Since the first Bioremediation Symposium in 1991, the meeting has evolved into the world’s premier forum for presenting bioremediation research and case histories. During the 1999 Symposium, more than 600 presentations were offered in 53 technical sessions. The 1999 Symposium was attended by about 1,500 researchers and engineers representing companies, universities, and government agencies from 40 countries, and the 2001 meeting is expected to be similar in size but even more diverse in technical scope.

For 2001, the Symposium is expanding its technical scope by seeking abstracts in areas such as wetlands remediation, enhanced reductive dechlorination of chlorinated organic compounds, and treatment of MTBE; in addition, abstracts are being solicited for the full spectrum of bioremediation-related topics. There is also a student paper competition to encourage participation by the rising generation of bioremediation researchers. The Call for Abstracts was mailed in late March; abstracts must be submitted by September 29.

The Bioremediation Symposia series is sponsored, organized, and conducted by Battelle staff. Symposium chairs for 2001 are Dr. Andrea Leeson and Dr. Victor Magar. Co-sponsors and participating organizations include governmental, academic, and private organizations that are international leaders in site remediation research and application. For the 2001 Symposium, co-sponsoring organizations that have made a financial contribution to support the Symposium include U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Geomatrix Consultants, Inc., IT Group, Regenesis, and Parsons Engineering Science, Inc.

Participating organizations, which assist with distribution of information about the Symposium, include Ajou University/College of Engineering (Korea), U.S. Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, American Petroleum Institute, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Air Base and Environmental Technology Division, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Western Region Hazardous Substance Research Center (Stanford University and Oregon State University).

Coincident with the 1997 Bioremediation Symposium, Battelle launched Bioremediation Journal. This peer-reviewed quarterly now serves as a leading journal on bioremediation research and technology transfer. Editorial offices for the journal are located at Battelle’s Columbus site, with publication and distribution handled by CRC Press in Boca Raton, Florida.

For more information about The Sixth International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium or Bioremediation Journal, please contact Carol Young at (614) 424-7604 or via e-mail at youngc@battelle.org. Information about this and other Battelle environmental conferences can be found at http://www.battelle.org/conferences.