Record Attendance: 2014 Vermont EPSCoR Student Research Symposium


Record attendance capped off the research year at the VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) 6th annual Student Research Symposium on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington, VT.

Over 190 persons attended the symposium which featured 44 high school students representing 18 Vermont school districts, and 3 districts outside Vermont including from as far away as Puerto Rico, in addition to 42 undergraduate students from nine Vermont colleges including the Community College of Vermont, two universities in Puerto Rico, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Texas A&M University. 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 interactions of climate, society and the environment.

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.

The 2014 Symposium was held on April 2nd, 2014 from 3pm-8pm at:
Sheraton Hotel - Burlington
870 Williston Rd
Burlington, Vermont 05403

Symposium Agenda
2:30pm-3:00pm Registration
3:00pm-3:10pm Welcome, Introductions, and RACC Update
3:10pm-5:00pm Oral Presentations
5:00pm-6:30pm Poster Presentations
6:30pm-7:30pm Dinner

Additional photos are posted on Facebook.