Atam P. Dhawan is Chief Strategic Innovation Officer and Senior Vice Provost for Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). He is a tenured Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Executive Director of the Center for Translational Research, and Executive Director of Undergraduate Research and Innovation. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and NAI Innovation Ambassador, Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE) and serves on the NAI Board of Directors, NJII Board of Directors, R&D Council of NJ Board of Directors, IEEE Trabsctaions on Biomedical Engineering Scientific Advisory Board, and the NIH Point-of-Care Research Network Advisory Board which he chaired from 2019-2025.

Dr. Dhawan is a recipient of numerous awards including Martin Epstein Award (1984), NIH FIRST Award (1988), Sigma-Xi Young Investigator Award (1992), IEEE EMBS Early Career Achievement Award (1995), Doermann Distinguished Lecture Award (1999), EMBS Distinguished Lecturer award (2012-2013), IEEE EMBS William J. Morlock Award in Excellence in Biomedical Technology (2021) and NJ Innovate 100 Leaders Award (2024). His research interests lie in medical imaging, medical image analysis, point-of-care technologies, and pattern recognition. Dr. Dhawan has received more than $86 million in research grants and contracts as Principal Investigator or Co-PI. He has published over 216 research papers and book chapters. He has also authored and co-authored several books in medical imaging, and image analysis. He holds several patents, some of which have been commercialized and being used for screening of skin-lesions for diagnosis of skin-cancers, and in the treatment of spider vein diseases.

Teik C. Lim is the 9th President of New Jersey Institute of Technology and also holds the title of Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining NJIT on July 1, 2022, Dr. Lim led the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) as interim president from 2020-2022 and was Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at UTA from 2017-2020.

Dr. Lim’s career has spanned from the private sector to university administration. He worked as an engineer at Structural Dynamics Research Corporation before joining The Ohio State University Center for Automotive Research as a research scientist. He taught at the University of Alabama beginning in 1998, as associate professor, before joining the University of Cincinnati in 2002, where he advanced from associate professor to professor to department head and to associate dean for graduate studies and research before, ultimately, being named Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Dr. Lim earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (ME) from Michigan Technological University, his Master of Science in ME from the University of Missouri-Rolla, and his Ph.D. in ME from The Ohio State University.

Dr. Lim is internationally recognized as a leading scholar in the field of structural vibrations and acoustics as well as modeling and simulation technology. He was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2018. He is Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and of the Society of Automotive Engineers, from which he received numerous research and teaching awards such as the Arch T. Colwell Merit Award in 2003 and the Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award in 2002. Dr. Lim also was recognized with the Thomas French Alumni Achievement Award in 2010, the GearLab Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2017, and the Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence in 2019 from his alma mater, The Ohio State University.

John Pelesko is provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at New Jersey Institute of Technology, (NJIT). Previously, he was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware and a Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. He is a distinguished scholar and mathematician, with research on mathematical modeling of physical systems, especially micro and nanoscale engineered systems. Pelesko's mathematical interests include the development and application of mathematical methods to problems arising in the microwave heating of ceramics, electron beam welding, diffusion in polymers, solidification thermomechanics, thermoelastic stability and shock dynamics. Currently, his research is focused upon the mathematical modeling of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). In addition to his area of focus, he has interests and contributions in other areas, including integer sequences, tiling problems, and physics education.

Pradeep Fulay is the lead Program Director for the Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program in the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate at NSF. He is also the lead for the Quantum Technology and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) tracks in the Convergence Accelerator program in TIP Directorate. Pradeep is an internationally renowned researcher and educator with significant leadership experience in building, interdisciplinary, convergent research fueled by strong, creative, and sustainable partnerships with industry, non-profits, and government agencies. He is also a skilled research administrator with deep knowledge of such issues as acceleration of research translation, leading large, complex, and interdisciplinary teams, intellectual property generation, management, as well export control, and responsible conduct of research. Dr. Fulay earned his undergraduate (B.Tech) and graduate (M.Tech) degrees from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. He then earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Arizona, Tucson in 1989. From 1989-2012 he served as a tenured professor in Swanson School of Engineering at University of Pittsburgh, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His research contributions in the areas of chemical synthesis of advanced electronic and magnetic materials are internationally recognized. Pradeep is an elected Fellow of the American Ceramic Society. He has authored three textbooks in the area of materials science and engineering and these have been translated in many languages. Dr. Fulay served as a Program Director in the Electrical, Cyber and Communication Systems (ECCS) division from 2008-2011. During his tenure in ECCS, he helped transform the Electronic, Magnetic, and Photonic devices (EPMD) program from conventional silicon based devices to those that are based on organic, flexible, and hybrid devices for applications in alternative energy technologies, sensors, and sustainability. He led the development of BioFlex, an Emerging Frontiers of Research and Innovation (EFRI) program, aimed at applications of printed, flexible devices based on organic electronics for in-vivo and ex-vivo applications related to healthcare.

