Plenary Session and Project-of-the-Year Awards

The opening Plenary Session featured three keynote speakers—Dr. John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; the Honorable Terry Yonkers, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics; and Dr. Naomi Oreskes, Historian of Science and Author of Merchants of Doubt, How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco to Global Warming—who addressed environmental challenges facing DoD. Also part of the Plenary Session, SERDP and ESTCP Principal Investigators who have helped DoD achieve its mission while improving its environmental performance were honored as the annual SERDP and ESTCP Project-of-the-Year Awards were announced.

SERDP PROJECTS OF THE YEAR

  • ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION:  Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent-Impacted Sites (Dr. Paul C. Johnson, Arizona State University)
  • MUNITIONS RESPONSE:  Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination (Dr. Fridon Shubitidze, Dartmouth College and Sky Research, Inc.)
  • RESOURCE CONSERVATION & CLIMATE CHANGE:  Forecasting the Effects of Multiple, Interacting Stressors on At-Risk Populations (Dr. Joshua J. Lawler, University of Washington)
  • WEAPONS SYSTEMS & PLATFORMS:  Combustion Science to Reduce Particulate Matter Emissions for Military Platforms (Dr. Mel Roquemore, Air Force Research Laboratory)

ESTCP PROJECT OF THE YEAR

  • Passive Sampling to Support Remediation Of Contaminated Sediments (Dr. Philip M. Gschwend, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

 

Technical Sessions and Short Courses

Technical sessions highlighted research and innovative technologies that address DoD's increasingly complex environmental challenges. On the last day of the event, four short courses in the environmental restoration and munitions response areas covered recent advancements in science and technology. 

Funding Opportunities Briefing

On Thursday, December 1, SERDP and ESTCP Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Marqusee presented an overview of the proposal submittal processes and discussed opportunities to conduct research and technology demonstrations. This “how to play” briefing offered valuable information about new funding opportunities in SERDP and ESTCP.  

Exhibit Hall

The Symposium & Workshop featured poster presentations and exhibit booths that showcased technologies and scientific advancements from a variety of environmental research programs. Attendees had an opportunity to learn firsthand about ongoing and recently completed SERDP research projects and ESTCP technology demonstrations. 

Below is the archived agenda for the 2011 Symposium & Workshop.  

7:30–9:00 am

Continental Breakfast – Exhibits Open (Poster Group 1 and Booths)

9:00–11:30 am

Plenary Session

12:15–1:15 pm

Buffet Lunch

12:30–1:45 pm

Exhibits Open (Poster Group 1 and Booths)

1:45–4:30 pm

Afternoon Concurrent Technical Sessions 

  • Role of Fire in the Carbon Cycle under Climate Change


  • Energy Management and Technologies for DoD Buildings


4:30–7:00 pm

Technical Exchange Reception – Exhibits Open 

7:30–8:30 am

Continental Breakfast – Exhibits Open 

8:30–11:45 am

Morning Concurrent Technical Sessions 

  • Challenges to Military Readiness Posed by Climate Change
  • Classification Applied to Munitions Response – Development
  • Impact of Particulate Emissions from Gas Turbine Powered Aircraft


11:45 am–1:00 pm

Buffet Lunch

12:30–1:45 pm

Exhibits Open 

1:45–4:30 pm

Afternoon Concurrent Technical Sessions 



  • Classification Applied to Munitions Response – Production Applications
  • Renewable Energy on DoD Installations
  • Environmental Molecular Diagnostic Tools: Innovations and Applications

4:30–7:00 pm

Technical Exchange Reception – Exhibits Open 

7:30–8:30 am

Continental Breakfast

Morning Concurrent Technical Sessions and Short Courses

8:30–10:00 am

  • Estimating DNAPL Source Zone Natural Attenuation

8:30–11:30 am

  • Implementing Classification on a Munitions Response Project

8:30–11:45 am

  • Pacific Island Restoration Challenges
  • Microgrids for Energy Security on DoD Installations
  • Best Management Practices for Controlling Munitions Constituents on Operational Ranges

10:30 am–12:30 pm

  • Thermal Treatment Technologies: Lessons Learned

12:15–1:00 pm

SERDP and ESTCP Funding Opportunities Briefing and Q&A by the Executive DirectorDuring this briefing, Dr. Marqusee provided an overview of SERDP and ESTCP investmentstrategies, funding levels, and areas of emphasis as well as a summary of opportunities toconduct research and technology demonstrations. This “how to play” briefing offered valuableinformation on the solicitation processes for those who wanted to understand how tosubmit proposals for upcoming funding opportunities.

1:30–5:30 pm

Afternoon Short Course