Sioux Falls, SD: Dr. Catherine Zeman, environmental health researcher, will speak about the human health impacts of elevated nitrate levels in water sources. The event will take place at Augustana University at 7 pm on Thursday, March 21.

Dr. Zeman is a Professor of Health Promotion & Education and Director of the Recycling and Reuse Technology Transfer Center at the University of Northern Iowa. Zeman received her Ph.D. in Preventive Medicine with an emphasis on Environmental & Occupational Health from the University of Iowa and a Masters in Environmental Science from Southern Illinois University. Her research focus includes nitrates in the environment & their impact on human health, health issues of underserved populations, and environmental sustainability. Zeman was a Fulbright Scholar to Romania on environmental health issues during the Spring/Summer of 2004. She has published numerous articles on nitrates and their impact on human health, including “New Questions & Insights into Nitrate/Nitrate and Human Health Effects: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Private Well Users’ Immunological & Wellness Status.”

Zeman’s presentation promises to be relevant to residents of eastern South Dakota. As nitrates from wastewater processing and agricultural practices become an increasingly important issue in the Big Sioux River watershed, Zeman’s research offers insights into the potential health consequences of unchecked nitrate pollution entering our lakes, rivers, and groundwater.

Dr. Zeman’s presentation will take place at Mikkelson Auditorium in the Froiland Science Center on the Augustana campus. The Froiland Science Center is located at the corner of 33^rd Street and Summit Avenue, on the southeast corner of the Augustana campus in Sioux Falls.

###