Nicholas DeNichilo, PE, was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mott MacDonald, North America and is presently a retired professional engineer serving on various boards and professional associations. Nick officially retired as of January 1, 2022. He was responsible for the success and sustainability of the firm’s entire operation in North America. Mott MacDonald - North America is a $600 million business with 2500 employees and is part of Mott MacDonald’s $ 2 billion global operations with 16,000 employees. Nick served as a member of the Mott MacDonald Group Executive Board. He brings technical expertise, with 48 years of experience in the consulting field, an extensive network of relationships with key industry leaders and regulators.

An industry expert, Nick DeNichilo has authored and presented numerous technical papers, and hosted technical discussions at various industry events. He is past Chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Industry Leaders Council and is a past Chair of the New Jersey Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). He is a member of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) of ASCE. Mr. DeNichilo is also a member of the National Academy of Construction. He is a member of the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Board of Trustees and previously served as a member of NJIT’s Board of Overseers and past Chairman of the Newark College of Engineering Board of Visitors. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Innovation Institute. He previously served as a member of the University of Rutgers, New Jersey Climate Change Alliance. Mr. DeNichilo is also a Board member of the Villanova Career Compass Advisory Board. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Industry Board of Center for Buildings, Infrastructure and Public Space at Columbia University.

Nick has been honored to receive awards throughout his career, including ASCE’s Engineer of the Year Award in 1999. In 2003 New Jersey Section of the American Water Works Association awarded Nick the George Warren Fuller Award for his distinguished professional volunteer service in the water field. In 2005, the NJIT Alumni Association presented Nick with the Association’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. In 2014, ASCE awarded Nick the Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding civil engineering leaders whose lifetime achievements and accomplishments have made significant differences in the field of engineering management. In 2015, ASCE awarded Nick the John I. Parcel – Leif J. Sverdrup Civil Engineering Management Award for becoming a widely respected national voice on behalf of safe engineering practices and the need for resilient infrastructure. In 2020 Nick was selected as an Honorary Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (Hon.D.WRE) in the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. In 2021, Nick was awarded the Newark College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award.

Nick received his BSCE from Newark College of Engineering and his MSCE from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Dr Siavash Isazadehis Senior Technical Director at Veolia North America, leading initiatives on PFAS, emerging pollutants, and advanced treatment optimization across water and wastewater systems. He earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from McGill University and completed postdoctoral research in Biological Engineering at MIT. 

Dr. Isazadeh has authored 35+ publications in environmental microbiology and biological processes and holds three patents in advanced oxidation technologies. 

A licensed Professional Engineer and Board-Certified Environmental Engineer, he is recognized for translating cutting-edge research into practical, compliant, and sustainable solutions for utilities.

Richard Calbi serves as the Director of Ridgewood Water, one of New Jersey’s 25 largest water utilities, providing service to more than 61,000 customers across four municipalities. A licensed professional engineer and planner, Rich holds two degrees from NJIT and brings over 30 years of experience to the field. For the past decade, he has been instrumental in guiding Ridgewood Water, applying sound engineering practices to advance public policy and manage a complex groundwater system that delivers drinking water.

He is a founding member of the Drinking Water Coalition of New Jersey and serves on several key organizations, including the NJ Drinking Water Quality Institute, Jersey Water Works, the NJAWWA Water Utility Council, and the AWWA Ion Exchange Standard Subcommittee. Under his leadership, Ridgewood Water has been recognized for its efforts on PFAS mitigation and water conservation, earning the distinction of being the first recipient of the NJDEP’s “Our Waters Worth It” award. 

