iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

🏆 The 2026 Science Communication Awards are now open! If you’re a science journalist, communicator, or researcher creating public-facing work communicating #STEM, I encourage you to apply. Deadline: April 3, 2026 Apply: www.nationalacademies.org/awards/excel... #SciComm

nationalacademies.org

National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications

The National Academies are accepting submissions to an annual award program that aims to recognize and develop excellence in science communication by research scientists, science journalists, and scie...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

I came across so much litter and plastic pollution on my run. These spoons reminded me of the recent study finding a spoonful of nanoplastics within the brain. While we don’t know how they got there, the environment we pollute can impact us in ways that researchers are rapidly working to understand

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

The ABCs of INC 5.2: Asbestos, Brackets, [no] Consensus and Disappointment. Time for rest and to get back to the science.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

It’s amazing to watch! Cant wait to connect!

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Reposted by Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD

Center for International Environmental Law @ciel.org · 05/08/2025

🇨🇭 Plastics Treaty talks are underway in Geneva. INC Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso opened with a clear call: “The urgency is real, the evidence is clear, and the responsibility is ours.” 💪 Now, countries must find the courage to act. 👀 Follow along for updates from inside the room. #PlasticsTreaty

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

The gavel has been struck today for the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution! Excited to observe these negotiations and connect with other experts in this space. #INC52 #plastic

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Hey from the far right! You got a great overview from the whole room! Hoping for a solid science first treaty!

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Had a fun moment today realizing my most-viewed YouTube video (70K views!) is a short reel on expectations vs. reality for environmental engineers. Love seeing interest in this interdisciplinary field. If you’re curious, check out the 10-sec short here: youtube.com/shorts/SX-FN...

youtube.com

Expectation vs Reality of Environmental Engineers and Chemists

YouTube video by Imari Walker

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

#Circularity2025 is now underway and our team is very excited to be here! Come stop by the RTI International booth #115 and lcheck out our panel tomorrow to ask our Scientists about microplastics and the circular economy. #Circularity25 #Microplastics #CircularEconomy #AskAScientist

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

Can yall share your favorite Christmas meals and desserts? I’m looking for ideas

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Reposted by Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD

Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Nothing is more powerful than celebrating this moment with my husband and child who have been endless sources of support and inspiration.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Additional thanks goes to the organizers of this wonderful week in Pasadena (Brittany and James) and to my fellow present and past awardees that I got the opportunity to community build and knowledge share with this past week #ScienceCommunication #Gratitude #ExcellenceInScience #NationalAcademies

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

I want to express my gratitude to the National Academies and the Schmidt for highlighting the importance of engaging science communication. To my colleagues, mentors, plastics book co-author Jenna Jambeck and everyone who has supported me along this journey—thank you for being part of my growth.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

I was incredibly honored and humbled to receive The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication last week alongside 23 other incredible awardees.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Nothing is more powerful than celebrating this moment with my husband and child who have been endless sources of support and inspiration.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Anyone else pack a special pot or utensil to cook your designated dish for Thanksgiving? I’m currently packing my greens pot and wondering how I became the greens Auntie 😂

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

This meeting will be held (in person only) at the NC Biotech Center in RTP, NC on January 29-30, 2025. Registration is open now. Link: environmentalhealthcollaborative.org/2025-summit/

environmentalhealthcollaborative.org

2025 Summit

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

🚨 Calling all Microplastic and Plastic Pollution Researchers and policy makers! The Research Triangle Health Collaborative in coordination with RTI International is hosting its 2025 Summit titled, "Local Solutions to a Global Problem: Microplastics in North Carolina".

environmentalhealthcollaborative.org

2025 Summit

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Reposted by Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD

Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Hi everyone 👋🏽 My name is Imari and I am a black science communicator that studies the impact of plastics and microplastics to our health and the environment! I also recently wrote a book on this called plastics. Would love to connect!

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 17/10/2024

I’m back on BlueSky looking for my fellow scientists! Looking to connect with chemists, biologists, and environmental engineers! I also research the impacts of microplastics so feel free to follow along! Where yall at?

