David Cwiertny is the William D. Ashton Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Environmental Policy Research Program at the University of Iowa. His research specializes in the development of nanomaterials based approaches for resource sustainability and the environmental occurrence, fate and effects of emerging pollutant classes. At the UI, he directs the state-funded Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, which conducts research to identify, measure, and prevent adverse health outcomes from exposure to environmental pollutants. He also serves as the director of the Environmental Policy Research Program through the University of Iowa Public Policy Center, which leverages his role as a Congressional Fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2016. David holds a BS in Environmental Engineering Science and a minor in Chemistry from U.C. Berkeley (2000), and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2006).

This talk is part of Iowa City Darwin Day Science Fest, a celebration of science and its many contributions to humanity, which takes place on April 3, 4 & 5. The 2025 speakers are Tyrone Hayes (UC Berkeley), Chris Jones (Iowa Driftless Water Defenders), and David Cwiertny (Civil Engineering, University of Iowa). Events include a panel discussion of historical perspectives on science, the state, and the public trust, and a reading of The Swine Republic at Prairie Lights Books.