Published on April 16, 2015
Fifteen environmental earth science (EES) students and four EES faculty members from Eastern Connecticut State University participated in the recent Northeast section meeting of the Geological Society of America. Attended by approximately 1,200 people, the 50th annual meeting was held at the Mount Washington Hotel/Omni Resort in New Hampshire from March 23–25. “With nearly 700 students participating, the meeting provided many of Eastern’s students with their first experience of being a part of a larger scientific community of geoscientists,” said EES Professor Steve Nathan. “Better than any lecture or lab, the students saw for themselves the value of sharing and exchanging their research with others.”
Seven EES students presented posters of their research, with topics ranging from arsenic in groundwater to coastal erosion to geothermal energy. All of Eastern’s students attended the meeting’s oral and poster presentations that occurred over the three days. “Student presenters learned a great deal by having to field questions about their research,” said Nathan, “as well as by seeing the posters and presentations of other students and professionals.”
With resume writing workshops, the meeting had a professional development component to it as well. “It provided students with the opportunity to build their professional networks,” said Nathan, “as they talked with representatives of various graduate schools and explored possible job prospects and career paths.”
Written by Michael Rouleau