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 29/03/2024

Meeting 1 for the @theNASEM Roundtable on Plastics Complete! It was truly a pleasure to be able to engage in dialogues with so many leaders with diverse expertise and views on plastics. Looking forward to the many more opportunities to come in this space.

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 18/03/2024

I am excited to announce I will be a part of a new Roundtable on Plastics with @theNASEM. This roundtable will explore the complex and diverse issues around reducing plastic waste, among other topics. Learn more: www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/rou...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 07/03/2024

Alarming new microplastics study: Patients with microplastics identified in their heart had higher risk of stroke, heart attack or death. Majority of the microplastics were fragmented polyethylene or pvc. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 28/02/2024

3. Aquathread podcast is hosted by Professor Jenna Jambeck and I was lucky to be one of the rotating cohosts of season 1. Aquathread is a plastics focused podcast that illustrates the connections in our world from land to water to people, and everything in between. www.npr.org/podcasts/119...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 28/02/2024

2. The indisposable podcast created by Upstream celebrate solutions to plastic pollution and feature heroes of the movement. UPSTREAM ideates, co-creates and accelerates real-world practical solutions to plastic pollution and today’s throw-away culture. open.spotify.com/show/0LNTuP0...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 28/02/2024

Plastisphere podcast is one of the first podcasts I started listening to back in 2020 and I’m a huge fan of Anjas method of plastic story telling! Anja takes us on journey into plastics impacts on nature and ourselves, and the global quest to tackle plastic pollution. anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 28/02/2024

If you are looking for a new podcast to check out whilst learning about the world of plastic pollution and solutions, I recommend you check out one of these three podcasts. Plastisphere Podcast @anjakrieger.bsky.social Indisposables Podcast Aquathread Podcast @jambeckresearch.bsky.social

Plastic podcasts include plastisphere, indisposable podcast and Aquathread podcast. Pictured are their advertisement flyers

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 26/02/2024

Cement lined ductile iron pipes might be a great replacement for lead and PVC pipes transporting drinking water for municipalities. Ductile iron is slightly more expensive than PVC but lasts much longer and doesn’t leach polymer additives of concern. www-ehn-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.ehn....

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 25/02/2024

Always a fun time updating my personal website. Let me know what you think www.imariwalker.com

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 21/02/2024

100% of the 62 human placentas tested via Py-GC-MS found microplastics ranging from 6.5–685 ug/g placenta tissue with Polyethylene being the dominant plastic type. PVC and nylon were also common. academic.oup.com/toxsci/advan...

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Reposted by Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD

Hans Peter Arp @hanspeterarp.bsky.social · 11/02/2024

Many byproducts of PFAS "destruction" methods are other, smaller #PFAS, with unknown toxicity. In this ES&T Viewpoint led by Sanne Smith we present the need & methods for tracking PFAS destruction methods to mineralisation and not other PFAS. pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 16/02/2024

Disturbed by the amount of plastic waste caused by single use plastic masks? Researchers are looking into diverting these masks from ending up in landfills via new innovations to upcycle those masks into a new product. Thoughts? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Reposted by Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD

Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 13/02/2024

Big recommendations for a sustainable circular economy of plastics in this new Nature article: *50% reduction in plastic demand *complete phase out of fossil fuel based plastics *95% recycling rate of plastics *use of renewable energy www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 13/02/2024

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/02/2024

Microplastics and chemicals associated with plastics were detected in fertilizers originating from biowaste > sewage sludge > agro/food industry. Most microplastics were likely associated with packaging. 🧪 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 12/02/2024

This is amazing 😂 just learned a new word today ❤️

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

Grateful to have had the opportunity to come to my favorite aquarium (Monterey Bay Aquarium) and give two presentations on my microplastics research and on my work as a science communicator about plastic pollution. Thank you as well to the city of Sunnyvale for letting talk about microplastics.

Imari smiling at camera standing behind podium giving a talk

PowerPoint slide featuring a picture of Imari introducing her talk to the city of Sunnyvale on Microplastics

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

I’m really enjoying it here! Thank you!

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

Thank you so much! I find plastic pollution a very intriguing and complex topic!

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Imari Walker-Franklin, PhD @dr-imari.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

Many thanks for the welcome! Very happy to be here!

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