florida and has been involved in design, implementation and ongoing management of environmental education and conservation programs and multi-stakeholder projects at multiple nonprofits for the past 25 years. She is the Executive Director of the Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean, a non profit working to clean and protect the ocean and conserve a healthy marine ecosystem through tackling the problem of marine debris. During Ashley’s tenure as Rozalia Project’s ED, she has overseen the organization surpassing the 2 million marine debris items recovered mark, worked with thousands of people in direct programs and created and managed dozens of impactful projects. Notably, Ashley co-created and fulfills leadership roles in two marine debris coalitions: the Gear Team of the Gulf of Maine with 6 organizations across 3 states and the Lake Champlain Marine Debris Coalition with 6 organizations across VT and NY. These long-term projects, along with data collection under Ashley’s leadership, have led to actions such as a ban on unencapsulated dock foam and buoys in Vermont and a growing awareness and discussion about derelict fishing gear in the lobster industry in Maine. Additionally, Ashley acts as a subject matter expert for the Ocean Conservancy, sharing data and experiences with US legislators in Washington, DC. Ashley’s strength as an educator, presenter and leader is her creativity and ability to connect with people of all ages. She is a lifelong sailor having logged over 30k nm, an ocean lover and a 50 ton USCG captain. When she is not traveling she lives in Vermont and spends her days in the mountains skiing, riding her bike or playing in, on or near the shores of Lake Champlain.
In April, Swissnex joined Roman Lehner for a microplastics monitoring expedition in the San Francisco Bay. In this conversation, Roman discusses the “Silicon Valley vibe” of environmental action, why size matters when it comes to plastics in our environment, and how the ocean acts as a universal language connecting us all—even those of us living far from the ocean.
ReadThis event is presented in collaboration with the Sail & Explore Association and Rozalia Project.
