EWRI May'26 Webinar

The St. Louis Chapter of EWRI is pleased to announce our monthly webinar on Thursday, May 21, 2026 from 12:00 pm-1:00 pm Central Time.

This presentation will be broadcast live over a webinar. Registration is free to ASCE members. Advance registration is required by noon, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. Registrants will receive detailed login and dial-in information prior to the event.

FREE: 1 PDH credit. Please self-record. Certificates will not be issued.

TOPIC: Laboratory Modeling of Mussel-Inspired Filtration Architectures for Microplastics Collection and Tracking

SPEAKERS:

Ayden Wells is a third-year Saint Louis University (SLU) student studying mechanical engineering and Spanish. She is an undergraduate researcher in the Water Access, Technology, Environment and Resources (WATER) Institute at SLU, working on Dr. Jean Potvin’s project BALEEN. After handling two species of juvenile mussels during her internship at the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, IA, she became fascinated by their natural filtration efficiency, sparking the biomimetic focus of her current work. Her project analyzes the anatomy, fluid dynamics, and geometry of freshwater mussels to engineer sustainable solutions for removing microplastics from aquatic ecosystems. By iterating 3D-printed prototypes in SOLIDWORKS, she aims to optimize particle capture and efficiency. Outside of the lab, Ayden is the president of her sorority, Delta Gamma; a Team Leader for Oriflamme, SLU’s First-Year Experience program; and a mentor for the School of Science and Engineering, striving to foster growth and connection across the campus.

Please contact Keara Trompen (keara.trompen@stantec.com) with any questions, if you are interested in presenting, or have an idea for a topic.