Stewart Abrams is a Senior Consultant and former Principal at Langan Engineering, where he provides company-wide leadership in remediation and water treatment technology. brings nearly four decades of deep expertise in environmental engineering, remediation, and sustainable solutions, making him an invaluable asset to PFASolve Inc. With extensive experience in site remediation, groundwater treatment, industrial waste management, and innovative solutions for emerging contaminants, Abrams provides critical insight into navigating complex regulatory environments and technical challenges. His leadership at Langan Engineering and proven track record in successfully implementing large-scale environmental projects equip PFASolve Inc. to strategically address industry-specific PFAS remediation needs, optimize operational efficiency, and accelerate the commercialization of cutting-edge environmental solutions.

Katrina Angarone serves as Chief Strategy Officer for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. As Chief Strategy Officer, Kati advances key environmental and public health initiatives and is an adviser to the Commissioner. A veteran of the Department for more than 25 years, she is responsible for providing executive-level leadership and guidance for the implementation of priority policies and projects. She also oversees the Division of Science and Research and Office of Environmental and Public Health Analysis. 

For nearly a decade, her work at the executive level has focused on the development of science-based and protective environmental policy informed by the communities the DEP serves. She coordinates strategic planning on cross-media issues, works to expand public access to environmental information, shepherds the Department’s science portfolio and cultivates important partnerships.  

Kati most recently served as DEP’s Deputy Commissioner.  In that role she was the principal adviser to the DEP Commissioner and second-in-command, with oversight of nearly 3,400 environmental professionals and an annual operational and grant-making budget of approximately $1 billion. 

In addition, Kati previously held the position of Assistant Commissioner for Watershed and Land Management (WLM), overseeing the Division of Watershed Protection & Restoration, the Division of Land Resource Protection and the Division of Resilience, Engineering & Construction. As WLM’s leader, she focused on advancing watershed initiatives, including integration of New Jersey-specific climate change science into watershed policy. That post followed a term as Associate Commissioner for Science & Policy, where she managed science, environmental health and economic analysis programs, while developing policy protective of New Jersey’s environment and public health. 

Earlier, Kati spent several years focused on water policy, including the adoption of new drinking water standards, which involved first-in-the-nation PFAS standards and water supply emergency response. More than half of her DEP career was spent assisting with the development of New Jersey’s state land use policies, including stormwater management, habitat protection, flood hazard area controls and protection of the Highlands region. 

A passionate advocate of the environment, Kati is dedicated to DEP’s mission to protect the environment and public health in service to the people of New Jersey.

Senator Greenstein represents the 14th Legislative District in the Senate, having been elected in 2010. She currently serves as Assistant Majority Leader. The Senator previously served in the Assembly, representing the 14th District from 2000-2010. There, she held the roles of Deputy Speaker from 2006-2010 and Assistant Majority Leader from 2002-2005. Senator Greenstein has served as an elected member of the West-Windsor Plainsboro School Board and as Vice President of the Mercer County School Boards Association. She was also an elected member of the Plainsboro Township Committee prior to becoming a Legislator.

Senator Greenstein currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, Vice Chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, Vice Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Manufacturing Caucus

Senator Greenstein is a leader on PFAS regulation in the Legislature. She championed the “Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act,” which prohibited PFAS in several consumer products, creating a strong framework to ban PFAS in other consumer products. This legislation, and a bill that banned PFAS in certain firefighting equipment, were both signed by Governor Murphy at the end of last session. This session, Senator Greenstein is pushing forward legislation to ban PFAS in apparel.

Assemblywoman Lisa Swain represents the 38th Legislative District in the NJ General Assembly. She was sworn in on May 24, 2018 to succeed Senator Joseph Lagana, and currently serves as Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, as well as a member of both the Assembly State and Local Government Committee and Assembly Education Committee. 

