Summary - Education of Environmental Leaders of the Future: International Phytotechnologies
Scholars Program - 2023
We will train and inspire the next generation of professionals and academic researchers in public
health protection as part of the 17th Annual International Phytotechnologies Conference. We plan to
support student participation in the International Phytotechnologies Scholars Program to be held May
2023 in Bollingbrook, Illinois, in suburban Chicago, on the Argonne National Labs conference facility. The
conference is hosted by the International Phytotechnology Society (IPS), that also develops and executes
the PhytoScholars Program. PhytoScholars is a unique student-oriented scholars program, with
Specifically, Phytoscholars has the following objectives:
• To increases knowledge of the broader roles of phytotechnologies in the concurrent protection
of public health, risk assessment and the improvement of ecosystem function;
• To provide students with professional skills and development opportunities and the chance to
network with international professionals working in the field of phytotechnologies;
• To directly support student training, mentorship and education in phytotechnologies and
sustainable technologies as strategies for environmental remediation, management, and
stewardship.
As part of this program, students will be supported to attend the conference by offering support for
partial coverage of travel and lodging fees for an expected 15 selected scholars. PhytoScholars will be
offered the opportunity to travel, and will directly interact with international leaders in public health
protection to learn scientifically and grow professionally. All PhytoScholars will be tasked to offer a
presentation, meet professional leaders, offer specified feedback, and meet learning objectives, which
include not only scientific objectives but also cultural and professional development objectives. All
PhytoScholars’ presentations will be evaluated by a minimum of two professional leaders, many listed
below. The selection process will aim to invite applicants in groups underrepresented in STEM fields. The
selection committee, listed below, is a diverse group of accomplished scholars that has interacted with
past conferences and PhytoScholars programs. All selection committee members will be invited to the
conference to offer talks and engage with the PhytoScholars.
Table 1. Selection committee for ‘Education of Environmental Leaders of the Future: International
Phytotechnologies Scholars Program - 2023’.
Name and nationality Affiliation
Basis for participation on
selection committee
David Tsao (USA)
America’s Technology Manager, British
Petroleum IPS President, Conference Chair
Barbara Zeeb (Canada)
Professor, Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering, Royal Military College of
Canada IPS Executive Vice President
Matt Limmer (USA)
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of
Delaware
IPS Treasurer and former
PhytoScholar
Liz Rylott (UK) Senior Researcher, University of York (UK) IPS Vice President
Elizabeth Nichols (USA) Professor, North Carolina State University IPS Secretary
John Quinn (USA) Argonne National Lab
Conference Co-Chair and Host
Site Representative
Christina Negri (Argonne
National Lab)
Director, Environmental Science Division,
Argonne National Laboratory
Conference Host Site
Representative and IPS member
Elena Maestri (Italy) Research Professor, Università di Parma IPS Board
Lee Newman (USA)
Associate Professor and Chair of
Chemistry, SUNY-ESF Syracuse IPS Past President
Joel Burken (USA)
Professor, Missouri University of Science
and Technology
PhytoScholars PI and Founder,
IPS Board
