In the News

Sweeney Receives Accolades

GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA BESTOWS SWEENEY WITH HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

On Saturday, May 15th, 2010, at the organization’s 97th Annual Meeting in Brunswick, NJ, the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Garden Club of America (GCA) named Dr. Bernard W. Sweeney, director of the Stroud™ Water Research Center, an Honorary Member. Sweeney, the recipient of the Club’s 2006 Margaret Douglas Medal for conservation education, was proposed for honorary membership by West Chester and Wilmington Garden Club of America members, Mrs. Thomas Swett (Carolyn) and Mrs. Charles Cruice (Kathryn). Through participation in committees, publications, and the civic and educational efforts of the GCA, this honor puts Sweeney in a position to influence the tens of thousands of Garden Club of America members, who share the Center’s goals of freshwater conservation.

“As gardeners,” The Garden Club of America states in its new Water Pamphlet, “we have always appreciated the value of clean, available water…Today, as daily news reports appear about droughts, water-rationing, dead zones in the oceans, pollution from run-off, we are aware that water problems abound. As leaders in our communities, our garden clubs need to educate ourselves so that we, in turn, can educate others. We can change from being part of the problem to being catalysts for solutions.” 

Sweeney has been a longtime supporter of The GCA’s efforts, as well as a frequent speaker. “The GCA is a wonderful organization that benefits both community and the environment, and its powerful voice conveys the gardening and conservation practices that protect and preserve our water supply. We need the GCA,” said Bern Sweeney.

Access the GCA’s water pamphlet online at:
http://www.gcamerica.org/pamphlets/cons_new_water_pamphlet.html

For more information about the Margaret Douglas Medal, go to:
http://http://www.stroudcenter.org/press/20060523.htm

NABS PRESENTS SWEENEY WITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
The North American Benthological Society (NABS), an international scientific organization whose purpose is to promote further understanding of aquatic ecosystems and foster exchange of scientific information among its membership and professional societies, resource managers, policy makers, educators, and the public, awarded Dr. Bernard W. Sweeney, Director of the Stroud Water Research Center, with its Distinguished Service Award at its Annual Meeting in Santa Fe, NM on June 11th. Sweeney, who served as president of NABS from 2001-2002, has been Chairman of the Society’s Taxonomic Certification Committee since 2004 and a member of the NABS Editorial Board since 2003, was nominated by his peers for the honor.

For a list of prior recipients of the NABS Distinguished Service Award
and more information on NABS, go to:
http://http://www.benthos.org/about-nabs/nabs-awards.aspx

EPA APPOINTS SWEENEY TO SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
In May, Sweeney was also appointed to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board as a Member of the Advisory Panel on Ecological Impacts Associated with Mountaintop Mining and Valley-Fills. Sweeney is frequently called upon to provide independent, expert scientific testimony in environmental matters related to fresh water, and as such is also a member of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Flood Protection Committee.

For more information about the Mountaintop Mining – Valley Fill Ecological Assessment or the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Panel on Ecological Impacts, go to:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/0/
ACD3A1AF5C7138E785257625006C891E/?OpenDocument

For more information about Bern Sweeney, go to:
http://www.stroudcenter.org/about/bernardsweeney.htm

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