FREE

Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Guest Lecture

For Women's History Month, join us in celebrating the women who work in marine and aquatic sciences, and hear from experts in the field.

Environmental Analysts Samantha Wilder and Valeria Izeppi test New York's waters and share what you need to know about monitoring.

The Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC) coordinates regional water quality monitoring programs, collaborating with various levels of government, nonprofit organizations, and the general public. The accredited laboratory regularly collects and analyzes water samples from the Western Long Island Sound and the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary. The IEC is committed to expanding its network of monitored water bodies and partnerships to address data gaps, which can influence future regulatory decisions aimed at improving and preserving the quality of our waterways. Additionally, the IEC encourages local communities to get involved in monitoring efforts and become more aware of how their actions impact water quality.

Q&A will be held during the presentation.

Guest Speaker:

Samantha Wilder - Environmental Analyst II, Interstate Environmental Commission

Samantha currently serves as the Project Manager for the Western Long Island Sound Monitoring Program for the Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC) and coordinates IEC's involvement in Save the Sound's Unified Water Study. She joined IEC as a seasonal intern in May 2021 following the completion of her B.S. in Sustainability Studies from Hofstra University, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In addition to her work at IEC, Samantha is the part-time Water Quality Coordinator for the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, where she performs water quality monitoring during the recreational season. During her studies, Samantha focused on community engagement in quantifying and reducing coastal pollution, particularly through beach cleanups. She has also been participating in boat-based surveys, collecting and analyzing water samples across the western Long Island Sound and its embayments since 2019. Samantha is currently pursuing a M.A. in Marine Conservation & Policy at Stony Brook University.

Valeria Izeppi - Environmental Analyst II, Interstate Environmental Commission

Valeria’s main role is coordinating the Interstate Environmental Commission participation in the Alley Creek and Bergen Basin pathogen mitigation project, which aims to assess nature-based solutions to mitigate pathogen loading in New York City embayments. Valeria also performs field work and data management for a new monitoring program in the New York Harbor, funded by a 604b award from the New York State Department of Conservation. Valeria earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from Rutgers University, with a minor in Chemistry. She is currently pursuing a M.S. in Environmental Science at Rutgers.