Employee Spotlight: John Swanson

Meet ORAU employee John Swanson! John is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Aquatic Toxicologist at the EPA in Duluth, MN, John supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure (CCTE) along with the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED). John’s work with CCTE and GLTED supports the assessment of environmental risks posed by per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and other environmental contaminants.

In October 2024, John attended the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. SETAC is dedicated to advancing environmental science and science-informed decision-making through collaboration, communication, education, and leadership. The SETAC conference included workshops, guest speakers, exhibitors, and poster sessions. John participated in the poster presentation for his team’s research on fathead minnows and per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). When asked what he enjoyed the most about the conference, John said, “I enjoyed seeing many Duluth team members, speakers, and the poster presentations." While there was much to learn from the various sessions and posters, plenty was happening outside the conference. I went to a showing of a Texas nature documentary with a question-and-answer session by the director. Nearby was a historical cattle drive, which was also cool to see. I also ate lots of good food with familiar coworkers and new faces.”

In addition to highlighting his conference attendance and poster presentation, we asked John about joining the EPA team and his work. When asked what his favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, John said, “The team in Duluth is a group who love where they live." Most of the people I work with love being outside. Conversations constantly revolve around gardening, foraging, hiking, climbing, hunting, and many other activities. Everyone knows something different, and there is something to learn from everyone you meet. At the Duluth lab, I have acquired a greater understanding of the field of ecotoxicology, ranging from gaining a greater understanding of instruments and analytical techniques to studying chemical uptake and bioaccumulation.”

Background

John studied chemistry at North Dakota State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in ACS Certified Chemistry and Mathematics in May 2021.