J. Christopher States, Ted Smith, Clara Sears, and Frederick Ekuban Honored for PFAS Advocacy and Research at 2024 UN Day PFAS Awareness Event

J. Christopher States, Ted Smith, Clara Sears, and Frederick Ekuban Honored for PFAS Advocacy and Research at 2024 UN Day PFAS Awareness Event

Congratulations to Drs. J. Christopher States, Ted Smith, Clara Sears, and Frederick Adams Ekuban on receiving multiple prestigious awards at the 2024 UN Day PFAS Awareness meeting held on October 28 (awards listed below). The event included a sneak peak of GenX: The Saga of Forever Chemicals, an upcoming, four-part documentary about the worst pollution crisis in world history, and how to fix it, directed by Elijah Yetter-Bowman, founder of Ethereal Films. Stay tuned for release updates by visiting the official GenX documentary website.

The gathering featured notable guest speaker Robert Bilott, the renowned attorney whose relentless advocacy against corporate pollution was famously portrayed by Mark Ruffalo in the film Dark Waters. Bilott is the author of Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle Against DuPont.

Additionally, Dr. Clara Sears and Dr. Frederick Adams Ekuban shared their latest research in impactful presentations, with Dr. Sears discussing “PFAS Impacts on Maternal and Child Health” and Dr. Ekuban addressing “The Impact of PFAS and Lifestyle Influences on Health Outcomes.”

Tune in to Louisville’s Forward Radio (106.5 FM) Election Connection program hosted by Ruth Newman for a broadcast of the event on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m., with replays on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m., and Thursday, Nov. 7, at 12 a.m. Coverage will air again the following week at the same times, and an online livestream will be available on the Forward Radio website.

Award Honors

  • J. Christopher States, Ph.D. (pictured far left): Recipient of the Louisville Mayoral Proclamation on PFAS Awareness from the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the PFAS Awareness Gubernatorial Award.

  • Clara Sears, Ph.D. (second from the left): Recipient of the Kentucky Colonel Award, the highest distinction awarded by the Governor of Kentucky, as well as the PFAS Awareness Gubernatorial Award.

  • Ted Smith, Ph.D. (not pictured, represented by Dr. Matt Cave): Recipient of the Louisville Mayoral Proclamation on PFAS Awareness from the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the PFAS Awareness Gubernatorial Award.

  • Frederick Adams Ekuban, Ph.D. (far right, next to Dr. Matt Cave): Recipient of the Kentucky Colonel Award, the highest honor from the Governor of Kentucky, and the PFAS Awareness Gubernatorial Award.

Special thank you to Dr. Teena Halbig and others for organizing the event. 

Learn more about PFAS contamination sites across the United States on this interactive map.