“Raising Public Awareness of the Importance of Water Quality and Microplastics in the Tennessee River”
Microplastics have been a topic in recent news. Dr. Martin Knoll, a professor of geology and hydrology at Sewanee: The University of the South, will explain why microplastics are an issue and present his findings on the water quality of the Tennessee River at the UT Arboretum Auditorium on June 6:00, at 7:00 p.m.
As project manager for the Tenneswim in 2016, Dr. Knoll directed the most detailed analysis of Tennessee River water quality ever conducted. During this project, Knoll and his colleagues found the highest levels of microplastics recorded in any river of the world to date.
Martin Knoll earned his BA degrees in German and Natural Resources at Sewanee: The University of the South. After studying at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, he earned an MS degree in Geology at Vanderbilt University and a PhD in Geology at the University of Texas at El Paso. He has been teaching geology and hydrology at Sewanee since 1993. His main research interests include stormwater issues on the Cumberland Plateau, dynamics and water quality issues of groundwater on the Cumberland Plateau, microplastics in freshwater environments, and insect inclusions in Baltic Amber.
This is a free program offered by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and co-sponsored by TCWP (Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Protection) No registration is required.
To learn more about this program or the UT Arboretum Society, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org. For more information on the program, contact Michelle Campanis at 865-483-7277 or mcampani@utk.edu
Celebrating 54 years in 2019, this program is one of many lectures and activities that will be offered this year by the UT Arboretum Society. The program is cosponsored by the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center.
The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, is one of ten outdoor laboratories located throughout the state as part of the UT AgResearch system. AgResearch is a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.
