Sherri A. "Sam" Mason’s research group is among the first to study the prevalence and affect of plastic pollution within freshwater ecosystems. She received her PhD in chemistry from the University of Montana. She was an EPA Environmental Champion in 2016, received the Excellence in Environmental Research award from the Earth Month Network in 2017, and earned the Heinz Award in Public Policy in 2018. She is now sustainability coordinator at Penn State Behrend.