Prior to joining the state legislature, Lisa gave back to her community by serving on the Fair Lawn Borough Council from 2008-2018 and was selected Mayor in both 2011 and 2018. Lisa has always stayed active in her community, working closely with the Fair Lawn Economic Development Corporation, the Green Team, and her constituents to help solve their varied issues. She's an accomplished triathlete and member of Team USA, the World Championship Triathlon Team.  She's also the Vice President of the North Jersey Masters Track & Field Club. Lisa graduated with a B.A. from the University of Rochester and has her M.A. from New York University. She resides in Fair Lawn with her husband, Ron, and is the proud mother to two adult kids. 

Mayor Paul Vagianos was elected to the Ridgewood Village Council in November of 2021 and has served as Mayor since January of 2023. Before entering public office, Mayor Vagianos owned and operated It’s Greek to Me restaurant in Ridgewood for nearly 30 years. During that time, he served as President of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce for four years, coordinating initiatives and events for more than 300 member businesses. Earlier in his career, Mayor Vagianos was General Counsel to National Waste Disposal, an environmental company with $40 million in revenue and more than 400 employees. Previously, he served as Deputy Attorney General with the Environmental Prosecutions Task Force, where he investigated and prosecuted environmental crimes, with a special emphasis on the illegal disposal of hazardous and medical waste.

Andrew Kricun is a Managing Director with Moonshot Missions, a non-profit focused on providing technical assistance to water utilities in underserved communities. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director and Chief Engineer of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, operators of an 80 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant in Camden, NJ. He has 35 years of wastewater and biosolids management experience. 

He graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in chemical engineering. He also holds a professional engineer’s license in civil engineering and is a board-certified environmental engineer as well.

Andy is the Co-Chair of the Jersey Water Works Steering Committee. He serves on the USEPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and also New Jersey Environmental Justice Advisory Council. 

He previously served on the board of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and as the chair of its Utility of the Future committee and the Environmental Justice committee. He was the recipient of the Praxis Award for Professional Ethics, the President’s Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the One Water Prize from the US Water Alliance, and Environmental Quality Awards from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He was also chosen as governmental engineer of the year by the NJ Chapter American Society of Civil Engineers in 2018

Kendra Morris serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Veolia's Regulated Water business in North America, where she helps guide the delivery of essential water services to more than two million people across six states. With over 15 years of experience in project finance, business development, and public infrastructure, Kendra is dedicated to supporting communities in achieving their public health, economic development, and environmental protection goals through resilient water and wastewater systems.

Before stepping into her current role, Kendra worked across the infrastructure investment landscape, gaining hands-on experience in workforce development and public private partnerships. Her collaborative leadership approach has helped advance sustainable practices and practical solutions in water management and public infrastructure. Kendra holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Master of City & Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, blending a global perspective with practical expertise to drive innovation in how communities manage and protect public infrastructure.

Larry Gottlieb is President & Chief Technical Officer of ResinTech, a US manufacturer of ion exchange products based in Camden, New Jersey. 

A thirty-year veteran of the water treatment industry, Larry is responsible for research and development, manufacturing, quality control, and technical support for all ResinTech media products. 

Larry joined ResinTech in 1989. In early 2000, Larry launched the Aries FilterWorks division of ResinTech, a business unit that makes Point of Use filter cartridges and high-purity lab water systems. Later, he would take over sales and operations for the ResinTech’s flagship division — media formulation. 

Larry was the driving force behind ResinTech’s investment in the laboratory and R&D resources necessary to identify and remediate PFAS contaminants. ResinTech’s Lab Services division employs over 20 technologists in a state-of-the-art 6,000 square foot laboratory. The company can identify over two dozen distinct species of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Larry holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and is a board member of the Water Quality Association (WQA) and ASTM International Committee on Water and Environmental Technology. 

Amy Goldsmith has overseen all New Jersey programs for Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund since 1992. She currently serves on the Board of the NJ Work Environment Council, NJ Citizen Action, NJ Working Families Alliance, Steering Committee of the Coalition for Healthy Ports, ElectrifyNJ, EmpowerNJ, Jersey Renews, Sewer Free Streets & Rivers, Lead Free NJ, Lead in Drinking Water Task Force (Chair), Jersey Water Works PFAS/Emerging Contaminants Committee (Co-Chair), Governor’s Public Appointee to NJDEP Clean Water Council. For 7 years prior, Ms. Goldsmith directed Clean Water Action/Fund's New England programs - leading a variety of public campaigns around water, superfund and Boston Harbor cleanups, and solid waste. 

