Common stereotypes aside, good science is not created by solo “mad scientist” types squirreled away in isolated lab settings. Communication is a key part of the scientific process and is particularly facilitated by professional meetings. SETAC is one such key player as a professional society focused on sustainable environmental quality and ecosystem integrity. STEEP Director Rainer Lohmann and Trainee Anna Robuck organized a session about PFAS, with co-chairs Dr. Detlef Knappe from North Carolina State University and Ceil Mancini from AECOM, a consulting group. The session focused on the occurrence of PFAS in environmental and living systems, and cutting-edge approaches to identify PFAS in these systems.

This scope was distinct from other PFAS sessions at the meeting, which were focused on risk assessment or aqueous film forming foam –AFFF– exposures. As such, the session filled a key gap in the meeting program and provided a collaborative and lively forum for information exchange, with the added benefit of researcher community building. Platforms covered topics such as novel approaches to PFAS mass balance in marine mammals, investigation of PFAS in food items, and non-target analysis of water and air samples. More information about the session and session content can be found on the SETAC website, or in an upcoming issue of SETAC Globe.