No Defense PFAS Symposium is an interdisciplinary experience that explores the impacts of and creates awareness about PFAS.
About the Symposium
Register for the "No Defense" Screening
The University of West Florida is hosting the No Defense PFAS Symposium on Oct. 25-26, 2023. This symposium is an interdisciplinary experience that explores the impacts of and creates awareness around PFAS, "forever chemicals" found in many commonly used products.
The symposium includes a student art exhibit, the screening of the "No Defense" documentary film followed by a panel discussion on Wednesday and discussions with experts on Thursday. It is a featured event during UWF's Research Week.
What to Expect
Through the symposium, presenters and partners seek to raise awareness of how PFAS impacts the Pensacola Community and empower citizens to protect themselves and the environment. View the event flier No Defense Flier.
The No Defense PFAS Symposium will feature a film screening of the "No Defense" documentary film and discussions with experts. The symposium will include an informational fair on Wednesday, Oct. 25.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 25, and Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023
Where: University of West Florida, Pensacola Campus, Commons Auditorium
Parking at the Symposium
When you arrive on the UWF campus, please park in Lot H or G for this event which is being held in the Commons Auditorium.
Should you require a digital map of campus, please visit our interactive map.
What is PFAS?
PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a “forever chemical” found in many commonly used products. These products include firefighting foam, Teflon (TM), water-resistant fabrics such as rain jackets, personal care products such as cosmetics, dental floss and shampoo and stain-resistant coatings used on fabrics. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, these chemicals “are found in water, air, fish and soil locations across the nation and the globe.
Schedule
The schedule presented here is a tentative listing and subject to change, as plans are currently underway.
| Day | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 25 | 2-7 p.m. | Informational Fair and Student Art Exhibit |
| Wednesday, October 25 | 7-8:30 p.m. | "No Defense" Documentary Screening (Free Registration Required) |
| Wednesday, October 25 | 8:30-9:15 p.m. | Expert Panel |
| Thursday, October 26 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Discussions with Experts |
On Thursday, October 26, UWF Faculty will lead discussions with PFAS Experts. Students and the community are encouraged and welcome to attend.
| Time | Discussion Topic | PFAS Expert Speaker | UWF Faculty/Staff Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-9:50 a.m. | Filmmaking | Sara Ganim | Professors Will Kennedy and Paul Pilger |
| 10-10:50 a.m. | Government Policy | Anthony Spaniola | Professor Dr. David Ramsey |
| 11-11:50 a.m. | Impacts of Ingesting PFAS and Public Health |
Cathy Wusterbarth |
Professors Dr. Jill Van Der Like and Dr. Justice Mbizo |
| 12-12:50 p.m. | PFAS Poisoning Impacts on Families and Veterans |
Craig Minor |
Professor Dr. Joseph Herzog, Behavioral Health Coordinator, Gary Holloway and UWF Military and Veterans Resource Center Director, Lori Milkeris |
"No Defense" Documentary Screening
"No Defense" is an award-winning documentary by director Sara Ganim, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and executive producer Lennart Bourin. Bourin also serves as the director of photography and both Ganim and Bourin are the film's writers.
The film shines a light on the 650+ towns and millions of Americans adversely impacted by PFAS water pollutants and the regulator that has failed to act. To learn more about the filmmakers, visit nodefensedoc.com.
Watch the "No Defense" trailer, here.
*Page photos are screen shots that have been taken from the "No Defense" trailer.
Registration
Register to attend the screening of the "No Defense" Documentary. The event is free, however, registration is required due to limited seating.
Register for the "No Defense" Screening
Sponsorship Opportunities
Do you want to make a difference in your community? Join us by participating in a co-beneficial sponsorship opportunity that will make the UWF community aware of your services and that you support research efforts that will help to change the world. For more information, contact Robin Zimmern at RZimmern@uwf.edu.
Sponsorship OpportunitiesAbout the PFAS Experts
Sara Ganim
Sara Ganim is the Director and Writer of the “No Defense” documentary. She started her career as a newspaper reporter and won a Pulitzer Prize at age 24 for breaking and covering the investigation into former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse of young boys. In 2018, Ganim’s first documentary, a 30-minute investigative piece on drinking water in rural America titled “Dirty Water”, aired on CNN. Ganim spent seven years with CNN as a correspondent and reporter and is currently a journalist-in-residence at the University of Florida and the James Madison visiting professor for First Amendment Issues at Columbia University.
Anthony Spaniola
Anthony M. Spaniola is an Attorney and National advocate for PFAS-impacted communities. He has delivered PFAS presentations at conferences across the country and is frequently quoted in state and national media coverage of PFAS issues. In 2021, he testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about PFAS contamination at U.S. Military installations. Spaniola is the founding partner in the commercial law firm of Ufer, Spaniola & Frost, P.C. in Troy, Michigan.
Cathy Wusterbarth
Cathy Wusterbarth is Co-Leader and a founder of NOW (Need Our Water). She is a member of the local Restoration Advisory Board in Oscoda, Michigan and community leader in the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network with a mission to prevent and clean up toxic PFAS contamination in the Great Lakes region.
In 2019, Congressman Dan Kildee invited her to the State of the Union as a representative of communities affected by PFAS contamination and to support the congressional PFAS Task Force and testified at a U.S. Senate hearing addressing efforts to Improve Interagency and Intergovernmental Coordination on PFAS for Michigan Communities.
She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and is a native of Oscoda where she currently lives and works.
Craig Minor
Craig Minor is Mitchell Minor's dad and married to Carrie Minor (40-Years) as cast in the "No Defense" documentary. Co-author of "OVERWHELMED, A Civilian Casualty of Cold War Poison" OVERWHELMED is available on Amazon.com as an Audiobook, paperback, and Kindle.
Minor is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel; Wurtsmith Air Force Base B-52 Aircraft Commander and Wright Patterson Air Force Base NT-39A Instructor Research Pilot and Senior Acquisition Manager.
Symposium Contact
Contact
For questions regarding the No Defense PFAS Symposium, please email Patti Spaniola, Director of Conferences & Events, at universityevents@uwf.edu.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Funded, in part, by Pace Symposiums
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