Previously, served in various roles as National Coordinator for the Public Health Institute's (PHI) Jobs and Environment Training Consortium and Member of National Just Transition Alliance Curriculum Writing Team. Formerly, Executive Director of Massachusetts Nuclear Referendum Committee, focused on radioactive waste issues. B.S. in Land Use Planning from the University of Minnesota. Served for three years as a research scientist with University of Minnesota's Entomology Department. Amy lives in Red Bank with her husband, has 2 grown children, 2 cats, and 1 turtle. She loves to garden and take walks in her favorite nature areas.

Robert J. Laumbach, MD, MPH, CIH, DABT is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice at the Rutgers School of Public Health and a physician-scientist at the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI). He serves as Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease (CEED) and maintains an active clinical practice in occupational and environmental medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. In his research career dedicated to understanding how environmental contaminants impact community health, Dr. Laumbach bridges the gap between complex epidemiological data and clinical and public health practice. Central to his current research is his role as a principal investigator for the New Jersey site of a landmark national study examining the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. This multi-site study, conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), enrolled over 5,800 adults and 710 children across eight contaminated communities nationwide between 2019 and 2023. Dr. Laumbach leads the research in Paulsboro and West Deptford, New Jersey—communities that experienced some of the highest levels of PFNA contamination in drinking water.  The study team is investigating associations between PFAS exposure and numerous health outcomes, including effects on lipid levels, thyroid function, liver and kidney health, immune response, and metabolic parameters.  He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and has been recognized for his work connecting environmental degradation to health disparities in underserved communities.  As a physician, toxicologist, epidemiologist, and industrial hygienist, Dr. Laumbach brings a unique combination of clinical expertise, research rigor, and community engagement to his work. He is committed to translating environmental health science into actionable knowledge on PFAS exposure, health effects, and protective policy measures. Dr. Laumbach earned his MPH from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and his MD from the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Peter Jaffé joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1985 and is the William L. Knapp ’47 Professor of Civil Engineering, in Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has four concurrent appointments at Princeton University with the High Meadows Environmental Institute, the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, the Omen-Darling Bioengineering Institute, and the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials. He is also a member of the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences at the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, at Rutgers. He served as chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1999 to 2005. He is an Elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and of the American Society of Civil Engineers.  His research has focused extensively on biological and chemical pollutant dynamics in porous media; simulation and analysis at the watershed scale of soil contamination processes and nutrient cycling; nitrogen cycling at the watershed scale; and dynamics of trace metals and radionuclides in sediments, wetland soils, and groundwater. Areas of current emphasis include biological defluorination of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). This effort ranges from gaining novel insights into the defluorination mechanism, applications such as bioremediation of aqueous firefighting foam (AFFF) impacted sites, the development of bioreactors for to treat PFAS impacted matrices, and the identification and use of the key enzymes that play a role in the PFAS defluorination process.

Arjun Venkatesan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Emerging Contaminants Research Laboratory (ECRL) at NJIT. His research focuses on the occurrence, fate, and treatment of toxic chemicals in the environment, with a current emphasis on PFAS and pesticides. He also develops novel analytical and monitoring approaches to assess human and environmental health risks associated with toxic chemical exposures and drug use. To date, he has secured and managed more than $8 million in externally funded research grants from federal (NSF, U.S. DoD, U.S. DOE, UBR), state, and industry sponsors. His work has been featured in media outlets including National Geographic, The New York Times, PBS programming, and the National Institutes of Health, among others. He is a recipient of the 2025 40 Under 40 Recognition Program award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. He is a co-founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of PFASolve Inc., where several of his technologies are being commercialized for the detection, capture, and destruction of PFAS. Dr. Venkatesan received his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2009), and his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Arizona State University (2013).

