Last year’s lingering red tide caused widespread fish kills, economic impacts and environmental damage. The University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute is hosting this FREE public panel to address the economic, public health and environmental impacts of harmful algal blooms.

The panel will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. at University of Florida MacKay Auditorium in Pugh Hall located at 296 Buckman Dr. in Gainesville. No registration is required and attendees are encouraged to arrive at 2:30 p.m. for refreshments.

Off-campus attendees can find visitor parking in the Reitz Union parking garage, located at the corner of Museum Road and Reitz Union Drive. The garage is about a five-minute walk from the auditorium.

Those who cannot attend in person can also participate online via live broadcast. Attendees who plan on participating virtually can submit questions to the panelists ahead of time at earthsystems@floridamuseum.ufl.edu.

Panel Speakers:

Lisa Krimsky – UF/IFAS Florida Sea Grant water resources regional specialized agent

Krimsky is part of a team that leads and supports water resource extension education programs. Krimsky’s efforts are focused primarily in southeast Florida, with a focus on water quality in coastal and estuarine ecosystems. Her programs help solve water resource issues that are critical to the economic development and environmental protection in Florida.

Dail Laughinghouse – UF/IFAS assistant professor, algae scientist

Laughinghouse is a broadly trained phycologist working with both basic and applied algal research from Tropical to Polar Regions. Some of the current research in his lab focuses on diversity and toxicity of cyanobacteria, environmental influences on macroalgae and microbial photoautotrophs, novel applied uses for algae, bioremediation, and the detection and effects of bioactive compounds.

Andy Reich – scientific advisor to the Chief of the Bureau of Environmental Health at Florida Department of Health

For more than 10 years Reich has lead the Department’s effort to address adverse health impacts from exposures to toxic algal blooms in fresh water and marine environments. His efforts have led to an integrated and collaborative approach to environmental health response in Florida with federal, state, and local partners including NOAA, CDC, Army Corps of Engineers and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Panel Moderator:

Cynthia Barnett – Environmental journalist in residence, UF College of Journalism and Communications

Barnett is also an environmental fellow at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, where she works on environmental civics, ethics and leadership. She is the author of three popular water books including Rain: A Natural and Cultural History, longlisted for the National Book Award. She is also the author of Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S., and Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis.​

This event is co-sponsored by the UF Water Institute and the UF Bob Graham Center for Public Service.

Header image courtesy of Florida Sea Grant.