Episode Details

Austin Gray joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about microplastics and the growing body of research about their impact on human and environmental health. He shared insights related to the public perception of plastic pollution, the history of microplastics, and the direction of future research. Gray also emphasizes the importance of approaching research as public service and the need for effective science communication.Gray is an assistant professor of biological sciences and an affiliate of Virginia Tech’s Global Change Center. His research focuses on addressing questions related to environmental toxicology. He primarily uses physiological and ecological approaches to examine the impacts of legacy and emerging contaminants (microplastics, nanoplastics, and pharmaceuticals) resulting from human influence and assessing their risk to a variety of freshwater and marine organisms.