Record attendance capped off the research year at the VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) 5th annual Student Research Symposium on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington, VT.
Over 150 persons attended the symposium which featured 36 high school students representing 12 Vermont school districts, and 3 districts outside Vermont including from as far away as Puerto Rico, in addition to 38 undergraduate students from six Vermont colleges including the Community College of Vermont, and two universities in Puerto Rico. All of these students conducted research as a part of the Research on Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin: New Understanding through Complex Systems (RACC) program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Teams of students shared their scientific findings by making oral and poster presentations developed over the past year investigating research questions examining the connections between climate, environment, and society.
The immersion of teams of high school students and undergraduates into the RACC project with experienced faculty, graduate students and post-doctoral associates provides valuable exposure and opportunities for career development in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) areas. Hands-on research experience engages students, builds critical thinking skills, and strengthens student interest in and preparation for STEM careers.
Students were engaged in scientific reasoning, team building, experiencing techniques scientists use to disseminate their work, networking with researchers, working in a team, and coordinating with managers and other interested stakeholders working on the health of the Lake Champlain Basin.
The CWDD works to broaden participation in the STEM fields by encouraging young scientists from community colleges, traditionally underrepresented minority groups, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities. For a full list of participants, poster and oral presentation topics please visit the symposium page.
Emily Wei (Middlebury College)
"In-Situ Analysis of Hydrodynamics and Sediment Dynamics in Missisquoi Bay, Lake Champlain"
Melanie Quiñones and Jessiliz Camacho (Jose E. Aponte de la Torre School)
"Effect of Climate Change on the Macroinvertebrate Populations in the Maracuto River in Carolina, Puerto Rico"
Rosie Jacobson and Josh Farber (Rock Point School)
"An Analysis of the Relationship Between Rainfall, Temperature, and Macroinvertebrate Populations"
Anne Burnham (Saint Michael's College) explains her research to Teacher Jeff Robins (Harwood Union High School)
Postdoc Courtney Giles (UVM) and Elizabeth Rutila (UVM) present their research poster entitled "Seasonal Changes in the Phosphorus Composition of Missisquoi Bay Sediments"
Rosie Jacobson and Josh Farber (Rock Point School) award winners for Best Presentation (High School)
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING WINNERS OF THE BEST PRESENTATION AND BEST POSTER AWARDS AND TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS:
Best Presentation (high school): Josh Farber and Rosie Jacobson, Rock Point School. An Analysis of the Relationship between Rainfall, Temperature, and Macroinvertebrate Populations
Best Presentation (undergraduate): Samouel Beguin, Middlebury College. Effects of Elevation, Land Cover, and Irene Disturbance on Stream Macroinvertebrate Communities
Best Poster (high school): TIE
1) Denir Djozic, Andrew Pike, and Grace Yasewicz, Colchester High School. How do Streams with Different Riparian Land Uses Vary in their Response to Preceiptation Events as Measured by Phosphorus Levels?
2) Nora Hill, and Aiden Villani-Holland, Vermont Commons School. A System Dynamic Approach to Modeling Reach-Level Indices of Stream Quality
Best Poster (undergraduate): Elizabeth Rutila, University of Vermont. Seasonal Changes in the Phosphorus Composition of Missisquoi Bay Sediments
The VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) works to cultivate and prepare students to consider science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers, and to broaden participation in these fields, by immersing students in active research. For more information visit us at http://uvm.edu/epscor or phone us at (802) 654-3270.