Dibyendu “Dibs” Sarkar is professor of environmental engineering and the founding director of Stevens Center for Sustainability at Stevens Institute of Technology. He is broadly trained as an environmental geochemist with research interests in environmental remediation, risk assessment, and green technology development. Prior to joining Stevens, he was a professor of environmental science and founding director of the Environmental Science and Management PhD program at Montclair State University, and before that he served as an assistant and associate professor and associate dean of graduate studies and research at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Dr. Sarkar graduated with a PhD in geochemistry from the University of Tennessee and worked as a postdoctoral scientist in soil and water chemistry at the University of Florida. He is a Professional Geologist licensed in Texas. Thus far, he has advised/advising 35+ PhD and MS/ME students, 25+ postdoctoral associates, and many visiting scholars. He has published 200+ journal articles, 20 book chapters, and 300+ technical abstracts and conference proceedings, edited 3 books, authored 1 research monograph, and has so far generated more than $18 million in grant funding as a PI or Co-PI to support the research activities of his group. Dr. Sarkar is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America. He is the founding principal of SIROM Scientific Solutions, LLC, an environmental R&D startup incorporated in New Jersey. He is the editor-in-chief of Springer's Current Pollution Reports and serves in the editorial board of several other journals.

Michael Van Ter Sluis is the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships & Entrepreneurship. Prior to NJII, he was the Vice President of Innovation at the Council on Competitiveness – a Washington, DC science and technology think-tank. 

There he worked side-by-side with leaders from industry, technology startups, and university presidents to educate elected officials on the U.S. science, technology, and innovation ecosystem and how public policies can support innovation as a source of economic growth and prosperity.

These successes are underpinned by almost a decade of private sector technical experience, performing engineering services for Fortune 500 companies.

Judith Sheft is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission of Science, Innovation and Technology. The Commission's mission is to accelerate economic development in New Jersey through science, innovation and technology, including stimulating academic-industrial collaboration and encouraging and supporting entrepreneurs and inventors.  Since 2020 the Commission has made 400 awards totaling $21.5M.  Previously, Judith was involved with regional economic and cluster development, with responsibilities at the New Jersey Innovation Institute at New Jersey Institute of Technology for the HealthIT Connections entrepreneurial cluster development program, the NJIT I-Corps Site and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center. She has been engaged with technology, IP innovation and commercialization efforts, working with faculty and students to create startup companies and establish licensing relationships with corporate partners. She advised external startups at NJIT’s high technology/life sciences business accelerator/incubator. She is on the board of advisors of the NJIT Murray Women’s Center and serves as a mentor and coach to students and faculty. She serves on the board of the Greater Newark Enterprises Corp., StartUp Newark, the Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corporation, Einstein’s Alley, SheTek, R&D Council of NJ, and the NJ Big Data Alliance. She was a co-chair of Gov. Phil Murphy’s transition advisory committee for Technology Government and Innovation in 2017.

Kristin Tedesco is an Assistant Director in the Division of Water Supply and Geoscience at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where she has dedicated over 20 years of service. A graduate of Lehigh University, she holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, and is a Certified Public Manager through Rutgers University. In her current role, Kristin oversees a team of over 80 professionals focused on critical drinking water program priorities, including the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan program, the licensing of water and wastewater system operators, and the permitting of treatment and water system infrastructure. Notably, she managed the implementation of New Jersey’s first Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for PFNA, positioning the state as a leader in addressing PFAS contamination. Kristin is committed to advancing water quality initiatives and ensuring compliance with essential regulations to protect public health. 

Ali Pajooman is a Professional Engineer with over 19 years of experience in automation, project management, and system design within the water and wastewater industry. He has worked with multiple utilities across North America and currently serves as the PFAS Program Manager for New Jersey at Veolia North America. In this role, he manages the team responsible for PFAS capital projects, coordinating with various firms and regulatory bodies to deliver projects in accordance with new EPA guidelines. He also co-chairs the PFAS and Emerging Contaminants Committee with the New Jersey Water Works Collaborative.

