Government, Academia, Industry Meet to Advance UV Technology Through Collaborative Thought Leadership
 
With more than 260 attendees from over 15 countries, the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) America's Conference presented advancements in technology, research and applications to improve public health and the environment. The event, held in late September in Cincinnati, Ohio, targeted engagement from a wide range of stakeholders. "The IUVA Conference aimed to foster collaboration between government, academia and industry, as we develop technology solutions to address some of our most pressing global concerns in water safety, and ongoing pandemic and public health issues," says Jennifer Osgood, a Senior Vice President at CDM Smith and President of IUVA.
 
The event offered a practical and instructional workshop on process validation, efficiency, performance and safety of UV applications for water, air, surfaces, and food. Conference presentations included sessions on the emergence and increasing use of UV light emitting diodes (LEDs), case studies on UV implementation, and a special gathering of the IUVA United Nations Clean Water Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Task Force. The event concluded with the IUVA Healthcare Task Force leading a special interactive discussion on the latest trends in germicidal ultraviolet irradiation technologies (GUVI) for healthcare. This discussion featured representatives from the federal government, NGOs, academia and industry--with updates on infectious diseases, and a dialogue on GUVI in the context of looking ahead to the next ten years. The GUVI discussion targeted the need for business, in the ever-changing public health landscape, to connect with NGOs and government agencies for technical and policy advice and assistance.

The event also included strong student representation, with the IUVA America's Jim Bolton Student Awards presented to Nathan Moore, University of Toronto; Karlye Wong, University of Toronto; and Anthony Pimentel, University of Colorado Boulder.