Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

PFAS-Related Academic Collaborations

DEEP is committed to support PFAS-related research in Connecticut.  Informal partnerships exist with several Connecticut academic institutions to support PFAS-themed research proposals and to provide students with PFAS-focused career development opportunities. 

Research Partnerships
Undergraduate Internships, Honors Theses, and Senior Design Projects
Graduate Student Internships and Research Support
Post-Doctoral Fellowships

Research Partnerships

Connecticut is home to numerous academic research institutions, several of which are engaged in PFAS research.  Notably, DEEP has ongoing partnerships with the University of Connecticut and with Yale University to support PFAS-related research initiatives. To learn more about the efforts of these universities, please visit the links below. 

University of Connecticut PFAS-Related Research
Yale University PFAS-Related Research

Undergraduate Internships, Honors Theses, and Senior Design Projects

DEEP believes in engaging students in Agency work as a means of fostering the next generation of environmental advocates and professionals. DEEP coordinates a college internship program open to students with junior-level standing or higher.  Through this program, the Agency provides undergraduate students with hands-on opportunities to assist with Agency PFAS initiatives. Interested students are encouraged to apply. 

Similarly, DEEP staff may be available to serve as a sponsor or mentor for undergraduate honors theses and senior design projects.  To-date, the Agency has supported several PFAS-related projects through the University of Connecticut Engineering Department Undergraduate Senior Design Program, including:

If you are an undergraduate student interested in interning with DEEP or seeking mentor support for a PFAS-related thesis or senior design project, please contact the PFAS Lead for more information: DEEP.PFAS@ct.gov. 

Graduate Student Internships and Research Support

The DEEP College Internship Program is open to graduate-level students as well.  Since the release of the PFAS Action Plan, DEEP has served as the site of several PFAS-related internships for Master's Degree program candidates. Final products from these internships are available below. 

Graduate students are required to formally apply to participate in the DEEP College Internship Program.  However, if you are a graduate student interested in pursuing a PFAS-related internship at DEEP, you are encouraged to first contact the PFAS Lead at DEEP.PFAS@ct.gov to discuss your interests. Based on this information, the Lead will put you in touch with the DEEP unit most closely aligned with your interests to discuss potential project ideas and to insure, before applying, that staff are available to mentor you during the desired semester. 

Post-Doctoral Fellowships

DEEP welcomes the opportunity to work with post-doctoral fellows as well. In 2019, DEEP hosted the first Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) Science and Technology Policy Fellowship.  Dr. Anna Hagstrom, a graduate of Yale University, was selected as the inaugural Fellow and spent two years working with DEEP on PFAS matters. Dr. Hagstrom was integral to the development of the Connecticut PFAS Action Plan, and the organization of a 2019 symposium highlighting challenges and opportunities related to PFAS science and regulation.  To learn more about current opportunities, interested individuals are encouraged to contact CASE directly.

Contact Information

Questions or comments regarding PFAS research collaboration or PFAS-related student opportunities at CT DEEP can be sent to DEEP.PFAS@ct.gov.

Related DEEP Webpages

 

Content last updated February 1, 2024.