The perfect bookend
One of my favorite parts of graduate school was presenting my research at 12 different ornithological society conferences. From Washington, DC to Iguazu Falls, Argentina, to Tucson, AZ, eastern hemlock decline and LOWA made the conference rounds! This June 6-9, I attended my last conference as a [just graduated] student in Chattanooga, TN, hosted by the Association of Field Ornithologists (AFO) and the Wilson Ornithological Society (WOS). AFO awarded me an E. Alexander Bergstrom Memorial Award in 2016 to support my research and any opportunity I have to present at the society's meetings is a chance to show them their funding was well allocated. In just 15 minutes, I presented a whirlwind summary of my entire thesis...yikes! I ran out of time for questions, but people approached me during breaks and evening events to discuss my results, ask questions, and talk about how awesome LOWA and the Smokies are :) My presentation was well received.
Conferences are great opportunities to share research, receive feedback, and network with professionals across a variety of careers. Conferences are also great opportunities to have your research formally recognized by the scientific community as outstanding by receiving a student presentation award. Generally, awards are given to the best student oral and poster presentations.
During the conference closing banquet (at the Chattanooga Aquarium!), the AFO and WOS student awards were announced. I had not felt overwhelmingly confident in my presentation, so you can imagine I was shocked to hear my name announced as the recipient of the WOS Alexander Wilson Prize for best student oral presentation! I was a little awkward as I shook hands with the award presenter and stood for a few photos once all the awardees had been announced. Judges had been impressed with how I contextualized my research within the broader issue of invasive species, and with my enthusiasm (who would have thought?).
I am not sharing this to brag. I am sharing this so that you, my supporters, know that your monetary contribution made a difference. Without Experiment funds, I am not sure how I would have completed my research. Receiving the Alexander Wilson Prize is the perfect bookend to my graduate school experience and is thanks to each of you. Thank you for seeing and supporting my potential and that of my project. This research did not stay in a bubble! It has traveled all over the US (and to Argentina). It has improved due to constructive criticism. It has sparked smiles and applause. And it has been a defining moment in my life. To take my first field job and turn it into a successful master's thesis is an honest dream come true.
Of course, there is always more to do, and in the coming months I hope to submit and publish at least one (maybe two) manuscripts from my master's research in peer-reviewed journals. Stay tuned :)
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