Jason Hnatko is the Engineer Manager for Emerging Contaminants at Allonnia whose mission is to solve the world's toughest environmental challenges. Jason leads the SAFF team tasked with implementing foam fractionation to remove PFAS from aqueous matrices. At Allonnia he has led numerous foam fractionation bench tests, nine field pilot tests, and three permanent SAFF installations. Jason holds a PhD and MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Tufts University and a BS in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. He is a registered Professional Engineer and has more than 15 years of environmental consulting and research experience, primarily in the investigation and remediation of PFAS and bioremediation of chlorinated solvents. His research focused on chlorinated ethene biodegradation and microbiology, including the impact of PFAS on dechlorinating microorganisms. He has previously served as a technical expert for the investigation and remediation of PFAS contamination at numerous sites.

Dr. Charles Schaefer is the Director of CDM Smith’s Research & Testing Laboratory in Bellevue, WA, where he leads a team committed to advancing both fundamental science and state of the practice technologies in both the environmental and water industries. He received his PhD in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University, and has nearly 30 years of experience in the fate, transport, and treatment of organic contaminants in groundwater, soil, wastewater, and biosolids. He has won, as a principal or co-principal investigator, the SERDP/ESTCP (Department of Defense) Project of the Year Award 3 times, and has over 125 peer-reviewed publications. His areas of research have included fundamental processes such as diffusion in porous media (including clays and fractured rock), dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquids in groundwater, organic contaminant sorption, microbial transport, and mineral-based abiotic dehalogenation reactions. Dr. Schaefer’s work on PFAS treatment includes evaluation of fixed-bed sorbents for PFAS removal from drinking water, electrochemical oxidation, foam fractionation, UV-reductive processes, in situ flushing, and colloidal activated carbon for in situ PFAS removal from groundwater.

Brent Alspach holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. Brent joined Arcadis in 1997 and serves as a Vice President and Director of Applied Research.  He oversees a program that has conducted approximately $35 million in drinking water, potable reuse, wastewater, and stormwater research funded by the Water Research Foundation, AWWA, the US Bureau of Reclamation, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, among other organizations.  Mr. Alspach is a past President of the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) past Chair of the AWWA Water Quality & Technology Division Board of Trustees.  He also serves on the AWWA Technical & Education Council, as well as on the advisory / editorial boards for the publications AWWA Water Science and Opflow.  He has a wide range of water quality and treatment expertise, with a contemporary focus on emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, microplastics, and 6PPD-quinone), enhanced recovery of RO systems, ceramic membrane filtration.  In accordance with this expertise, Mr. Alspach has testified about microplastics in drinking water before US Congressional hearing.  His recognitions include: AWWA Volunteer of the Year; AWWA George Warren Fuller Award; and the AMTA President’s Award.  And as an ardent baseball fan, he has seen a game in 29 of the 30 active MLB ballparks.

Dr. Kenan Ozekin serves as the Chief Research Officer at the Water Research Foundation (WRF), where he plays a key role in shaping and executing the organization’s strategic research agenda. In his leadership role, he oversees research planning, program development, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure that WRF’s research portfolio addresses the most pressing and emerging challenges facing water utilities. He works closely with utility leaders, researchers, consultants, and regulators to advance impactful, timely, and subscriber-driven research.

Dr. Ozekin has over 25 years of experience and a strong background in project management, development of competitive research proposals, stakeholder collaboration and partnership building, and strategic research planning and implementation. He has expertise in disinfection and disinfection by-products, emerging contaminants, water reuse, resilience, and utility operations, and is particularly focused on strengthening how research supports real-world decision-making. Dr. Ozekin holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, an MS degree in Chemical Engineering, and a PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Dr. Lauren Weinrich leads American Water’s R&D efforts focused on advancing water quality, addressing emerging contaminants, and guiding operational and regulatory preparedness. Her team develops analytical methods and applies advanced chemistry and data analytics to characterize PFAS and other constituents, while also conducting field pilots across multiple states to evaluate PFAS occurrence and treatment performance. American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the United States, provides essential water and wastewater services to approximately 1,700 communities across 14 states, supported by extensive infrastructure including 80 surface water treatment plants, 540 groundwater treatment plants, and more than 53,000 miles of mains and pipes.  She has served as Principal Investigator for the Water Research Foundation project PFAS One Water Risk Communication Messaging for Water Sector Professionals, and as Co Principal Investigator for WRF 4913: Investigation of Treatment Alternatives for Short Chain PFAS (published 2025). Dr. Weinrich contributes to several AWWA technical advisory groups, including the PFAS, Real Time Source Water Monitoring, and Aesthetic Quality & Perception Committees, and serves as Deputy Editor for AWWA’s Journal Water Science. She holds degrees from Marymount University (BS Biology) and UNC–Chapel Hill (MS Environmental Science & Engineering), and PhD in Environmental Science & Engineering from Drexel University.

