Freshwater systems are changing quietly, with serious consequences for brain health. Science communicator Bryan Burton, MS, and molecular biologist Matthew Pawlus, PhD, examine two key concerns: cyanotoxins and microplastics. Join this timely conversation at the intersection of neuroscience, environmental change, and public health.

Bryan Burton, MS, is a science communicator and member of the Minnesota Public Health Association’s Planetary Health Task Force. He holds a M.S. in Integrative Genomics and is currently a graduate student in the Genetic Counseling program at the University of Minnesota. He is also the founder of Burton Science and Technology, a small business offering science education. Bryan is passionate about bridging science and society with storytelling, education, and community engagement.

Dr. Pawlus is an Associate Professor of Biology at Black Hills State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Washington’s Institute for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. His lab explores how environmental exposures to toxins affect human cells, with a focus on brain health and neurodegenerative disease.