Paula Figueroa-Vega, Director, Jersey Water Works Collaborative and Organizational Development. Paula co-leads New Jersey Future’s Collective Impact program areas and advances New Jersey Future’s organizational development goals. Her primary responsibility is managing the Jersey Water Works collaborative and convening a diverse statewide network of people who are shifting the culture and thinking around one of the state’s water policy issues. Within the collaborative, Paula coordinates the Steering Committee, the PFAS and Emerging Contaminants Committee, and the water workforce initiatives. Paula serves on the board at The Watershed Institute and is a Lead NJ Alumni (Class of 2024). With over 20 years of experience in nonprofits and higher education, she has a strong track record of connecting people to resources, developing impactful programs, and facilitating collaborative work. In 2019, Paula cofounded MAPA Collaborative, a management consulting firm. Paula received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University. Paula lives with her husband, two daughters, and near her sister and mother; they are the cornerstone of her life.

Dr. Paige Jacob earned her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University after receiving a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Marist University. Dr. Jacob's dissertation focused on characterizing the occurrence and transformation of PFAS in semiconductor fab wastewater. After Cornell, she joined Intel as a Wastewater Technologist and developed analytical methods and assessed the treatability of PFAS and other contaminants of concern in fab wastewater.   She then became the Program Manager of the PFAS Reduction and Innovation in Semiconductor Manufacturing (PRISM) program at Natcast, which focused on addressing analysis, sensing, abatement, and modeling challenges of PFAS in fab air and wastewater emissions. Currently, she is a PFAS Chemistry Program Manager at Battelle working to use Battelle’s unique analytical, consulting, and treatment solutions to solve PFAS challenges for the semiconductor industry.

Michael Zwick, Ph.D., is the Senior Vice President for Research at Rutgers University, where he leads the Office for Research. The Office for Research includes Research Administration, University-wide Core Services, Research Partnerships, Technology Transfer, New Ventures, and Finance and Administration teams. Dr. Zwick serves as Rutgers’s Institutional Official for the Human Subjects Protection Program and the Animal Care Program. Dr. Zwick earned a B.S. from Cornell University in Biological Sciences, specializing in Genetics and Development, and a Ph.D. in Population Biology from the Center for Population Biology at the University of California at Davis. A former Professor of Human Genetics at Emory University, his research uses genetics principles to discover the causes of rare and common disorders, with research experience as an individual investigator, a member of large consortiums, and a research leader. In addition to his experience as a human geneticist, Dr. Zwick’s collaborative, team-based approach also comes from his 25 years of military service as a former surface warfare qualified officer in the United States Navy (Commander, O-5).

Shawn Chester, Ph.D. is currently Associate Vice Provost for Research Collaborations and Partnerships and an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Shawn was previously a postdoctoral researcher at   Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Prior to that he obtained his PhD in solid mechanics from the Mechanical Engineering at MIT and obtained both his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from NJIT.

As the inaugural position holder for the Associate Vice Provost for Research Collaborations and Partnerships, Shawn's role is to enhance research collaborations and partnerships, bringing investigators and institutions together to conceptualize and develop large-scale multidisciplinary research initiatives and translate them into compelling funding opportunities. Shawn is Co-Principal Investigator on the NSF Accelerating Research Translational Cooperating Agreement award and Associate Director of the Center for Translational Research at NJIT. Shawn’s research focus in the past few years has been the development of experimentally validated continuum level constitutive theories for large deformation multiphysics behavior of polymeric materials and the associated numerical implementation. His work spans most aspects of mechanics, experimental characterization, theoretical modeling, numerical implementation, and experimental validation. Shawn has been recognized by young investigator awards through the ASME AMD Thomas J.R. Hughes Award, an NSF CAREER, and the ASME AMD Haythronthwaite award.